Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Ryan.
Julie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My photography story is one of my favorite parts of my life because it was never my plan. It sort of just, happened? My whole life I’ve been “creative”, I took art all four years of high school, I always redecorated my room, and I’ve always loved a good project.
I’ve also always loved having a camera and taking photos. I probably have twenty thousand photos from when I was fifteen to twenty-five. I was always the group photographer. Now, my friends and I joke when we think of how many cameras I went through when I was a teenager. I’d lose or break one but I’d always get my hands on another.
Whether it’s freezing a family moment in time or chasing a sunset I have always loved capturing moments quickly before they are gone forever, it makes my heart beat faster. It wasn’t until I was about twenty-four that I started to really take photography to another level realizing maybe it was more than just a hobby. A few years before realizing this, I was in nursing school, instead of getting a 73 for the semester I got a 72 and wasn’t allowed to continue in the program.
As the door slammed in my face, I was left standing there feeling hopeless and discouraged. As a way to remain busy, the next semester I filled my schedule with electives, intro to photography being one of them. I borrowed my aunts Nikon for the course. During the course, I learned the basics like what aperture and depth of field were.
The rest, well I taught myself. I remember using any free time to practice with my camera and being on YouTube every night learning how to edit to make my photos look more “professional”. I began taking photos of landmarks around my hometown, I printed, framed and sold them at Community Christmas bazaars and to friends and family for Christmas gifts.
Quickly after constantly practicing on my nephews I began taking portraits, made a professional Instagram to showcase my work and never gave up. And that’s where it all began. Now, with the constant support of my family and friends, especially my older sister who made me believe in myself, I put my worries aside and put more time and energy into actually creating a business that will bring you any professional photography services that you need.
Has it been a smooth road?
Honestly, my photography road has been pretty smooth. I am fortunate enough to have a full-time job to pay my bills and a “side bizz” aka photography that I am extremely passionate about. I live in a City that brings the quote “big city small town” to life. My neighborhood is a big reason why I have had such success.
I’ll take one neighbor’s family photos and I’ll soon get an email from at least one other family. But if I had to think of my biggest challenge, it’s the struggle I have with setting prices and selling my work. Because this started as purely a hobby, charging people for something I love to do just doesn’t feel right all the time.
Thankfully with the help of my family and friends I am reassured daily that my talent is worth it any price I decide to charge and most people would pay whatever I decided to charge.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Julie Ryan Photography – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Julie Ryan Photography is whatever you need, whenever you need it. I am a natural light photographer who loves kids, the way the sun hits the trees in the afternoon and the way the ocean kisses the shore even after all the times its sent away.
From newborns to high school seniors, to couples and families, I’m willing to bring you timeless photos whenever and wherever you’d like. I’d say my specialty would be babies and families, but I’m always up for trying something different and going the extra mile for my clients.
Something I’m most proud of as a company is my flexibility and my laid back style of using natural light to capture something beautiful. Whether its capturing your newborn at ten days old set up on blankets on your bed in your messy room or your family in the evening of a sunny summer day, I’ll make sure you receive photos you can have for years to come without the stress of a typical studio or a strict timeline photography service.
What sets me apart from other photographers is, while I obviously I see this as a professional career path I’m also just a normal, everyday, city girl who has worked in so many different industries, with such a wide variety of people.
I know that “picture day” won’t always be perfect and I really try to assure my clients that no matter what their kids are doing or what their hair looks like in the unexpected weather, I will deliver them something they will cherish forever because that is really what it’s all about.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I think what I most about our city is its charm. The way the sunbeams against the brownstones in town and how in most neighborhoods of the city you can smell the ocean, is just so majestic.
I love how many different backdrops the city has to offer while being on the coast and close to my favorite place in the world, the ocean. I love this city so much so the only thing I can say that I dislike is the traffic. Because really, who actually likes traffic?!
Pricing:
- Newborn photos: $200-300
- Family Photos: $200
- Christmas Mini Sessions: $120
Contact Info:
- Website: www.julieryanphotos.com
- Phone: 617-320-7521
- Email: julieryanphotography@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julieryan_photography/
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
