Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Pauline.
Julie Pauline, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Since I was a kid, I loved to take pictures. I would find a 35mm point and shoot film camera in my house and just take pictures of whatever was around me. I loved it so much it that my dad got me my first little point and shoot digital camera when I was 14 and I took it everywhere with me as a teenager, even to school! I began photographing live performances when I was 17. My high school boyfriend was in a rock band and I would tag along with him to band practice at friends’ houses and go to their shows and that’s really where I began photographing musical performances. When it came time to decide what I wanted to study at university, I really didn’t have an interest in any subject other than the Arts, so I chose a photography program. I attended the Art Institute in downtown Miami, which is located right next to the Wynwood Arts District and the Miami Design District. While finishing my program, I primarily worked as an event photographer, specifically covering concerts and live performances. I interned with local media outlets and music promotor companies alike. Even though I loved music and dancing, I didn’t get into the club scene in Miami. I was drawn more to the musical performance than the party ambiance; watching a person or a band sing and play their instruments and express themselves to a keen audience.
Around that same time, a friend recommended to me a local band, of which I fell in love with their music. I went to their shows, I met them, became friends with them, and even today I am still good friends with some of the members. Through them is that I began attending local shows and I discovered this whole underground music scene of local musicians in South Florida. I made a new network and circle of friends and for a shy teenager that grew up in the suburbs, it was an incredible experience. It opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me. I was so proud of myself that I followed what I loved to do and it led me to meet wonderful people with a common cause of making music (even though I myself was not a musician). I had found a niche for myself that allowed me to do what I loved and not only connect with the local community but support them as well.
After graduating, I took a commercial job creating product photography at an office in downtown Miami while still doing my freelance work for shows and events. But after a year of working in studio, I wasn’t interested in continuing in that direction, rather I was curious to work in film production. I wanted to expand my skills beyond just creating individual photo work and doing post-production editing. I had the opportunity to be a part of D’Vision Indie Films as a production assistant and a still photographer. Working in film production not only gave me that practical knowledge and the full experience of filmmaking and being on set but also another sense of community; working as part of a team and being a part of something greater than your own. Achieving an artistic project together was so fulfilling. I left my convenient and comfortable “9 to 5” commercial job because for me it was lacking that sentiment. I was fortunate enough to be able to take some time off between my job transition and travel abroad. I was able to make new friendships, new connections, and overall it was a refreshing reset. My work began to transition from being music-based to being documentary-style travel-based. I also began to incorporate video into my personal work, something I had never really done before. I took a step back from event photography after I quit my commercial job since with my travels, I was away from home for weeks or up to months at a time. I began dedicating a lot of my free time to learning foreign languages, mostly Italian along with some German, as well as improving my second language which is Spanish. Looking forward, I hope that I can continue to travel and continue building my skills set to combine them for future projects, whether home or abroad.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been a lot of unexpected detours, twists and turns, but they always led me to something wonderful. If I had tried to find or make that path, I wouldn’t have been able to create it myself. It’s always about the journey and who walks alongside you, the company you have and who you surround yourself with. For a couple of years in my mid-twenties, every few months I was in a different environment. Some good, some more challenging, but they all taught me important things for my professional and personal life going forward. When I was younger, I didn’t have any set expectations about the kind of life I wanted to have so that it made it easier in a sense to embrace all the changes and whatever came my way. Once the pandemic began, I decided to take a break from working in photography all together to regroup, to focus on my personal creative projects and on my language studies. Everything has its time and its place, so being present and living the stages of your process is important. As long you keep going, you’re doing just fine. At the same time, you also have to learn when to walk away and when not to go back. I struggled with what direction I wanted to go in but just knowing what you don’t want, what you don’t want to do or where you don’t want to be is enough to push you forward and usually in the right direction. Sometimes it can also take a little while to realize that you’ve been sucked into your comfort zone. It’s different for everyone, but whatever prevents you from trying new things and challenging yourself, whatever stunts your growth, that needs to be recognized and confronted.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a photographer and an avid traveler. I’m based in Miami and I’ve worked under the creative name Sugar Pill Photography since 2012. I’d like to say that I’m known for documenting what’s around me, especially to share it with others. Whether I’m at a show, at the beach, traveling in another country, or just watching a sunset at home; anything that makes me go, “Wow this is beautiful, this is unique, this is heartwarming, this is special- and I’m sure someone else would be just as fascinated as I am to see it too.” That’s been the drive of my creative process for the last couple of years. Professionally, I specialize in portraiture and event coverage. I like to capture people in their craft, in their moment, honing their passion, to translate that visually and share it with others.
I’m most proud of not letting my shyness or my insecurities stop me from doing what I love on all fronts. Whether it be traveling alone, covering an event, or publishing my work. I still struggle with it at times, but it is always rewarding and I never regret when I push out of my comfort zone to do something creative, or share my work, or reach out to support someone else and their creative endeavors.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
My good friend and fellow creative Andy Sarmiento, creator of D’Vision Indie Films & Simply Creative just launched a podcast this summer titled “Simply Talk” where he interviews local creatives from South Florida about their experiences as artists in their industries. It’s always a creative pick me up for when I need some inspiration. I also love learning other languages and as part of my learning process, I try to immerse myself daily through reading and listening so as to not lose my comprehension as broad or as simple as it may be. During the pandemic, I discovered “Learn Italian with Lucrezia”, which is my go-to channel for Italian. I also love to listen to music in other languages, so Spotify has been my preferred music app for international music references.
Contact Info:
- Email: sugarpillphoto@gmail.com
- Website: http://www.sugarpillphoto.com
- Instagram: @sugarpillphoto
Image Credits
© 2013-2021 Julie Pauline
