When we first saw the images from photographer Julia Fullerton-Batten’s current exhibition, In Between, we were very intrigued by how she was able to capture such unusual and seemingly spontaneous moments. Julia also experiments with scale and props to create environments that are fantasy-like, as shown in her project, Teenage Stories. Having worked for numerous corporate clients (i.e. Sony, McDonald’s, American Express) and publications (i.e. Esquire, Elle Magazine), Julia has established herself as one of the today’s foremost photographers. Her critically-acclaimed works leave the viewer wanting to know more about what is going on in the photographs: How did she do it? What is real? We had the chance to interview Julia about her vision and her life as a photographer.

1. What is your underlying vision behind your body of work? What message, if any, are you trying to communicate through your images?

As Shakespeare said in ‘As You like it’, All the world is a stage, and all the men and women merely players’. He then goes on to describe the seven ages of life, from childhood to his famous description of extreme old age – a second childhood and mere oblivion, sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything’.

I consider myself to be both an observer and a participant in these seven acts. Presently I am concentrating on relating to adolescent teenagers in this scenario, and also finding empathy with my own teenage years.

2. One of your critically acclaimed photo sets captures Grammy-Award winning songstress Amy Winehouse posing at some plush venues. What was it like working with her?

The shoot itself was so hectic, that we didn’t have much time to talk. I really wanted her to wear a dress, and she said it wasn’t her style. But after trying on several clothes, she did try it on and fell in love with it.

3. So you grew up in Germany and the US, then moved over to the UK during your teenage years, and have traveled all over the world. How did your travel experiences shape your perception of the world?

My parents are German (mother) and English (father), so this gave me perspectives of different European cultures through my parents’ families. My father’s job took us from Germany to the USA, then back to Germany, and then, upon my parents’ divorce, back to the UK. As a result of these moves, it is not surprising that my holidays were spent abroad in countries with varied cultures – Vietnam, Chile, India, China, to name some of the more exotic of them. These were not just brief holidays to the largest city, but eight-week long trips around each country, to meet the people on the streets and experience the different cultures.

As a result, it is impossible not to have found those experiences rewarding, but also contributing to my photographic work in many different, if subtle, ways.

4. Through October 18th, your latest photo exhibition, In Between, is headlining the Randall Scott Gallery in DC. How did this concept - which we love by the way - come together from its inception? And we have to ask, how many times did your subjects have to hop in the air before capturing the “money shots?”

This series is a continuation of my Teenage Stories. It is the transition from pubescent to adult. The girls were very carefully cast, they are street models, not from model agencies. I met them a few times before the shoot and watched them in their cappoiera classes. Each girl probably did the same move about 20 times.

5. And for those aspiring photographers hoping to be the next Julia, what advice what you would impart to them?

Oh God! That is difficult, because what may have applied for me, might not work for others. I can only say what worked for me was to be hard-working, got loads of practical experience (by assisting), developed my own style, did not follow trends or copy others, lived my dream and worked hard at it.

6. In a nutshell, what’s your litmus test for distinguishing exceptional photos from the average and not-so-good ones?

That’s easy, I see an image and I like it. Then I try to interpret why I like it. If I don’t succeed at that, I still like it.

7. On your off-days, what sort of hobbies and activities do you enjoy?

Before I became a wife and a mother, my photography was my hobby. Although it sounds one-tracked, I have always found photography to be inspirational at many levels. Now, as a proud mother of a baby boy, I have even more rewarding activities to add to those I already have.

8. If you weren’t a photographer, you’d be…

A better photographer!

9. Words to live by, whether they’re your own or someone else’s?

Be confident of your own capabilities, strive to be inspirational, work hard, but, above all, enjoy what you are doing. Without this latter aspect, you will not succeed!

10. Inspirations come in many forms, whether it’s an individual or something intangible. What inspires you most and what keeps your creative juices flowing?

Just being alive. If you wake up in the morning and are happy with your existence, what can be more inspirational? From that stems the love of life, the love of your nearest and dearest, and one’s chosen career. Previously, I woke up and was immediately tuned to the day’s work and thoughts about the next project. Now, my son wakes me up and disturbs the ‘normal’ flow of thoughts, but that, in itself, I am sure, will create a new train of creative thinking.

Check out more of Julia’s work at www.juliafullerton-batten.com
For more information on her first US solo exhibition at the Randall Scott Gallery in Washington, D.C., check out http://www.randallscottgallery.com/

Teenage Stories: