Meet Julia Weinberg

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Julia Weinberg. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Julia, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

The reality is I haven’t entirely overcome imposter syndrome. As an actor, I feel confident walking into audition rooms and sets because I have years of education under my belt. With photography, I am primarily self taught so I don’t feel like I have a formal education to pull from all the time. However, because of my background in front of the camera I feel confident that I know how to support my subjects. I know how to make a room feel relaxing, focused, and fun. I know that I have a true sense of imagery and how to get folks to look their best. I have to do it for myself all the time! So while sometimes I doubt my “hard” photography skills — I overcome imposter syndrome by leaning into my “soft skills” of making a photo shoot fun no matter what.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Blending a life of acting and photography is always an exciting challenge. Both require a lot of self-driven action which can be empowering but at times frustrating.

Acting has been my passion and dream since an early age. I love getting to participate in ensembles, telling stories, and using my emotionality to get other people out of their own heads. Working in the Indie film space and NYC theater community brings me endless joy and inspiration.

Photography came about through my love of imagery. I was always that kid in high school who brought along their camera. After working on film sets behind the camera for a few years, I honed my love of image composition. I also started to see a gap in photography offerings. Creatives are always asked for images of themselves that really capture their essence but getting these images can be expensive and not accessible. It can also be overwhelming to be photographed — I know I get in my head when I have to do photo shoots for my acting life! So, I wanted to be a soft place to land for people who needed a portrait but didn’t want to have the experience be stressful. I do my photo sessions with folks where they love to be whether that’s a park, their home, or a more classic studio.

It is so exciting to capture people where they are in their life — whether it is a portrait or a session celebrating a life event like an engagement, pregnancy, or event. I act and take photos for a bit of the same reason — celebrating the human experience.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

My first area of skill is nerdy. I love to read and I think consuming literature around your passions is a quality that is fruitful and beneficial for all practices.
For acting I find myself returning to Uta Hagen’s Respect for Acting at least once a year. I also felt so seen and empowered when I read Jenna Fischer’s The Actor’s Life. For photography, I am constantly flipping through the work of Sally Mann (Immediate Family is what made me pick up a camera in a serious way for the first time). I also love Tyler Mitchell’s I Can Make You Feel Good. And while I am not a nature photographer — Pete McBride’s work always fills me with awe.

Another quality I find myself turning to a lot is fun. It sounds silly but it is so easy to lose the sense of fun in your passion when you turn into your job. I try to bring laughter and lightheartedness to all my sessions, auditions, and performances. Usually the best work comes from a place of joy in my experience. Allowing the fun in also builds up the stamina for the grueling journey of being an artist.

My final quality I think is the most important is the willingness to collaborate. With acting — everything I do is a collaboration. A collaboration with a scene partner, a director, a production assistant. Visual stories are often not told by just one person. There is always a team and in my experience, that is the best part of any project. All my photography sessions are a collaboration and conversation with my client. Being a good teammate makes you a better artist.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

I feel overwhelmed a lot! I think that is part of being a feeling person. The habit I always turn to in a moment of overwhelm is movement. Whether it is a solo dance in my kitchen, a pilates class, or a long walk I can literally feel my mind calm down. Collective movement is also the ultimate stress reliever in my experience! I feel very lucky to live in a place where I have access to these things.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.juliaroseweinberg.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jubilee.roll/