Emotive Moments in Portraits: A Conversation with Judge Julia Trotti

A Moment with Julia Trotti

Taylor from the team had the opportunity to sit down with Julia Trotti, our esteemed judge for the "Portrait: Emotive Moment" category, sponsored by VSCO, to hear her thoughts on what makes a compelling portrait, recent industry trends, and the value of entering photography awards.

There's an ethereal quality to Julia Trotti's work that stops me, a quiet invitation into a world of dreamy light and deep emotion. Julia's images don't just capture moments; they seem to distill the very essence of them, leaving you with a lingering with this deep feeling that you've been brought up close and personal with the subject.

Julia started as a budding digital artist, moving to a celebrated photographer and now also an influential educator on YouTube, Julia has built a career on her unique vision and her generosity of sharing it. Her ability to use natural light to capture quiet, authentic connection has become her signature, and it's with great honour that we have her eye guiding our "Portrait: Emotive Moment" category.

I sent her a few questions on her craft, and here's what she had to say:

What do you look for in a great photo for the Portrait: Interesting Perspective category?

Julia Trotti: At the base of it all, I am looking for an image that's technically sound. This means the fundamentals of photography are used intentionally, including exposure, composition, and editing. More importantly though, I'm looking for an image that creates an instant connection.

I want to see portraits with emotion, photos that hold a sense of power and invite me into a narrative with strong visual storytelling. There are endless possibilities when it comes to portrait photography, so I want to see elevated creativity whether it's via the concept, subject, posing, lighting, colour theory, or styling.

What trends or styles have you seen shift or change in the last couple of years?

Julia Trotti: I've noticed a shift away from creating highly edited and overly polished images and a return to more natural, textured, and authentic style portraits instead.

Photographers are doing this through the posing of their subjects, by incorporating movement and capturing genuine facial expressions, as well as with their editing by keeping colours in an image as a more accurate representation of what it looked like in real life.

Why do you think it’s a good idea for photographers to enter awards like this?

Julia Trotti: Entering a photography competition is such a great way to challenge yourself to choose a singular image that you feel channels all your strengths as a photographer. This gives you the chance to reflect on your work and to be more intentional with your photography.

If you are able to make it through to the semi-finals or finalists rounds, it's also a fantastic opportunity to give your work a platform as this can open doors to new opportunities.

Enter the awards for yourself, via this link here - Julia can't wait to see what you submit!