Meet Julie Wilmes
Tell us a little bit about yourself. I’m a natural storyteller – I’m a born and raised Texan, I recently graduated from Texas Tech University and I married my best friend this past January! I now live in Fort Worth, Texas and work as a full time wedding and portrait photographer. I also run a wedding and portrait photography blog (www.thestorytellingblog.com).
Where is home? It’s now in Fort Worth, but I grew up in Midland, Texas (middle of no and where) but I’ve also lived in Lubbock, Texas, Albuquerque, New Mexico, San Diego, California, and Hobbs, New Mexico. I’ve bounced around a lot!
A website/blog you frequently visit. I love reading Jasmine Star’s blog for photography tips, A Beautiful Mess for DIY ideas and Photography Awesomesauce for business tips. My best friend runs a small wordpress blog journaling her walk with God (Living Lively Faith) and I really enjoy that as well.
If you could have lunch with one person who would be. Honestly? Bob Goff. He is a fantastic person and so much fun to be around, he always leaves me thinking and learning to love more. (I had a small meeting with him a while back during a youth leaders conference, which I showed up to randomly and would love to do that again)
What are five words friends would use to describe you? Animated, Adventurous, Impatient, Loyal and Rambunctious.
Where do you see yourself five years from now? Hopefully a mother. It’s truly the path I see God leading my husband and I down and I can’t wait to jump head first over there. I also hope to still be shooting weddings and teaching others out there how to create an emotional story to tell. I studied to be a teacher and want to use those talents with others.
If you had to choose one lens, which one would it be? My newest baby, the Canon 50 1.2. I LOVE THIS LENS. Almost as much as I love my dogs – maybe more…just kidding (I don’t know if I am kidding.)
What’s in your camera bag? My camera bag holds a Canon 5D Mark III, a 50 1.2L, 85 1.8, 135 2L, 28 1.8 – 430EXII flash and a Canon EOS3 Film Camera – my husband uses my backup equipment, which is a Canon 40D and a 50 1.4 lens.
How long have you been doing photography? I’ve been shooting film for 18 years but I started focusing on shooting more about fours years ago, launching my business in 2010 and I went full time this year (2013) after finishing University.
What type of photography do you focus on? Weddings and couples mostly, but I also love shooting seniors and portraits – not that many kids and families (although they can be fun) right now.
Did you go to photography school? Nope. I am completely self-taught. I went to the University of YouTube. :P
What advice would you give to your 15 year old self? I would tell her to take a deep breath. Life is hard and decisions, experiences and relationships only get harder as you grow up but the trip is worth every ounce of pain, tribulation and joy. I would tell her to hold fast to Jesus because He is the only thing that will get you through those days that you don’t think you can last. I would tell her to keep dreaming and telling stories, and to realize that she gets to do this for the rest of her life and it will be awesome.
How does your relationship with God affect the way you do business? It shapes me, I am always looking and thinking on what the Lord wants me to do in this life and it is no different in my business. Being a business owner I have the luxury of making decisions that help me feel like I am honoring Him. I love showing my couples how the Lord is blessing them and I love to bless my clients; as He has asked me to do. I am able to show His love with my work and I am so grateful for that.
Favorite verse? Matthew 11: 28-30 (I love the Message version the most) Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.
How would you describe your style? Unabashedly Emotional, Colorful and Modern. I tell stories and I weave the story of my clients into their pictures.
Who or what is the greatest love of your life? My husband Dustin is incredible and I’m so glad to have met him and married my best friend. He is so patient with me and I can’t believe that I am lucky enough to have him on this journey with me.
Who has been the most influential person in your life? Everyone influences me in some way, I try to leave every encounter having learned something about humanity and how we are shaped in the eyes of our Lord. If I had to pick someone specifically, I would say the woman who raised me, Anne. She gave me many of the outlooks I have on life as an adult and I try to remember the lessons she taught me constantly.
If you could shoot with another photographer, who would it be? Oh. That’s hard! I can’t pick just one cause I have a list! But Promise Tangeman and her husband are high on there, she is a doll and I would be honored to photograph her little family!
Where do you find your inspiration? Everywhere! I keep a journal on me constantly and am drawing, sketching, writing and painting in it – I always look for inspiration to add to my photographs and designs. I pour through wedding blogs, magazines and books and am always reading for uplifting or thought-provoking ideas that can turn into shoots or benefit my clients.
If you could choose one person to photograph, who would it be? I could never choose just one person, I want to shoot people with stories to tell – stories that you can read on their face or in their stance. The homeless man who starves so his dog can eat, the woman who lost her child and loves everyone fiercely because of it. The child who lived through abuse and is stronger for it. The young man in love who wants to make the person he loves his forever. The couple finally celebrating their marriage, or the man who turned to God in a time of need and is changing the world with His love. Bring me stories, because they last forever and that’s what I want to photograph.
WEBSITE: www.juliewilmes.com
BLOG: www.juliewilmesblog.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/juliewilmesphotography
TWITTER: www.twitter.com/juliewilmes
PINTEREST: www.pintrest.com/juliewilmes
INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/juliewilmes
