Happy New Year and Thank You!
January 4, 2021
I don’t think anyone is going to be sad to say goodbye to 2020 — It has been a challenging year in so many ways! I hope that you and your loved ones made it through without too many scars. I look forward to brighter days in 2021 and I really look forward to giving you all hugs again. As we leave this strange year behind I want to say thank you. Thank you for sharing your families with me this year. Thank you for sharing your love with me. And thank you for supporting Julia Matthews Photography. So many small businesses have had to close their doors this year, and thanks to each and everyone of you, I’m still afloat and gearing up for another year. I cannot adequately express how fortunate I feel. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!
And even though it was a dumpster fire on top of a pile of excrement, when I think about it, 2020 wasn’t all bad: It gave me ample time to reflect on the things that are most important to me. As a result, I was able to reorganized my priorities so that my life and business reflect the things that really matter most to me.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2020
Community Involvement
The best part of 2020 for me was getting more involved in my community with pro bono work. Before covid really hit the US I photographed “Read Your Heart Out” and Diversity Night at Olson Elementary, joined The Black Student Union at Verona Area High School for their Staff vs. Students basketball game, and spent a week at Gigi’s Playhouse of Madison photographing all the amazing programming they offer for individuals with Down Syndrome. Later in the year, I masked up and witnessed the powerful voices of the parents and educators in our community for their “Juneteenth Day of Solidarity for Antiracist Schools.” Please reach out to me if you ever have a community event that needs to be documented. Sharing the stories of the heroes within our own community is really important to me.
A PERSONAL PROJECT ABOUT MOTHERHOOD
During March, April, and May I had to put most of my business on hold. This gave me the opportunity to focus on my own family story. During that time, I collaborated with my daughters, on a self portraiture project exploring motherhood. I was delighted to have my photographs and writing featured on the “Scary Mommy” Blog. But more importantly I am happy to have this collection of photographs to give to my girls when they become mothers. What a labor of love motherhood is with all the daily ups and downs.
SEEING MY CLIENTS AT HOME
Last, but certainly not least, I loved seeing so many of my families at home. This was the year of the “Front Porch Session” and with my love for documentary family photography, that was a shift I was more than happy to make. I loved seeing the places you call home and your kids’ enthusiasm for everything that makes their home so special — the trees they climb, their swings and forts, their bikes and scooters, the plants they grow, the decorations they put up, and all the pets! When our regular life resumes I really hope families will still consider at home sessions. After spending the better part of a year separate from the people I love these stories feels more important than ever