Julie Eliason has been taking photos for most of her life, but made it her full-time profession after moving to the Big Island about six years ago. She specializes in a technique she terms “photographic painting,” where she begins with a photograph and digitally “paints” it using a variety of brushes and strokes to create images that often look more like paintings than photographs.
Eliason recently took some time to tell Big Island Entertainment Scene about her work, as well as providing a tip for up-and-coming photographers on the island.
Q: How do you describe your photography to people, and what makes it unique?
A: “My photography is a bit different from other island photographers. I like to do what I call ‘photographic painting,’ where I start with a photograph and digitally ‘paint’ it using a variety of brushes and strokes to move and blend the ink or ‘paint’ on the media, just as an artist would blend the paint on an oil or watercolor canvas. As a result, my images often look more like paintings than photographs. I utilize high dynamic range photography to bring out detail in both the shadow and highlight areas, adding to the painterly effect. I also enjoy making photographic montages where I blend elements together from different photographs to create a unique image.”
Q: When you take a photo, what do you hope to capture?
A: “I strive to capture the design and beauty of nature so that the viewer feels a connection to the landscape, as if they were a part of it. I want to display all of nature’s colors, textures, and forms in all of its glory.”
Q: How do you hope your photography makes people feel? What emotions do you hope it invokes for people?
A: “I want the viewer to feel a connection with nature, and to gain an appreciation for the beauty and fragility of the natural environment. I spent my career as a marine biologist and wildlife biologist, working for various government agencies to protect wildlife and natural resources. I want others to appreciate nature as much as I do, so that they will work to protect the natural environment for future generations. I believe that our world is out of balance with nature and we all need to help bring it back into balance.”
Q: Do you have artistic influences or styles? If so, who or what, and how is that reflected in your work?
A: “Over the years, I furthered my photography knowledge by enrolling in numerous photography classes and workshops, studying under many masters including John Sexton, George Lepp, Rick Sammon, Fay Sirkis, and many more. The one workshop that probably influenced me the most was learning from John Sexton, a black and white landscape photographer who was Ansel Adams’ assistant for several years. I learned what a master Ansel was in the darkroom and saw the evolution of his photographs from negative to finished print. I felt that my photography skills took a giant step forward after that workshop and I work to improve my skills continually.”
Q: When did you enter the realm of photography, and how have you evolved?
A: “I started out my photography career as the family shutterbug after receiving my first camera for my eighth birthday. Over the years I photographed family and friends at every opportunity, eventually expanding my photography focus to landscapes, wildlife, travel, and fine art images. I was very fortunate that my career as a marine biologist and wildlife biologist allowed me to photograph wildlife and natural environments in many unique and isolated areas. I experienced a great of deal of joy every time I went out to take photographs, which led me to start a part-time photography business in California. There I exhibited my photographs in galleries, had entries in several juried photography exhibits, and had several of my photographs published in books and magazines.
“When I moved to Hawaii in 2009, I decided to lay aside my biologist hat to pursue my passion of photography full-time. This has been an exciting life change for me, as I am now able to devote all of my time to documenting nature’s moments in time with my camera. The Hawaiian landscape is very inspirational to me as a photographer. The cloud formations are amazing and form an ever-changing landscape for my images.”
Q: What is your favorite subject to photograph and why?
A: “I love to photograph water in every form from ocean waves crashing on the rocks or lapping at the shoreline, to creeks and rivers in deep forests, to lakes at the base of majestic mountains, to rushing waterfalls. I love the illusion that water creates when clouds or shoreline features are reflected in the surface, and colors are intensified.”
Q: Can you share a tip for anyone looking to capture Hawaii just a little like a professional photographer?
A: “Pay attention to composition, backgrounds, and most importantly, light quality. You need to have patience to wait for the right light and the right moment. Many people just take a photograph without planning the shot. What sets professional photographers apart from other photographers is that they ‘make’ photographs, instead of just ‘taking’ photographs.”
Keep up with the latest from Julie Eliason by visiting her websites at jewelimages.com and jewelimagesweddings.com, as well as following her on Facebook at Jewel Images. She can also be emailed at photos@jewelimages.com.