“I’ve learned that photography is not a straight line. There are a lot of ups and downs and everyone’s journey is going to be different.”
— Julie Bidwell, professional photographer on Photography Lessons Learned
We had the chance to chat with professional photographer Julie Bidwell in a four-part interview series that’s full of insights you’ll want to hear. We love hearing how creatives get their start, build their careers, and stay inspired.
In part one of our conversation, Julie Bidwell shares her personal journey to becoming a professional photographer, as well as the photography lessions learned and how she continues to evolve as a photographer. Read on to be inspired.
Julie Bidwell is a Connecticut-based commercial and editorial photographer specializing in food, interiors, and portraits. She collaborates with a diverse range of clients across the northeast of the United States and beyond. Her passion for photography began as an art major at Syracuse University, and it’s grown into a lifelong obsession with the craft. She is President of ASMP CT, She is proud to mentor emerging photographers and stay actively involved in the photo community.
Text below transcribed from a portion of an interview conducted by Betty of Cradoc fotoSoftware in April 2025. To view this and other interviews, please go to our Cradoc fotoSoftware YouTube Channel.
Journey into Photography
I was an art major at Syracuse University. In the freshman year, you do what’s called freshman foundation. Basically, all the art students take the same classes. And then sophomore year, you’re supposed to choose a major. And I had no idea what I wanted to do, so I chose painting, and I found out that I was a terrible painter. And then the second semester sophomore year, I tried art education, and I I did not like that. Praise to the teachers, but it wasn’t for me.
And so I was trying to figure out how can I be creative and make money? And I thought maybe I should try photography. So I went to the head of the photography department. I had no photographs. And I said, how can I get in this program? He said, take a Photo 101 class over the summer. Come back and show me 10 photographs, and I will let you know if you can be in the program or not. So I did that. I didn’t even own a camera at the time.
My dad got me a camera. It was a Nikon FM, and I took a summer class at Manchester Community College here in Connecticut, which actually has a very good photo program still. I got my 10 photos printed up, I went and brought them to the director of the program. He said, okay, you’re in. So by this time, I’m a junior. So I had to take all of my sophomore level photography classes plus the junior level. So I was doing intro photography and intermediate photography at the same time, but I loved it, I just loved it. I ended up being one of the lab supervisors, so that gave me keys to the darkroom so I could go in there anytime I wanted to. And that’s kind of how it started.
Lessons Learned Over Photography Career
I’ve learned that photography is not a straight line. There are a lot of ups and downs and everyone’s journey is going to be different. Mine started in a sort of traditional way: I have a BFA in photography, and then I went to New York and I worked in a lab. And I moved to Los Angeles, and I worked for photographers there. Then I moved back to Connecticut and worked as a photo editor and slowly started shooting. I didn’t really even know what kind of photography I wanted to do in the beginning.
As young photographers usually you just shoot anything that someone is going to pay you for. I remember, showing my book of portraits at the Hartford Courant, they had a Sunday magazine, thinking that they would hire me for portraits. And the art director looked at me and said, have you ever shot food? And I said, no. She said, do you want to try? I said, sure. And that started my food photography.
I had no idea what I was doing, and I just kind of figured it out as I went along, which is a lot of photography; just kind of figuring it out as you go along. And nowadays, there’s so many ways of doing that, with YouTube and just so much information online that you can access. So I don’t want to say it’s easier now, maybe it’s harder for young photographers now because there’s so much competition.
I think, technically, it was harder back when I started shooting film, and just not having so much information that’s out there now. No way is better or worse, it’s just different.
Evolving as a Photographer
I love photography, so I’m always reading and trying new things, going to art museums.
I get inspiration from a lot of different places. And then I try to play with my lighting, or try something different, or try to find some new props that I want to use. Actually, when I was shooting a lot of food and I was just having trouble finding props that I wanted, I had two friends of mine, one who was a potter and one who ran an arts organization, create a pottery class so I could learn to do pottery, so I could actually create props to to use in my food photography. So I did that for about ten years, and that was really fun.
I like bringing all the different things that I’m interested in into my photography. I love interiors, interior design, so I love shooting interiors. I love antique shops and junking. So I’m constantly on the lookout for props and things that I can use in my photos. It’s fun to incorporate all of my different interests into my photography when I can.
The Photographer’s Journey
Evert photographer has a unique story about how they got started in the industry. Dive into this blog to read the photographic journey of underwater photographer Jonathan Kingston. Looking for more inspiration? Read this blog to read the photographic journey of British photographer Mark Darbin.
About Julie Bidwell
Connecticut-based photographer Julie Bidwell captures food, interiors, and portraits for clients across the Northeast and beyond. She discovered her passion for photography while studying art at Syracuse University and has been immersed in the craft ever since. As ASMP CT President, she’s committed to mentoring the next generation of photographers and staying active in the creative community.
Website: https://www.juliebidwell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliebidwellpix/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliebidwell/
Copyright: All images belong to Julie Bidwell used by Cradoc fotoSoftware with permission of the copyright holder. Use of images or content by any person or entity other than Cradoc fotosoftware for any purposes is expressly prohibited.
See other great interview transcripts:
- Todd Bigelow
- Jonathan Kingston
- Julie Bidwell
- Steve Whittaker
- Scott Dworkin
