Julie Héron
@julieheronphotography
Amateur photographer based in Portugal
Growing up, I used to be the one taking pictures during family events and vacations. But photography as a passion really came up when I moved to Vancouver, Canada 7 years ago. I wanted to document my visual experience as my time there was temporary, I thought (I ended up living there for three years).
In the beginning, it was just to keep memories. I photographed the streets, museums, and sunsets on the beach to post randomly on my Facebook page. After three years, it was clear to me and everyone else that photography had become more than a hobby. That was also the moment my parents gifted me a professional camera. It helped me to gain confidence and take my photography to another level.
"British Columbia, Canada has the reputation to be mesmerizing and it is true."
I have trouble putting it into actual words, but I never felt more grounded and connected to the earth than when I explored this part of the world. I had this humbling feeling that I was on sacred land. It seems like the forest was singing to me. You can go to one side of Vancouver where you have the beach and to the opposite side where you have the mountain, and a little bit further up you find the massive forests.
I also had the chance to do a Helicopter Ride over the city. At some point, we landed in one of the mountains around Pitt Meadows. I had never been in such a peaceful and quiet place. We had 15 minutes on top of this mountain, and I tried to capture the best memory of this amazing experience. At that point, I didn’t have a lot of knowledge or special gear. I wish I had a real camera or a better phone to capture more of my experiences there in British Columbia.
Back then, although I took a lot of photographs, I hadn’t really gotten into landscape photography until a few months before the pandemic. I took a trip to Croatia and Slovenia, where I fell in love with landscape photography. As I had a good camera by then, it was a very different experience. Being able to be in Bled and Plitvice Lakes with no one around was pure joy. Visiting these places is still one of the best experiences I have ever had! My creative side was pushed further after this trip, and I felt an increased desire to explore. Shortly after, I began planning a 6-month trip through Africa for 2022. Unfortunately, the pandemic hit.
My parents’ garden became a playground, all members of my family became models. I learned to be patient, and I found the time to reflect on my way of traveling. I’ve to say that I had started to go to places just to say that I had been there, not because I had a specific reason for myself that I wanted to go to these places. Visiting countries had become a sort of fast food and I realized that this wasn’t the right approach. Now I travel in a very different way. I research before I go, look at what attracts me, and consider photography opportunities.
"I am currently based in Lisbon and recently went on a trip to Berlengas Island. It was the first trip I made by myself since the pandemic."
It gave me a little bit of anxiety to stay alone in a hostel for the first time in years. I arrived on a Friday night in Peniche, and the day after, I hopped on a zodiac to arrive in the Berlengas before lunchtime. I have major seasickness, but the boat was so fast that I was more concerned about falling over than being sick. We got a tour guide who explained the history of the island, and as we stopped for a while and he explained another part of the history in Portuguese, I left the group to wonder on my own. I went to a cliff, looked down, and a feeling of happiness and appreciation overwhelmed me. The red sand next to the green/blue of the sea, surrounded by the two cliffs, made me so happy. I smiled the entire time.
DISCOVERING
BERLENGAS
This experience intensified my love for nature and landscape photography. Nevertheless, street photography is my first love. I can play around with street pictures; I can make it my reality. So far, my favorite building is the Budapest Parliament – it is a great piece of architecture. For landscape, I feel like nature is telling me when I get to take the picture. It is constantly moving, and you have to follow. But regardless of the subject I shoot, what I love most about photography is the time I can spend alone with my thoughts. My day job is to interact with people constantly and as an extrovert, I love to be surrounded by loved ones when I am not working.
More often than I want, however, the imposter syndrome knocks on my door. The uncertainty especially arises when I look through other photographers’ work. Sometimes I think that I am not equipped well enough or that my content is of insufficient quality. It is a constant battle. I am trying to avoid comparing myself to other creators and try to concentrate on my work. Everyone’s work is unique in its own way, and for that reason, it’s hard to compare Art.
When I started to become serious about photography, I started searching on Instagram to find some fellow photographers. Many of them I still follow today and are a source of inspiration, even though it triggers the imposter syndrome sometimes too. I like @adelinerapon and @futur_loading who are French photographers. They are not travel photographers but their work with portraits inspires me daily. The colors, the light of their work is moving. For travel photography I am a fan of @cathsimard, @cdombaxi @tokiokid, @superchinois801 and @donquiellumbera_. This is not an exhaustive list but those are the ones I love the most. Each one of them has their own identity and every post is a gift for my eyes.
"However, when I started searching for photographers to follow and learn from, I realized that women, and in particular black women, are underrepresented."
Scrolling for 30 minutes through Instagram’s suggestions of people to follow based on my interests in travel and photography, I found that perhaps 90% of the accounts suggested were curated by men, 10% by women. More or less 95% of them were white.
Don’t get me wrong, all those photographers are extremely talented. And I know a lot of black women photographers, but most of them are creating portraits or doing wedding or food photography. In the field of outdoor and travel photography, so far, I found very few. I am sure there are more black women doing it, but we have yet to gain more visibility. Putting #blackwomenphotographers in my bio is a statement.
"I want to show new generations that black women travel and can be any type of photographer."
"Being at the intersection as I am black but born and raised in France, my experience in the world is different and this emerges in my art."
The choice of lightning, the colors… For me, the black and white creation I do sometimes represents a “no-lies” situation. It means that except for playing with shadows and light, I can’t change the picture. I can’t enhance colors or edit without thinking that it’s not my picture anymore. I believe that with a black and white picture I can make a stronger statement, get a rawer story across, compared to a photograph in color.
I never stop being creative, using my perspective to document the world and saving my memories. Photography is what I do, and my dream is to be able to live from this. Today my main challenge is my inflexibility; I don’t have a driving license or a car, so I often pass by great views, unable to stop as I am on a bus. I don’t mind walking all day – sometimes eight hours pass while exploring an area – but I long for the moment I can jump in the car and drive to places.
"Even though there might be a long way ahead of me, I am so appreciative of my journey so far, and I wouldn’t change it for anything."
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