Gwen Julia

Soul of Hope

Noise, energy, movement: these are some of the things that one would expect from an American parade. I came upon a town that was holding such a parade, the first since COVID hit. However, as three pageant women waited on a vintage car to enter the parade line, everything was unusually still, almost frozen in time. My intent was to capture the emotion between expectation and calm to provide a hypnotic sense of tension. These women are framed with two vehicles, the truck symbolizing their journey ahead and the camper representing shared adventure, friendship, and our social nature.

Is Trust A Trick?

When I press the shutter button, it’s because something caught my eye that I want to share with you—I want you to see what I saw. If things turn out right, the result should be compelling and draw you in.

When there are people in the scene, I aim to portray them in a way that would make them pleased if they saw the photo. This mindset creates trust between the photographer and the subject. Most often, people are unaware that I’ve photographed them on the street. But sometimes we make eye contact, and there’s an unspoken trust exchanged through a knowing glance or nod.

If someone shows any unwillingness once they see my camera—before I click—the image will not be what either of us would want. It’s worth remembering: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Sometimes there’s a funny story to tell through a photo, but even then, there needs to be unspoken trust. Trust isn’t a trick; it’s about how you value the people you encounter.

Photography has been a gift in many ways. One of those gifts is meeting amazing people I wouldn’t have encountered otherwise. And trust is part of that.