Roslyn Julia: Expansive Stillness / Style No Chaser

I met Roslyn Julia two summers ago and was immediately very impressed and enamored by her presence and drive. Her work is stoic and reflective, calming and introspective, depicting fleeting moments and tranquil subjects. She is the type of photographer who can translate the feeling of a late summer afternoon and a cold winter’s day with all the ethereal importance they deserve. When I stare at her images, I find myself more analyzing myself than the image. I find peace in them. Roslyn was cool enough to sit down with us and let us pick her brain…

Check out our exclusive Q&A with burdgeoning artist Roslyn Julia below…

What’s your name?

Roslyn Julia

Where r u from?

The Finger Lakes Region of New York State.

How long have you been living and working in NYC?

About 5 years.

How did you get into Photography, what attracted you to the medium?

My parents gave me a camera basically as soon as I could walk, and I instantly started capturing life and the people around me.

Your work is very beautiful and calming. It has a transportive quality that relaxes me, like there is a stillness about the subjects and there environments which I really enjoy bc it chills me out. Is this something you are intending to do on purpose? Or is this more a reflection of who you are?

I don’t think I necessarily choose to capture that energy, but I definitely pick out those photos I feel that stillness with to add to my series and call my own. I think this may be a reflection of my self, the way I feel about the world or… what I like to think, is that my photos capture that point where my energy and the subjects meet.

You also shoot a lot outside in wilderness environments or expansive outdoor locations. How do you come to choose the locations you shoot your subjects in?

If I am upstate, or a place we have a car, I like to just drive around until we find a place that feels right. I am also working on a portrait project right now that is all about the subject choosing a place they feel a very strong connection with, that makes them feel a certain way whenever they are there, so I am really trying to capture that connection between the subject and the place they are in.

Your photos also convey a profound understanding of your subjects. I get the sense that you have developed a connection with them. Do you generally know your subjects personally? Or are you shooting people you don’t know? How do you go about breaking down the walls with your subjects so that they reveal/convey their inner selves?

A lot of my subjects I do know on a very personal level, but that doesn’t necessarily make it any easier for them to open up in front of a camera. I think the location is key for having somebody feel comfortable enough to allow me to capture a real energy that doesn’t seem forced. I also think it’s best to really take our time on a long walk or even a day long adventure. The best moments come out when we are having an authentic experience and it’s not about the photography at all.

Who do you credit as your main photographic influences?

My first art influences all happen to be painters, Monet, Matisse, Mary Cassatt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cy Twombly, Robert Rauschenberg, Toulouse-Lautrec… as for photographers I absolutely idolize Todd Hido (!!!!) also Uta Barth and Richard Misrach.

What are your goals in Photography? Where would you like to head with your career?

The main things I am working on now are continuing my portrait project and my first monologue, hard cover book, which I am very exited about. I’d love to show in galleries, continue exploring the publishing world and hopefully start shooting portraits for magazines.