Why Great Street Photos Don't Explain Themselves with Julie Hrudova

JULIE: So I'm here for a month. And you're doing workshops? I'm doing one workshop. I kind of needed an excuse to be here. So I'm doing a workshop and then what I love about Italy that things are being planned like two days ahead. So tonight I'm giving a presentation in Italian, which we also we planned it like. someday. So we're doing a lot of small events. I'm working together with local photo school here, Palermo Photo. And yeah, we were just doing things and I'm also photographing on the street so I just wanted to have like a full month of photography.

KEN: Do you speak Italian? — Yeah. What was the draw to Palermo

JULIE: Well, I thought just let's start down south. I always loved cities that are near to the sea. Palermo is. And it's also a place where a lot of things are happening. Also culturally there's a lot of photo organizations, there are new galleries opening. And it's still a small city but there's quite a community. And also the people, I think it's often in the south of countries where it's a bit warmer, the peoples are a bit warmer, so it's easier also to get in touch. and I think it's a good starting point when you travel alone and I mean you are on your own, but you still want to meet people. So I meet people quite easily on the streets. Also when I photograph people, of course not everyone is happy to be photographed. But a lot of people are just like, they come out of their shops and they start a conversation with me and it's a very, yeah, for the most it's a very friendly place to be.

KEN: I was in a market there and forget what it's called, but it was awesome. And there were these two older guys. They're playing a game. They were up against a wall. At that point I had a little Ricoh GR3. And I would just sit in there, they didn't care one bit, and I was just popping photos off. It's found a lot of people to be very open to photography. Again, not everyone

JULIE: It depends, but I mean it's also a very complex city, there's a complex history. So I'm also kind of like taking it slowly, also more approaching people, sensing the atmosphere. Also talking to a lot of people from here, also to sense how it is to capture people here because I don't want to only take something from the city in a way. and be this Westerner who comes here to photograph this. these narrow alleys and this, you know, kind of... they call it the "Quartieri Popolari" which is like the... I don't know the translation, it could be like... Umm... I don't know how to translate it. like the or neighborhood.

4:49

KEN: I understand, yeah Before we keep going, can you introduce yourself, tell everybody who you are, how you got into photography, all that good stuff? — Yep. Well, my name is Julie Hrudova.

JULIE: It's quite a difficult surname. but I'm Czech And I come from Prague. When I was 10, my parents kind of took me and they moved me to the Netherlands. where my father was invited to work. So then I changed countries. and I have always been drawn to visual arts. I started drawing. And I did take some photos with a little like child analog camera, but it never worked. And then as soon as I got my like first digital device, phone with a digital camera, I started to just. photograph everything around me just as I was drawing. And then slowly but surely I got into photography, but I never studied it. I studied, I did study like media studies and... cinema photography theory but never the practice. So technically I'm not that strong also but I just learned from what I see and what I need to capture what I see.

KEN: Do you think that impacts a person's photography one way or the other if they actually were professionally trained?

JULIE: think you learn by doing but it also means you know you mess up sometimes even if you're doing an assignment it happened to me that I just did like a stupid technical thing that I could have known if I would have studied it. So... Yeah, but in the end, it depends also what you need, what you want to capture, and then what technical knowledge you need to get to that point.

KEN: But now, I mean, your photos are, they're awesome. And you're doing assignments, you know, you're, it's not like you're struggling. I mean, your photography is great.

JULIE: Doesn't mean that I'm not struggling

KEN: That's true. I agree. to Sicily, when I was in Sicily, we stayed, we rented a house, it was right outside of a town called Terrasini, which is maybe it's I think it's due east of Palermo, maybe 20, 25 minutes. Really small town. What we really liked about it was it's not on the map as one of these big tourist towns. And I really enjoyed it because there was more of a real life there. And I think that with Sicily in general, it's so great because you've got this cool architecture and the people, everything just tells such a story. You find that?

7:13

JULIE: Well, it's a very mixed place as it has been conquered by almost everyone. So they have all these... different influence also like from Arabic and also in the language. I think there's this mix of also like flavors and cultures, which makes it very interesting. Also, as for the countryside and the nature, it has a very big variation of... So it has a lot of vegetation, different kind of vegetation, so every landscape is different. And a lot of people think that Citi is only like dry hills. But it's a lot. It has lakes, it has forests It has dried areas, it has rivers, it has a sea, so it's a very varied place in all senses.

KEN: When I reached out to you, I was really interested in talking, I know you offer portfolio reviews and that caught my eye because I wanted to talk to you about the value that adds to people. I am, however, fresh off of a workshop, a photography workshop that I just attended and it was enlightening to me and I feel that in just a few days, I grew so much. And so I'm really hot on the idea of workshops right now and the value that they add. So when you're teaching these workshops, What makes them so helpful to amateur photographers and people that want to?

JULIE: Well, I think it really depends for like teacher. As for me, I also ask people in advance, like, what do you want to learn? Like, what do you want to get from this workshop? And I think 90% of the people say that they want to learn how to see and how to think as a street photographer. So we are basically walking around as a group. for the most and then when I give my workshop I'm quite chaotic in the sense that I always see things but that's also what I prepare the people for so I tell them in advance like well It's not going to be super structured because we're going to walk around and maybe we can be in the middle of a sentence but then I will cut it off because I see like, I don't know, a pink painted dog that we really have to photograph. But that's also the way I want them to... to be aware of everything. around us. Also, if you're talking to someone that you keep your eyes and your ears open.

JULIE: And also the community, because often the photographers also learn from each other and also when they have like... very specific technical questions, there's almost always like one very technical person. So then he or she gives that advice. So it's yeah, I think it's this like community based learning curve and this kind of learn how to see elements.

KEN: And so are you teaching specific lessons if they ask for it on how to see or how to see light or how to tell a story? and then otherwise it just kind of goes with the flow.

10:00

JULIE: But usually I have it themed a little bit. For example, we did an evening photography, evening street photography theme. So then we were really using the city lights and really finding the light sources. We also went to a quieter neighborhood to learn how to behave yourself or how to move around in a neighborhood that's a bit more... difficult where you're also a bit more noticeable as a photographer So usually there's this theme, but I'm also very much paying attention during the workshop at like... the process of each participant. So I'm really seeing like for example this person needs more patience, this person needs to work more on the angle. So based on what is happening during the workshop I'm also giving them like mini assignments to work on during the workshop.

KEN: That's cool. I so I don't know if you could tell but I'm kind of an outgoing person. Yeah, sorry, I just don't know if that was obvious, so I wanted to just tell you But I find photography for me is very introspective. Like for me, it's my time to be with myself. And I have this conflict whenever I'm doing a workshop, which I haven't done that many or photo walks. So if I'm doing a photo walk, the conflict I have is that I'm very social, but I also am very like introspective when I'm. doing my photography. And one of the things that I found from the workshop was in addition to just learning specific tips that were being taught to me, I was just kind of taking it all in, observing other people in that workshop. And I feel like I got so much value out of that. And then when we came back and everyone started sharing their photos. to see how people were photographing the same scenes, but yet differently. I mean, that was tremendous for me. I learned so much.

KEN: And there was one photo in particular, so we were standing outside the Metro. And there were like four of us and this woman walked up. And as she came up, she lit a cigarette. all of us. We also put our cameras up. And so one of the people shared their photo and they were on the side and I was in front of them and we got, we must've clicked our shutter at the same exact moment from different angles. And it was just a really cool way to see and learn from that experience because what they got was completely different. — Yeah, I think you learn a lot from each other. And sometimes you also have to approach someone. I also, 'cause-—

JULIE: I'm not that afraid anymore to approach people when I photograph people. Sometimes it's just too uncomfortable to be standing there and not making any contacts. So at a certain point you have to, kind of. Otherwise, before probably I would just run away or do something else. But now I really want that scene. So I know I have to approach the people. And that's also something, you know, it's quite a I do say this, it's quite a burden or it's a, you know, people... especially when you start out with street photography, you have to get over that in a way if you want to photograph that scene. so... What is nice to see is that people like to participate also. try to do it together so they go like with two of them and then they make the contacts and Sometimes it happens that the person says no and then they go on to the next. But they also sometimes, you know, they make contacts and they shake hands. And I think that kind of also softens.

JULIE: this, this, um... this anxiety to be in touch with people you photograph.

KEN: Do you feel that contact ruins any of the authenticity of the photo.

JULIE: can, of course. but it can also give you access to your situation. Because sometimes there's this situation where it's almost impossible not to make any contact, so... It's, you know, if people are already doing something, then I tend to approach and maybe I take some photos first, but if I still don't have it, then I just say like, Hey, is it okay when I. When I photograph you there is this beautiful light, just go on with what you were doing. And then maybe I also like do a little round and then come back, but then in any case, they know of my presence. They are aware. but they also forget about that. and then I have like longer access to your scene. So it doesn't always have to ruin it. So it's almost like in the beginning it creates a relationship and then after that they just ignore you and you could keep photographing. Yeah. And of course sometimes you lose some of the... you know, the spontaneity. And then if I don't have the sense that I'm catching some things, I always want to be on this like hunt, then I move on because then it's indeed like too posed or there too wear or too much like looking at me.

KEN: You mentioned the word hunt, you know, and there's a conversation, of course. I never really like saying it, but it's the whole hunt versus fishing kind of thing. Which do you prefer? Do you like to wait or do you continue to move around? What do you prefer?

JULIE: I think I do a bit of both. But I'm a very impatient fisher woman.

KEN: I am too. I do both. But if I want to stay in one location, I have to force myself to do it. Otherwise, I'm just gone Sometimes I'll see a scene that I really like and I know that I just want to stay there and I'm forcing myself now to stay longer in places.

JULIE: And you can also hunt while you're fishing. Because you might be paying attention to one place but then when you turn around there is this other scene which you would not have caught if you would not be there.

KEN: — Absolutely, so I'm putting a new YouTube video out today. It just talks about the importance of going out and capturing what's happening in the United States right now so that things are documented for the future. And in that video, I mentioned the same thing about how if you are in a place where there's a protest or there's activity going on, just look around and explore the scene with your eyes and your senses and stuff because whatever's happening right in front of you is It's probably not, not only is it not the only thing, but it's probably not the best opportunity for photographs. Yeah, I think it's always good also to be mindful about, you know, the...

JULIE: also about the social and political situation of a place. But also I think aside from that, for me the importance is also... in this registration of daily life in this kind of-- everyday spontaneity because we live in an increasing curated world where everyone kind of creates its own image. And then-- It's People also get scared when I take photos sometimes because that's an image they cannot control. So I think the easier it is for me to photograph and publish, the more difficult it is also to photograph people, sometimes to get permission or... also in the way that they... They react to me. But I think still for me the main reason also is to kind of document this time because every era is interesting. And now we're just not that much used to this kind of spontaneous registration.

KEN: I think that's beautiful. There's two things that you mentioned, two things that just triggered in my head I want to follow up on. So the first thing is just personal. I have realized that you're absolutely right. People get anxious because you're taking a photo of something that they can't control. And case in point, when I did this workshop in Paris, people were taking photos of me, like in the group, we were taking photos of each other. And as far as I'm concerned, like I'm this very like handsome, fit bald guy, right? And I saw all these photos with like six chins. I was like. And I swear, you--

JULIE: You can use the right of privacy. — Yeah, right, exactly.

KEN: Instead of the right of privacy, I just came to terms with that's what I look like now. And there was, you know, Olaf from, uh, what is it? What's you know Olaf from the movie the Disney movie Elsa Olaf wait hold on Wait a second. Umm... Olaf Frozen from Disney's Frozen. You know Olaf from Frozen? Yeah, I only know the song. OK, it's like, you know, in summer and he's a snowman that is melting. Anyway, long story short, I'm going to send you a pic, one of these pictures of me. I look like Olaf now and that's a snow. Yeah. So anyway, I've come to terms with that, but more importantly... And with a little more gravitas. cool thing. And I assume is this, I guess my question is, is that what kind of draws you to street photography, this idea that you are capturing and documenting reality in, in real time for the future? I think for me, it's more of a validation reason to do it. But like what really draws me is really like this kind of absurdity and strangeness of everyday life.

19:01

JULIE: I find it important to document these times. I'm also always looking for kind of an extra layer, an extra... strangeness or something funny like to really Take a scene and make it mine, in a way. So that's what drives me personally and artistically.

KEN: Give me an example of that. Is it like a contrast between a situation? something happening that's serious, something funny, or what is an example of something like that?

JULIE: I think I usually take like a fragment of a bigger seam. So maybe when you have a group of people doing something, it can be a performance. And then if you photograph them all in this context, it is a kind of documentation of that performance, which is fine. But then I want to take an extra step to maybe photograph just one person or... maybe contrasted with something completely opposite that is also happening in that space to kind of create a different element of that like different version of that reality. And I also like to play with on clarity, so my pictures are maybe not super clear on what is happening I also get a lot of questions like what on earth is happening why is this person positioned like this and is everything all right and what is going on? And I also enjoyed very much not to tell this story. because I think it's way more interesting when this story kind of grows in someone's imagination.

JULIE: and not when I tell it.

KEN: Are you telling enough of the story to trigger that? question or you just putting it out there.

JULIE: putting it out there. Because it's also often when I don't know what is happening. So I see something and I'm thinking like, what on earth? What is happening? I have to go through this Or I am seeing what is happening and I'm looking for this... one fragment, one moment in which it becomes totally unclear. I do give like little hints of what might be happening. But also, in some photos, it seems to be a very serious, dangerous situation. But meanwhile, it's maybe just a street game. So I like to play with this kind of... Also the role or the... the medium of photography that is often seen as something like trustworthy and that it's real, but it's also because of this. Image of the image. It is also extremely manipulating. So this is the tension that I like to-— touch a bone.

21:34

KEN: How much of your photography do you think is in Amsterdam where you live versus other places where you're traveling? Like what percentage? How would you split that, do you think?

JULIE: on very bad in numbers. I think I have like dyscalculia, I'm like Julie Dyscalculia, so I don't know about numbers. But well now I have an, I have again an assignment for a Dutch newspaper, an Amsterdam based newspaper. where I have to deliver a photo every week. Now that I'm here in Palermo, I already made a lot of photos in advance. That means that I'm taking a lot of photos in Amsterdam, of course. But I'm also travelling a lot. Also, for example, I get invited to festivals to give presentations. I have a lot of friends in different countries. So then I always take my camera with me. And also I go to Prague often, which is my hometown. I think the major part is still Amsterdam, but a lot of it also comes from different places.

KEN: First of all, I want you to know that I have just declared us friends. — All right. — And so if you ever come to the States and you want me to take you on a photo walk and show you around, I'm in Boston, I go back and forth between here and New York City a lot. I used to live in New York City. So if this is an open invitation.

JULIE: Well, and good friendship. Alrighty, starting of good.

KEN: That's how best friends start. And then the second thing is. When you are going to these other locations, do you need time to warm up? I mean, how? How quickly do you feel that location? And I asked this question because I have learned over time that when I travel to a new city or any location and I'm interested in photography, Personally, I feel it takes me a day or so to kind of get in a groove and part of that. environment. Do you feel that way or no

JULIE: Absolutely. I need some time, especially when you're in more like quieter neighborhoods. I think the center is everywhere a bit easier. If you go to the Dam Square in the Netherlands, in Amsterdam or Times Square. The atmosphere is a bit similar as you have a lot of people out of tourists. But if you go to a quieter neighborhood, which you don't know, I think it's also smart to just sense the atmosphere. And maybe like what I do now is also I kind of... speak to the people, especially when I think it's needed. But it's also like it's I think photography is a very like tactile thing as you're using all your senses and You're using also the sounds around you and the rhythm and the movements. So I think it's valuable also to take that time to be more aware.

24:15

KEN: My favorite experiences have been getting out of the city center or not getting out of the city center, but getting out of just the tourist areas or the popular areas and wandering neighborhoods. And especially with today's like technology, you never worry about getting lost, right? You just go. do ever wind up somewhere you just look where you are and figure out how to get out of there

JULIE: I love that

KEN: It takes me a good day to kind I don't it feel not confident but just get into the groove or the flow of that city.

JULIE: Palermo will be a bit more complicated as I'm used to cities that have the center, that everything is a little bit the same also in terms of safety. And then you go to the periphery where it might be a bit different. For example, in Palermo I think it's also, I think, in Naples, a similar thing that where you have the center that is like intertwined with all kinds of neighborhoods. So you might be on like the main street and you take like one little. One little alley. And then you are like in a completely different place. And I have to. Be a bit more. cautious about this as Sometimes I wonder at night time. And that I'm really sensing like, oh wow, it's very empty here. I'm not sure if this is a good place for me to be, like with the camera and like girl alone So it's, yeah, am I also trying to like talk with local people like where should I go? Where should I not be at a certain time? So doing a bit more research to where I am.

KEN: I think that's super important. I mean, I do the same thing. I'm six foot tall and actually I lost weight. I used to weigh over 230 pounds, but now I'm coming in at 210. Look at you. Yeah. Yeah. Even with my, my Olaf chin. Yeah. I think that's why I look like Olaf. It's because I used to have a really fat face. It's never that All right, this is not turning into a weight loss podcast. All right, you mentioned assignments for the Dutch newspaper and that you got a lot of your photos in advance because you are in Palermo right now. I'm curious, how long does it take you? Let's say you have an assignment to have one photograph, right? You're saying one photograph a week. I know, I think our audience will be interested in this, 'cause I long does it take you to get that one photograph and how many photographs are you taking say to get that you know is it a thousand shots and you're lucky to get one or

26:43

KEN: How's that?

JULIE: again numbers but I think

KEN: Oh, and I'm sorry to throw numbers at you so we can just say a little or a lot. Yeah. But no, I can still make distinction between hundreds and thousands.

JULIE: Luckily, but I think as for time, maybe like a day and if I'm not happy, it can be like one and a half day.

KEN: to say the evening is sub bit easier than the day?

JULIE: because the day you sometimes have this kind of like... like these colors of lights also so it makes it gives like an extra kind of charm. to the place. But for example, I was also doing the same assignment during COVID and this was not about evening pictures, but about general pictures and that was very difficult. The COVID times were super interesting to photograph on the street because... The things that were happening were extra surreal and extra strange. They were just not that... that recurring, there was far less that was happening. So that was really difficult, I think it took me at least one or two days. to get to the shot. And then as for amount of pictures I don't... photograph that much like if there's nothing to photograph I might end up with just like 10 pictures of Nothing. But when I see something and it's moving around and I sense that I have to get that specific moment, I can do a lot of photos.

JULIE: but I never used the continuous mode. I'm always like cautious when I. Press the shutter.

KEN: That's impressive I don I think so. I mean, I do both actually. When I do one shot, I'm much more thoughtful about what I'm going to capture and... I pay much more attention, so. actually a lot of times I get better shots because of that. So yeah, so it's. It's counterintuitive, but it seems to work that way. Are you getting specific direction for each of these shots every week? So the newspaper saying, hey, we want a photo that. represent or communicates this or they're just saying go out get us photos of the city.

29:09

JULIE: Yeah, they say go out, get those photos of the city, but also they, I know the newspaper wants photos from all the neighborhoods, for example, so it cannot be only center, which is like kind of the safest option. And also like the because Amsterdam is a very mix of cultures and people. So it's also about this variety of... of inhabitants or tourists, so like everyone who passes through the city or who lives there. And also we're paying attention to the rhythm of the photo. So if you have like a close shot one week, then try to do maybe something else the next time to not have like the same images, the same kind of images all the time. But it's also something I'm paying attention to. Maybe the thing that the editor can know better than me is that they know what other pictures are in the newspaper that they've seen. So they might choose a different image just because it's like contrasting the other images that are already there.

KEN: And are you still loving it? Like does this turn photography into work or does it basically make your life more fun or a combination of both?

JULIE: Well actually I'm here to find out because I was working also as a photo editor for TV. for national TV news and I've done this for 12 years. And I've always done it part-time. So next to it, I was always doing photography, but I had the luxury to be a bit lazy. And now it is just me and my photos and whatever else I can do. But I also I think you also mentioned it that I needed to force myself to to be more creative and to be less lazy and to find to set up also new collaborations. So I will have to find out if I will still like it because that's one of the... dangerous if you do it, if you start to do it full time.

KEN: I always wonder that, the same thing. I want to talk about portfolio reviews. So this is what's interesting to me about this. And it's this idea that we as photographers can learn and accelerate our growth in photography and enjoyment in photography with other people. photography can be very isolating as a craft. So I think it's a lot of times. counterintuitive for people to think that, oh, I should go do this with other people because I will grow that way. As opposed to, I'm just gonna keep doing this and then I'll eventually show my stuff.

JULIE: I think for me personally when I was starting out, I... I thought I was doing great because my parents were saying like wow great pictures my friends were saying wow great pictures so I thought like oh my god I'm gonna take over the world with this and then And then a friend of my parents said like oh well I work for the newspaper as a writer if you want I can connect you with this photographer And I thought like, oh, wow, yes, he's gonna And then he was looking at it, and he was like, looking at it and like frowning his eyebrows like, hmm, okay. And why exactly is this tree growing out of this person's head? And I was looking at it and I was like, "Ah, damn, there's a tree. I And that was for me like a very specific example of like things you just don't see before someone else tells you. And then years later when I was more invested in the whole street photography community. Like one festival asked me to do these portfolio reviews.

JULIE: And I was very nervous because I was thinking, what should I say about this for like, who am I to review this? photos that I became a bit more humble than in the beginning. But actually, all these exchanges were very... valuable and then the photographers were very happy. And I was thinking like. Actually I kind of have something to say about these photos also because of my editorial experience at the TV news and also because I'm doing a curated project called Street Repeats. I'm not sure if you... if you know that one but no it's street repeats It's horrible to pronounce, but it's fun to look at. It's a collection of... street photographs that are similar but all taken by different photographers. So I always have a theme of three images. And this can be like juxtapositions, shadows. It's a way to show how we all inspire and influence each other. And then I have my own experience in the field as a photographer. So based on this kind of triangle of experience, I kind of...

33:28

JULIE: can grasp. what someone is aiming for, where someone is maybe trying to... do more of an imitation and I'm really trying to get to the more like the personal style. Like where is your obsession? Where like what do you photograph based on your intuition and instincts? And I think that's-- I can kind of push someone in that direction to really pursue their own... you know own voice then it's a very valuable exchange I think.

KEN: You mentioned how in the beginning, your parents loved your photos. I think that's the only person that loved my photos too. I remember... was in actually in Italy. I was in Puglia over by Bari and stuff. And we had this little house like in an olive grove and it was amazing. And I had just gotten into photography or just started and I had like, I think it was like some lens that was like, it was like a 1.8 or something. And I just left it at 1.8 and just shot everything. And I came back and I put these photos up and everyone's like, wow, these are amazing. And then someone that was a friend or something who knew about photography, they're like, wow, someone like stepped the field or something. And I was like, Googling what stepped the field? And I was like, oh shit. And so, yeah. And I look back and one of the photos is like this jar with a blurred out olive grove in the background. One of them is a tree with like a blurred out olive grove in the background. And it was like a door with, yeah, it was just all like blurred out. And so I've had to grow from that. So the feedback is good. I'm gonna tell everyone where they can find you and find your portfolio reviews and all this in a second. But first, before we get there, I have three questions that I always ask of all of my podcast guests.

KEN: You not only are you my new BFF, but you are a podcast guest. And so are you ready? I think. Well, we're going to find out. Yeah, we're going to find out. The first question is, and this one, you know, I don't even know why I asked this question because I already know it by the time I get here. I'm rarely surprised, but the first question is. What is your favorite genre? Look at your, you're getting a little nervous there, Julie. — I did. — Shuck. — We did quite an introduction. — Yeah, you've been very composed this whole time, but now I see the stress in your eyes. So we're gonna, it's easy, I promise. The first question is what's your favorite genre to shoot and why?

JULIE: Um... Well the thing is that street photography is called street photography but it's not always on the street. So everything that happens unexpectedly I would say.

KEN: Brilliant. I've been trying to find a way to say what you just said for a solid year or two. And I think I may steal that because I love street photography and I love. That's what we are BFFs for.

JULIE: Just take it. Do you have any more great ideas I can steal because that was a great one. They have to come up. they have to come up spontaneously.

KEN: If anything pops in your mind, just send me an email. I'll take credit for Kidding aside, the reason I appreciate that is because I also love other genre, other photography. Like I love going to beach scenes and I absolutely love photography on a beach. I just feel like there's so much activity and so much story and all these things that are not on the street, but at the same time. they fit into that role of its...

JULIE: It's not street photography, but it is. — Yeah. And I'm not sure how you call this, if it's even a genre, but there's some photographers who kind of... ( reenact film scenes. It's not existing film scenes, but they're just like using cinema as inspiration to create their own kind of curated scenes. which is also often like street minded photographers who do that which is quite interesting also to see but no idea how to how you call this

37:17

KEN: Is it like staged or you're saying staged?

JULIE: For example, Sarah van Rij, a Dutch photographer. She's also doing street photography scenes, but already it's quite cinematic. And then she's also doing this really like... scenes of like a figure in a landscape and then a shadow of a hand somewhere or like a specific lighting. And it's very eerie and it has this kind of street atmosphere, but also this cinematographic atmosphere. And it really works well together. If you're listening to this podcast and you know what this is called.

KEN: Send me an email or send Julie an email. Tell us. Please. All right, number two is what camera system do you use? What brand?

JULIE: Fuji and Canon.

KEN: prefer one or the other for street.

JULIE: I have the Fuji X-T4 for streets. I prefer it because it's small, but I used to have a canon. 450D? This one is smaller.

KEN: Last week, or when I was in Paris, I shoot Sony, but when I was there, I also got a chance to use just the Fuji X100VI. And I had never really shot Fuji before and loved it. I absolutely loved it. So now I'm gonna kind of try to, I'm kind of hooked. — You're gonna cheat on it. — It's unbelievable. I just loved it. It was so fun. Got some great shots. All right. And my, my third question is on a scale of one to 10, I know that you're not into numbers, but I know this is, this is a small scale one to 10, 10 being the most one being the least. How often do you get that burning itch to get out there? and shoot photos.

JULIE: Well now it's at 8 I think. Now I'm here for it.

KEN: So it's an eight in Palermo when you're there. It would be less, I think.

JULIE: It's not an eight in Amsterdam. less because in Amsterdam I have this tendency to be lazy especially when I was working And then there's more people to me. you know, more like regular life stuff to do and it's also the place I know. I think that's the most difficult but it's also very valuable. to really still see new interesting things in the place you're living. That's like the biggest problem of most photographers, street photographers. I talk too, because everyone's kind of bored out of their own neighborhood, of their own city, but it's also super interesting to try to see new stuff. that you're in the place you already know that well.

KEN: 100% absolutely. And I did a podcast about that with this woman named Justine. She has a YouTube channel called the Justine Files. She talked about it and referred to it as home blindness and this idea that you don't see at home. And, uh, you know, I, I. I bounce back between Boston and New York City and people would, you know, they're jumping to shoot here and I just don't get excited about it as New York. Yeah. Yeah. which I find interesting.

JULIE: Not super easy though, but people also tell me that we are bored of all these old buildings. So I guess it happens everywhere.

KEN: check so what's Prague like to shoot? I have a trip plan to How is that as a street photography destination? Yeah, it's good. Especially when you go to, I started to go to the periphery because I find sometimes the centers are a bit difficult because you have all these like beauty and the whole, you know, the whole.

JULIE: kind of known background. But I think also the more... strange or interesting scenes also happen in these really like residential areas, periphery areas. And you have what I love about Czech Republic is that you don't have the bricks. That's also what I dislike about Amsterdam. I don't really like these brown bricks. That's because you have it everywhere. But in Czech Republic, it's this architecture style with really like... Mmm. The structure is like one, there's no bricks. Not sure what the name is It's kind of this theme background and they also have a nice use of color. So they have like this light pink, light green. And there's also this kind of central European atmosphere and also in the street furniture and how people dress sometimes. If you go to your certain neighborhood, it looks like from the 70s, maybe people still keep their hairdo. Sometimes it's kind of like a trip. to memory lane.

KEN: I haven't been there yet, but I didn't anticipate color. That's cool.

JULIE: I think this is also a problem with the image of Central Europe or Eastern Europe that it has this kind of greyish image now maybe. 100% in my mind, like Eastern Europe, especially, you know, Central Easterns, all I anticipate is just grayness and like brown buildings or dark buildings and gray. That's also another theme. Like this is also a bit of like my study field, like this whole visual culture and visual memory. but it's very, it's

KEN: Cool, I'll show you my pictures when I go.

JULIE: Maybe also one thing that is for me is a bit complex for like Czech Republic is that it is my real hometown. kind of feels like the most uncomfortable place to photograph at because I come from there. And I'm also kind of like struggling, like where is my home? Am I from here? Like what's my relationship to this place? So I even made a video about that to kind of deal with this strange alienating feeling.

42:59

KEN: So my family comes from Ukraine, Lithuania. And I mean, they came, you know, 100 and. 150 years ago, 130 years ago. So it was actually not Ukraine at the time, but some from like Germany and stuff. And I have always wanted to go back. experience and you know I don't have any connection to it but yet I do and I want to go photograph it and I'm I've just had this curiosity so it's interesting to hear. your perspective on that. But you are directly from, I mean, you're like a first generation immigrant from the Czech Republic, whereas I'm one of my four generations past now. So it's very different. I want people to go see your work. I want people to go see you, your YouTube channel, your Instagram. I want people to go book portfolio reviews, sign up for workshops. And I wanted you to tell me when your next workshop is in Palermo because it's always a good excuse for me to travel and I could tell everyone, yeah, I'm going on a work.

JULIE: Nice, well, sure, can wire out like in one and a half week, wouldn't be great.

KEN: Yeah, that's going to be a little hard if I want to stay married because I just got back from Paris. Next week I'm going to Puerto Rico. If I then get on a plane and go to Sicily, yeah, I'm going to need a new place to live. So maybe next year, but I do want to. Yeah. Oh, that's right. Wait, I could just stay in Palermo. So where can people find you? Tell me like Instagram, YouTube, everything. So my website is www.juliehrudova.com. Will you place links somewhere because it's impossible for people probably to write this. I will and for those of you who are listening to this walking or in a car or somewhere, Julie's name is spelled, well her website and her name is spelled Julie, J-U-L-I-E. and her last name is H. R You D as in David. O, V is in Victor, A.

45:01

JULIE: My Instagram is like @hrudography, it's a combination of my surname and photography but it's always if you type in the first four letters it's usually just me because no one has this combination of letters so it's @hrudography

KEN: H-R-U-D-O-G-R-A-P-H-Y. — Well, you're good. There's not many things that I'm good at, but I guess I discovered a new one, so cool. And then YouTube, how can people find you on YouTube?

JULIE: You can type in my name, or it does. I think it's also hrudography. It's a username.

KEN: Julie, I really can't thank you enough. It was awesome to meet. I'm sorry I ruined your day by becoming your new best friend. — I mean, you let it go. Oh, good. Okay. Hey, this is great. Well, I'm a little, I actually, I don't know, I'm a little bashful now. I don't know what to say, but thank you. You're welcome. Kidding aside, I've really enjoyed this conversation and I really am grateful for your time. Thank you.

KEN: Thank you so much for joining me for today's episode. Our next show will feature more valuable stories from our community members. If you'd like to audition to be a guest, please visit bigphotohunt.com for more information. Thanks again for listening today.