About Julie:

My Name is Julie Mixon.  I started photography as an undergraduate student at Barton College in 2000 and went on to East Carolina University to receive my Master of Fine Arts Degree in Photography in 2004.  I have been teaching at Lenoir Community College in Kinston, North Carolina since 2004 and have been enjoying the teaching process.  What I love about teaching is that you never stop learning…. and photography is one of those things that you never stop learning.  I teach mostly photography courses ranging from the darkroom to alternative to digital classes.  Making Art through photographic media is what I do.  I also do commissioned portraiture and weddings.

I work out of Greenville, NC where I live with my husband Shannon and French Bulldog Jacques-Louis.  (Jacques is named after one of my favorite painters as well as one of the inventors of photography- just in case you were wondering).

Here is where I am in this thing called Photography:

Artist or Photographer?

Both.  I am an artist who uses photography as their main media of choice and a photographer who uses all the wonderful thing about art (concepts, elements of art, principles of design) to make imagery.

Film or Digital?

Both.  It depends on what I am making images for really.  I shoot mainly digital for commissioned work.  When making conceptual art I find that I usually begin with film, use digital media to manipulate, and then end up back in the darkroom for the final print.  Seems crazy, but I love the process of just making imagery.

Style?

I feel I have a bit of the traditionalist in me in the fact that I feel that the fundamentals of art and photography really help towards making a successful image.  The better image you get in camera the better your final image will be.  I feel that I am a bit modern in that I simply love to experiment with how the images are presented, but am careful that I don’t over do it with all the Photoshop stuff.  I find my attitude changing towards post-production every day.  I see so much importance in the exposure process.  Post-production is simply becoming a tool to simply enhance the image.

Natural Light or Artificial?

I am starting to feel like a politician here, but the answer is both.  Whatever works for the image you are making.  Sometimes the natural qualities of light are simply beautiful and sometimes the options available from artificial lighting can give you what you are looking for when what you are looking for isn’t available in the existing light.  It’s all about control and communication.  If you are able to control this media called photography then you have the ability to give yourself options for what you desire to communicate through your imagery.  That is at least what I am after.

Canon or Nikon?

I really don’t care.  But if you do, I shoot mainly with a Canon 5D Mark II.  Film cameras range from Nikons to Canons to Pentax 6×7 to a host of toy cameras.  I am a Holga and Lomo Diana lover.

Mac or PC?

Ok, I really do care about this one.  I am a Mac lover.

Actions or no Actions?

I do use actions, but the ones that I made myself.  I guess I feel like I have better control over my imagery that way?

All in all my goal as an artist is to create meaningful imagery. Which is quite a challenge, especially in a world that is inundated with images and image-makers.  My goal for each photo session is to remember why I am making these images in the first place and try to get the best image possible in camera before I take it to the post processing or manipulation. I try to be 100% in all areas of the process, from exposure to composition, to communication, to the finished image.  I know I really have a long way to go, I don’t have it figured out, nor do I think that I ever will.  I also know that I will always be in a constant state of learning.