Tales from the Quarter Life: Julianne Popa

We gathered a pool of young photographers to give us their insights on photography, being its future, and other things in this interview series for Lomography's 25th anniversary. This time, we take a look at the filmic nostalgia of Barcelona-based photographer Julianne Popa.

Popa is a photographer who likes to live in the moment and get in touch with the Earth through the senses. Her photographs mimic the passage of time and age through snaps of daily moments, like dried petals and flowers from potpourri. When not with her camera, she's sipping tea, reading, walking, doing yoga, hanging out with her friends; but mostly, she daydreams.

In Popa' own words, here's what it's like to be a young photographer in the 21st century.

Name: Julianne Popa
Website: www.cargocollective.com/juliannepopa

What's the earliest memory that stuck with you when you were a kid? What do you think were you doing back then?

One of my earliest and prettiest memory is of the sun rising. I was very little and we were on a long-distance train. I was half asleep when my mother told me to wake-up because there was something I had to see and there it was, for the very first time right before my eyes; a huuge candy-like sunbathing the deserted fields and our compartment in all shades of pink and orange. I’ll never forget that.

When and how did you get into photography? What made you fall in love with the medium?

When I was 17 years old I bought myself an old (analog) Pentax camera from eBay and started shooting my friends and everything around me. The magic of the film made me fall in love with it. I just love that you never know for sure how your photo is going to come out and I love the wait, waiting to see the final photograph. I also like how the sunlight plays with the lens and the mirrors and all the beautiful effects it creates.

Any early memory about film photography or film cameras back in the '90s?

Yea, I remember stealing my uncle’s film camera all the time. Oh, the photos I took! Those imaginary photos must have been my best ones. :)

Many believe now that our generation's real adult-age is when we hit mid-20s. As a young photographer working as a professional, what were the struggles and challenges you encountered or continuously encountering?

Personally, I haven’t encountered many struggles until now. Something that seems stressful to me though, is when I have a deadline.I don’t know if that has anything to do with the age but I like to do everything without any pressure. A challenge might be affirming yourself and having your work stand up among all the other young artists’.

There's always a pro and con. What are the advantages of being young in the photography field that you've experienced so far?

The advantage of being young is that you are free. That may be the only advantage of being young actually, and it is fun but you all know that already.

Do you have any photography master or artist who you look up to? Who is it?

I don’t have any photography “master” but there are so many photographers and artists who's works just amazes me and fills me with beauty, every day. I love Lina Scheynius’s photos for example and Egon Schiele’s art, to name but two.

How do you see future Julianne Popa in the next 10 years?

Professionally I am not quite sure; I would like to do a book of my earliest photos and maybe do some collaborations and start shooting more people again. I would love to travel to remote places and capture the locals and then put up little exhibition/shows in their villages. I will keep taking photos but I will probably stop publishing them on the internet. Personally, I think the future Julianne Popa will be just like now but less anxious, more kind and more

As we celebrate 25 years of Lomography, we want you to be part of the unstoppable revolution. We’ve got heaps of exciting giveaways, parties, exhibitions, and surprises, so don’t forget to stay updated on the official 25 Years of Lomography site and follow us on social media! Stay tuned for the latest updates on the most exciting must-have Lomo accessories!

2017-10-01 #people #25thanniversary #25yearsoflomography #talesfromthequarterlife #tyrone-williams