Artist Interviews 2025
Juliette Jourdain 
By Julia Siedenburg
French photographer Juliette Jourdain creates dreamlike portraits that blur the line between reality and imagination. Often featuring her young son as a muse, her images portray softness and strength within her scenes filled with fantasy, emotion, and quiet wonder. Each photograph is a carefully crafted world of its own—built from handmade props, heartfelt inspiration, and a deep love of storytelling through light and texture.
I loved diving into this fantastical world that she created through her photography. And what I loved even more was to learn about her creative process and exceptional vison. And I hope you will feel the same, dear reader.
Who is your biggest artistic inspiration?
I think it's my son. He's constantly giving me ideas without even knowing it.
Reading him stories, making them up, and especially listening to him
and watching him play—he's a goldmine of ideas.
Beautiful, pure, childlike ideas full of imagination and fantasy.
How do you feel when you create art? Is it an escape, an outlet, or a way to find relaxation?
My art allows me to free my mind. To occupy it.
It's liberating and it also brings a form of pride in myself.
But above all, through all of this, I can create my own sense of beauty and magic.
What influences your work the most? People, experiences, emotions, etc.
I like to try to illustrate music with images.
I start with a song that I like, that touches me, that speaks to me,
and try to translate it into an image.
I also like to mix softness and strength.
Your work is heavily dependent on human subjects, a lot of times, your own son. How do you choose your subjects, and what are the pros and cons when relying on people for your art?
Yes, I photograph my eldest son a lot (I hope to also photograph my second son soon,
but he is still very young). I love photographing children, but it is a real challenge,
much more so than with adults. And paradoxically,
it is much simpler, because they immediately enter the universe,
are fascinated and captivated by the smallest thing.
They emanate a gentleness and a natural magic that adults do not have.
When it comes to photographing children, I have absolutely no selection criteria,
other than their own desire to be photographed.
For adults, it's a case-by-case basis depending on the idea behind the photo,
but I like people who have a special characteristic.
Please explain your process to us. From the first idea to the finished project.
Most of the time, my ideas require the creation of a prop. So I start with that.
It can take time! Then comes the photo shoot.
I need to have my model—sometimes it's myself.
I set up all my equipment (I work in my home and don't have a dedicated studio,
so I have to constantly set up and take down my photo set). I set up my lighting.
Then the shoot begins. It usually doesn't take very long because
I have my idea very specifific in mind; there's no need to test thousands of things.
Next comes the photo editing, which is essentially color work.
I also love filming everything (all the steps) and making short videos,
from the beginning of the prop creation to the finished photo.
Tell us a bit about your background and upbringing. Where did you grow up? How did you find your way to the art world? How did you get started?
I live in France and grew up in a family where access to art was easy and encouraged.
I've always loved drawing since I was lile. Later, around my 20s,
my father gave me a DSLR camera as a gift. I developed a taste for
photography that I hadn't necessarily had before, because
I quickly understood that it could go much further and explore a
whole host of areas (including drawing, visual arts, makeup, etc.).
That's why I love and insist on doing everything myself.
I studied photography for three years in Paris, mainly to acquire
studio technique (managing the camera as well as the lighting), which I didn't have at all.
And from there, I began my career, which is following its course!
Most of your photographs rely heavily on props and decoration, whereas a few are rather minimalistic with naked bodies covered by hair or tattoos. What influenced this different approach to certain pieces?
What I like is to transcribe emotions. Sometimes, the "simplest" photos say the most.
It comes from something else, like the posture or the look. However,
I still like to have my lile offbeat touch, like a long wig, tattoos or a subtle
detail that makes the difference.
I am in love with the dreamlike worlds you create through your photography. Each image gives a little glimpse into a world but still leaves room for the viewer’s own interpretation and curiosity.
What is your favorite series that you have done and why?
By far, my favorite series is the one with my son's photos.
I hope it lasts for a very, very long time (in fact, I hope he never gets
tired of it, because I don't!). It's the series that is most rooted in my art
and in my life, a fantastic way to connect the two,
because as an artist I think it's impossible to put a wall,
barriers between the two.
Not too long ago, your work was featured in PHOTO Magazine. Please tell us how this came about. How was that experience for you?
I've been featured in the magazine several times, as well as twice on the cover.
All of this was possible thanks to a contest they hold every year.
It's a true honor, and also a source of great pride.
My father has been reading this magazine for decades, and for me,
his daughter, to be featured on the cover several times is incredible.
It's as if I'm showing him that he was right to believe in my choice
to pursue an artistic career, showing him and thanking him for
trusting me and believing in me.
What are your plans for the future? Any shows/exhibits planned?
What's really on my mind right now is making a photo book.
I don't think I have all the images I want yet, but I will soon!
Well... if we can ever consider ourselves to have all the images,
because we always think we can do more, and do beer.
As if our "masterpiece" is always yet to come.
I'm also exhibiting very soon in Paris.
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