Julianna Astrid

Cheers to another wonderful summer! We are ecstatic to kick off this summer season with one of our favorite local Huntington Beach photographers / influencers, Julianna Astrid! Those who have been following us, know that we have had the pleasure to tag along with Julianna on her recent shoots.

We first met Julianna while she was shooting Stylecon in 2016, and we immediately gravitated to her personality and style. As a photographer, Julianna has come into her own, with a unique style that sets herself apart from other artists. All while maintaining such a creative vision on both sides of the Camera. We encourage everyone to follow along on her amazing journey through her official instagram accounts @lifewithjulianna & @shotbylilshawty.

LET'S START OFF WITH THE POPULAR, MOST EAGERLY ASKED QUESTION: WHEN AND HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN? WHAT GOT YOU MOTIVATED TO EMBARK ON BEING A PHOTOGRAPHER?

It all started when my parents bought a Nikon D5000 when I was about 12 years old. It was the first DSLR camera owned in our family so I felt so official. I took pictures of everything hahah, I mean - everything, the little flowers in my front lawn, bowls of candy in my kitchen, etc. I really fell in love with being about to create and capture something and then alter it through editing the colors or photoshopping things together to make a dream-like image.

TO GET TO KNOW YOU ON A MORE FUN AND PERSONAL LEVEL, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE, FOOD/DRINK, PLACE, BOOK, AND COLOR?

One thing people don't know about me is that I hate movies!!! I think it's because I don't have the attention span to sit there and watch, I'd rather be out and about, adventuring. The one movie/book series I AM obsessed with is the Hunger Games! I'm the biggest foodie I know, I love all types of food and eat probably more than people think. My top favorites have to be Greek food, sushi and pizza with a lemonade on the side. I spend majority of my time thrifting at swap meets where I'm able to find unique items for super cheap. Something about digging through piles of clothes is therapeutic and so rewarding when I find the perfect piece. Last but not least, my favorite color is pink!

EVERYONE HAS THAT ONE ACCESSORY THEY'RE ATTACHED TO- WHAT'S ONE WARDROBE ESSENTIAL YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT?

SUNGLASSES! Everyone who knows me knows that I have an obsession with sunglasses and the amount of people who have asked me how many pairs I have is crazy. This is definitely the main reason why zerouv is my favorite company, along with having the kindest staff.

IT’S SAID THAT A PHOTO SPEAKS A THOUSAND WORDS. AN INFLUENCER IS LARGELY BASED ON THE GREAT PHOTOS THEY PROVIDE FOR THEIR FOLLOWERS, AND AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THAT IS CHOOSING THE RIGHT MODEL. HOW DID YOU AND YOUR MODELS MEET?

Finding models is one of the toughest things about making your vision come to life. Luckily I've been able to use social media as an outlet to find almost everyone that I've worked with. It's crazy to look back at old direct messages on instagram/twitter starting with "let's shoot!" and seeing how a simple message turned into dream teams and great friendships.

FOLLOWING UP ON THE PREVIOUS QUESTION, DO YOU AND YOUR MODELS BALANCE EACH OUT OUT? HOW IT YOUR DYNAMIC WHEN SHOOTING?

I've been blessed to meet so many creative people that I'm able to click with immediately. My models and I always balance each other out. It's cool to see that even if our styles are a bit different, a middle ground is always found and we're able to learn from each other. I think it's important to work with influencers with different styles is essential because sometimes the only way to grow is to step out of your comfort zone. You're able to bounce ideas off one another and discover things you never knew you were capable of.

BEING A PHOTOGRAPHER DEFINITELY REQUIRES A LOT OF TIME AND DEDICATION. HAS IT IN ANY WAY AFFECTED YOUR CAREER? HAS IT LEAD YOU IN A NEW DIRECTION IN LIFE?

Patience is key! I've had many people ask about the progress and how long it takes to establish yourself. There is no set time as to when you'll be discovered but it's important to love every step of the way. It can be hard when work and school schedules get busy but I feel like if you love it enough, you'll make time for it. Photography has turned me into a set creating maniac hahaha, everything I look at instantly becomes a photo shoot in which I start planning all the accessories and props to coordinate into one big production. It has taught me to be more open minded and driven to make creative directing and taking photos my full time job.

WE CAN’T HELP BUT NOTICE THE AMAZING, POSITIVE ENERGY THAT LIGHTS UP YOUR PAGE. WHAT MOTIVATES OR INSPIRES YOU TO PRESENT THE HAPPY HEART AND OPTIMISM YOU HOLD?

Thank you!!! For me, anything colorful makes me happy, so while creating I try to incorporate as many colors as I can, hoping that it gives people the same feeling it gives me. During high school, it was hard for me to make friends because I felt like a lot of people didn't understand me or didn't have similar aspirations. That's when I realized I wanted everyone to feel comfortable when talking to me. I hope people will learn to openly share (and listen) to others without feeling like they're being judged. My friends and family play a big part in my career, everyone is always willing to help me in any way possible so they definitely inspire me and push me to be the best I can.

LASTLY, THERE ARE SO MANY UP AND COMING PHOTOGRAPHERS LOOKING TO MAKE THEIR BREAK IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD., WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THE NEXT GENERATION OF YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHY ­SEEKING INFLUENCERS?

IT'S COOL TO BE DIFFERENT! If you notice that your style of photography is nothing like what you've seen, don't feel discouraged or think you need to be doing what everyone else is doing. It's so refreshing to see someone with work that no one else has done before. Being consistent is crucial as well as having a good positive attitude.

We hope you all enjoyed our little chat with Julianna.

Xoxo,
zeroUV