
Julie D.

Teaching Locations:

Mentoring
30-minute sessions can be scheduled to discuss your business startup questions. You may present specific or general questions or just bounce ideas off me. Sometimes it just helps to have someone who is impartial with whom to talk about your ideas.
Startup Milestones
In five (5) sessions you will write a business plan, choose your business structure, create and register your business name and brand, obtain your business license and any permits required, set up your bookkeeping and tax payment process.
About the Instructor
Julie possesses a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree and has more than 25 years’ experience running a small business. In addition, Julie has experience in the transportation, hospitality, and aerospace industries, software development, and legal fields. Her experience includes clerical to management positions but thrives as a small business owner. Julie has taught photography at the local community college for 11 years, runs workshops locally, nationally, and internationally.
Julie has created and run most business structures – solo entrepreneur/sole proprietor, LLC, Joint Venture, and Corporation.
Some of the awards Julie has received during her career include YWCA of Los Angeles Leadership Award, Boeing Spotlight Award for Teamwork, PPOC Spirit Award, PPC Above and Beyond, American Chamber of Commerce Award of Excellence, Thumbtack Best of Professional Photographers.
About Julie D.
Photography -
Be the boss! Take control of your digital camera. Tutoring sessions with Julie can help you learn the mysteries of digital photography, can jump-start your creativity, or guide you along your journey in photography, including basic Photoshop and Lightroom techniques,
If you don't know anything about your camera, don't understand the owner's manual, or if you are shooting in Auto Mode and want to do more, let's work together.
We will start with the photography basics and work up to the Tripod of Photography - understanding ISO, Aperture, and Shutter speed - and how they all work together to control light.
When you are ready for more, composition is on the menu. Homework assignments include your photos reviewed and explained online to get the most out of your experience.
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Julie earned the Photographic Craftsman degree in January 2014 and Certified Professional Photographer in May 2015 from Professional Photographers of America (PPA). She has been teaching for more than 28 years and excels with novice and amateur photographers online.
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Business -
Do you need to know how to start a business from scratch?
Do want help to develop your business startup idea?
Julie can help you with that! There are no dumb questions. You just have to know what to ask. Roadmaps and checklists are included to help you navigate the system.
After learning that 46% of all business owners have no business education, and 23% of them fail in the first year, Julie designed a program to teach the essentials for success.
Julie has created and run most business structures – solo entrepreneur/sole proprietor, LLC, Joint Venture, and Corporation. All businesses start the same way. Learn how to do it in a few lessons.
Reviews
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Julie is super patient and getting me set up for success!



Julie is personable and knowledgeable. She is a pleasure to work with.


Great first session! I liked the pace, and Julie was upbeat, professional, and easy to follow.


I had just my first lesson and it is quite obvious that I have been assigned the right teacher! And online instruction is perfect for what we are doing!

She was great with me having not much knowledge of photography. She even helped me set up the setting on my camera. Highly recommend. WIll be scheduling more time with her!

First session and she was great! I am excited to continue and grow!!

I really appreciate Julie's taking the time to figure out where I was and where I wanted to be and started me on my roadmap to successful photo organization

Very personable and knowledgeable, having a conversation is easy as breathing.

Within the short amount of time I have been with Julie I have learned more than I could studying using YouTube.
She takes her time to make sure you understand the concept of not just photography but the art behind it as well. She's very informational and is always willing to help you achieve what ever your goal with photography may be. She goes above and beyond when it comes to teaching she may pack alot on at once but if you can take notes and study them on your down time you can truly learn alot in a short amount of time.

My first lesson was yesterday. Julie is very easy to talk to, which is great for someone as introverted as I am. She is thorough in gaining an understanding of what you want to learn and gives several “homework” assignments for you to work on before your next lesson. I’m looking forward to our next session.

I learned a great deal from working with Julie in a very short amount of time. She's extremely knowledgable and very patient. I look forward to continuing sessions with her in pursuit of achieving my goals.

I was a little sceptical at first how this classroom session was going to go. Julie is exactly what I have hoped for in an instructor, very thorough in teaching in a manner that helps me understand not only about my camera, but, what is expected. I believe that Julie is a good fit for me.

I very much enjoy my lessons with Julie. She listens to what i'm interested in pursuing and guides me accordingly. She shares ideas and advice and most of all is supportive and encouraging.

I took two classes with Julie, business and digital photography. Both were very well prepared, planned out and taught. For each of the classes Julie prepared her own text books that outlined the curriculum and were very helpful for later reviews. In class she used slides with more information and examples of work, which were very helpful especially in the photography class. With her background in business and photography, we benefitted from her first hand experiences and recommendations regarding best photography equipment to invest in. Classes were not only informative but also fun and hands on. Her passion for photography is highly contagious ! I started from being intimidated by my camera but ended up enjoying and recognising the fun behind taking photos. I highly recommend Julie and hope to continue my own photography journey with her as my teacher.

Julie is quite organized and presents the subject matter in a detailed but understandable manner. I am very pleased with our first session.

Julie is amazing! Very good with a beginner photographer. She teaches just like the teacher she is! So patient so knowledgeable but very structured. She does not go into teaching me just winging it. I look forward to class every week!

Off to a great start! Julie was able to get a sense of where I am and where I want to go. She brings a structure that is going to help me learn. Awesome!

Julie hears what you say, has the ability to take you further than you thought was possible. She speaks with the authority of someone who knows her business!
Excellent - thank you Julie!

Julie was great and helped me feel more relaxed with my camera already. I am now confident that I will be able to master this equipment!

Julie is an Awesome instructor. She explains the subject in detail, shares all the materials, answers all the questions patiently. She will even go a step further to learn and help if we ask anything which is out of her scope in photography. I learnt a lot from her.


Julie is wonderful. She explains the subject well, very detailed if needed, shares the prepared by her materials, always on time, answers all the questions, very pleasant to communicate to. What's great is that she doesn't make it complicated! :) but rather helps you to continue developing the love for the photography.

Julie is patient and explains the subject clearly. Lessons are a joy!


Julie is a very good teacher. She is clear and direct, and has focused feedback to bring my projects to the next level. Both in business and photography, she has provided key information. I hope to work with her for a very long time!

Julie is a very great teacher! She has a depth of knowledge, and a constructive way of nudging you out of your comfort zone. I am so glad I found her!

I am only halfway through my lessons, but so far, they are wonderful! I'm learning quite a bit. Unfortunately, due to illness and my busy schedule, we've had to take a pause so I may need a refresher when we resume!

Todays lesson was awesome!

Great! Look forward to another one

This was just my first class, but it was a great class and I'm looking forward to more lessons!

Great first class. I'm looking forward to my next class.

My first lesson with Julie was amazing. I've already obtained very valuable information that will make my photography journey a great success.

Great lesson! I feel prepared to start learning how to shoot in manual mode.

Julie is very well organized with her lessons. She took the time to understand what I want to accomplish with the lessons. Even though I'm following her curriculum, she is able to provide examples to help me better realize my specific goals.

I am learning so much in just my first session. My instructor Julie is amazing, very easy to follow and has a very upbeat and positive personality. I am very much enjoying this class!


FIRST LESSON, VERY GOOD. JULE IS ORGANIZED AND HAS A PLAN OF ACTION FOR ME BEING A FIRST TIME STUDENT

Julie is super friendly, knowledgeable and easy to talk to; I’m looking forward to learning from her.

Julie is a phenomenal teacher. She is extremely kind, patient and informative on the subject of photography. I love our lessons and can't wait to learn more!

Julie is a fantastic teacher! She is very organized, patient, and sweet.

Julie is one amazing teacher and is amazing at with every learning style. I would highly recommend!

My daughter loves these lessons!

Mrs. Julie is great at making sure I feel comfortable with the information taught!

Julie is very knowledgeable and loves what she does which to me makes a great instructor! She is very nice and friendly and always answers any questions!

She was patient with my technology foibles, and taught me how to use White Balance in a clear and concise manner.

We went over a lot of camera information in this lesson. Julie did an excellent job of explaining everything. I really enjoyed my class with her.


Very fun, and helpful. You can tell she really has a passion for photography.

Great experience...very well prepared and informative!

Julie is a wonderful instructor! She is engaging and thoughtful, and she provides clear instructions and advice. She took time to ask me my specific goals for my first lesson, and after just one class, I already feel much more confident in my photography skills! I am a super beginner, and am looking forward to continuing to work with Julie to improve my skills.

Very good! Lots of (good) information. Very easy to talk to and personable.


Julie is not only knowledgeable but has a very good sense for how to teach. She will work according to your speed and understanding. Highly recommend for novice photographers who want to get started and feel overwhelmed with info and camera choices.

I have had the pleasure of taking several in class and online classes with Julie. Her knowledge of photography is top level. She can explain topics to me in a manner that is easy to understand and has answered my questions patiently. Looking forward to more sessions with Julie in the future!

Julie was very helpful in assisting me to organize my pictures and understanding how to use Lightroom..

Julie is very easy to work with. She is very knowledgeable and her teaching style is very easy to understand.

I had a wonderful experience during my first lesson with Julie! She was easy to talk to and very informative.

Julie's expertise as a teacher is wonderful - she is not only completely knowledgeable, but she is patient and has the fantastic ability to explain the most complex task in language that is clear and concise for the student to understand. My experience with Julie has been so amazing and I have learned so much - she has definitely taken me to the next level. Many thanks Julie.

Julie is such a great instructor! She really takes the time to explain new concepts and has helped me figure out how to use my rather complicated camera. I am greatly enjoying my lessons with her and plan to have quite a few more! Absolutely worth the price!

Awesome teacher!

I have taken about six classes so far from Julie and each time I go away with better knowledge of working my camera and processing photo's. Julie always takes the time to help each individual during class so they understand the concept. She always comes prepared for class and she always asked the students for their input on how to improve the class for the next group of students.

Very personable and incredibly informative in the short amount of time we had. Definitely signing up for more classes!

Julie was so clear in describing all the features, was patient and so knowledgeable. Looking forward to more classes with her.

Julie is an excellent instructor! I am a beginner and knew nothing about my camera and she explained everything thoroughly. She is also teaching me how to take pictures manually instead of using my automatic button function. I am looking forward to my next lesson with her.



Great class. Julie took her time and explained everything in detail. No question was left unanswered. Would highly recommend this class and any additional classes she teaches.

Great first meeting, looking forward to the next.

Julie's instruction reaffirmed what minute knowlege I had in the operation of my Canon SLR. What I did learn was various uses of the "Memu" and "buttons" on the camera. Overall, hopefully this will assist in me becoming a better photographer thus enhancing my photos.

Learned a lot, looking forward to another class.

My experience so far has been a pure joy and much more than expected. Julie has provided such great direction - building a customized plan, providing direction along with providing very helpful feedback in review of my images. She's a keeper!
And, I am. I've signed up for additional lessons.

I took an online course with Julie last week. Her passion for her craft is truly evident in her teaching. The first part of the course she taught me how to use my extended flash and explained how to compensate for lighting.
In the second part of the lesson, Julie went over my best work and explained how to crop, take the picture better the first time, and how I could improve each shot. Her comments were extremely helpful.
I left the session knowing exactly what I had to do to improve my photograpy. I feel more motivated to be better.
I have taken her classes at SCC, and learned different types of photography such as motion shots, shooting fireworks at night, ocean photography and more.
Thank you Julie for your assistance.

Julie takes the time to teach new concepts and continues to challenge me. She also helps me apply and practice what I am learning. She is very knowledgable in the many areas of photography and has a lot of experience. I always enjoy my tutoring sessions with Julie!

Julie was able to focus (pun intended) on my specific photographic needs and interests--in this case with lessons in depth of field, composition/cropping, lighting, and special effects (such as applying a brushstroke effect to make the result look more like a painting, or darkening the edges of a photo to better emphasize the center) for close-up subjects like leaves, flowers, and tree trunks, as well as landscapes. I learned so very much that I can apply to both my existing raw photos as well as my future photographic efforts. I am truly WOWED!

My family purchased photography lessons with Julie for me as a birthday present and I had a fantastic experience. Since I am mostly interested in bird and wildlife photography, Julie was kind enough to meet me at a local birding "hotspot" in Irvine and in an hour my skills improved tremendously with her assistance. No more over/underexposed shots, MUCH better detail in my photos and I learned to read and utilize a histogram properly. Highly, highly recommend.
Note: This site does not have an option for "outside location" so I was forced to select "Teacher's Location", but Julie was willing to meet me at a location I proposed.

Julie did an excellent job of explaining how to use my new 35 mm camera. She patiently answered all my questions. It is obvious she enjoys working with new photographers! I rate her 5 Stars for her knowledge and professionalism.
Photos & Videos
14 Photos & VideosExperience
Business Manager
Jan 2016 - PresentBusiness owner
Julie helps small business owners set up and run their business. She began teaching How to Start Your Business in 5 Easy Steps early in 2018 at Santiago Canyon College/Community Services.
Instructor
Jun 2006 - PresentRancho Santiago Canyon College District
Julie has been an instructor for 13 years at Santiago Canyon College/Community Services offering creativity classes, Basic Digital Cameras, Introduction to Digital Photography, Stock Photography Basics, Introduction to Lightroom and Photoshop, and Night Photography. Last year she added How to Start a Business in Five Easy Steps which has been a very popular class and receives wide acclaim.
Photographer
Jan 1987 - PresentPhotography
Photography has been providing professional photography services for over 28 years in Southern California. Julie teaches the business and art of photography locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally to all levels of photographers.
Education
BS/BA
Jan 1985 - Jun 1988University of LaVerne
AA Theater Arts
Sep 1974 - Nov 1977Lansing Community College
Languages
English
Fluent / Native Proficiency
Certifications
Certified Professional Photographer
May 2014Professional Photographers of America
Re-certified Photographic Image Competition Judge
Mar 2014Professional Photographers of California
Photographic Craftsman
Jan 2014Professional Photographers of America
Photographic Image Competition Judge
Jan 2012Professional Photographers of California
Awards
Thumbtack Best of 2015 Pro Photographer
Oct 2015Thumbtack
Architectural Photographer of the Year 2011
Jan 2011Professional Photographers of California
Fellowship Award 2010
Jan 2010Professional Photographers of California
Photojournalist Photographer of the Year - 2009
Jan 2009Professional Photographers of California
Affiliations
Professional Photographers of America
Jan 1997Let Our Student Counselors Help You
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