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I can help you get the best out of your photographs, improve and develop your work and how you present yourself. 

I am a consultant and curator who has been in the photography industry for 25 years. If you are looking for help with editing; sequencing; your website, or online presence; help with a contract, or to talk through a project or concern, I can help.

In 1992 I moved from London to New York to run an international photo agency representing 400+ photographers. I left in 2006 and took the archive of Yousuf Karsh with me to continue clearing rights for his iconic photographs. I edit and publish aCurator magazine, and aCurator blog, which was cited both by the British Journal of Photography and LIFE in their reviews of influencers and taste-makers. For two years I was associate director at ClampArt fine art gallery. I now consult and review work for photographers of all levels and styles.

Selected Interviews
The Click My life in photography
Shutterhub Where I came from and how I got here
Miss Rosen Interview from the 2010 launch of aCurator Magazine
The Heavy Light How aCurator's Curator Curates

Selected judging, reviewing, curation

LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border Curated limited edition box set, and traveling exhibition, by Stefan Falke
Hegemony or Survival by Hector Rene Membreno-Canales
Small Town Inertia, by J A Mortram
Center for Photography, Woodstock, "Photography Now, 2014" Eight artists selected for the annual show
Photoville's "The Fence" One of the judges for this annual installation
The International Fine Art Photography Award Judge for the Paris-based competition
ASMP Image14 Curated the photo annual
PhotoNOLA Curated their annual exhibition, and portfolio reviews
Photolucida Portfolio reviews
Photo District News "The Curator" One of the judges for this huge competition
 

Testimonials

"Julie was extremely helpful in editing and sequencing my project. She has an incisive eye, a forthright manner and a wonderful sensibility. She clearly addressed all of my concerns, and she gave me valuable advice for improving my project statement. Talking with her on the phone was the best part of the process. Julie went above and beyond in her efforts, and I'm delighted to give her my highest recommendation." Stan Raucher, photographer. 

Image Troopers. I mentor two fabulous women who live in Norway. We met up in London for two 3-hour sessions and they blogged about it.

"Marco and I thought that our talk was very productive and hands-on where appropriate. You equally provided plenty of food for thought and insight that will help us move forward and focus on areas that require improvements/changes. This feels exciting, so thank you!" Hanni Cerutti, photographer

"Really, not to sound overly gushy or anything, but you are my favorite reviewer... so much fun, such great energy, so much information to generously share in such a straight forward and honest manner. Some people just get it when they look at work, and then they have the confidence to trust their instincts. You are one of those rare few. Thank you!!!" Stephen Tomasko, photographer

"Grahame is a curator with a flawless eye and, in her assessment of the work she presents, an immediately trustworthy, no-frills tone... aCurator's triumph is a clarity of purpose wedded to a keen intelligence, and a willingness to let its stunning photographs largely speak for themselves." Life.com

"The aCurator blog is a prime example of how bloggers can serve as curators, as taste makers." Joerg Colberg, British Journal of Photography.

"I have worked with Julie for a number of years and consider myself very fortunate to have her as a colleague. Everything she takes on - small or large, simple or complex - is done with an efficient mix of good judgement, humor, and competence. I am happy to recommend her without any qualifications." Jerry Fielder, Curator and Director, Estate of Yousuf Karsh

"I never knew what a bad editor I was... I am truly grateful for all your insights." Anon.

The basics
$175: Edit and sequence up to 100 images
For your website, call for entries, book layout, etc. 
I can help determine how many images should be in your final edit.
Add 10 minutes phone or Skype for an extra $25.

$250: One hour consult by phone or Skype
An hour can be very productive. 
Clients often return for a second hour after taking on suggested tasks or revisions. 

Basics don't fit your needs? With 25 years in the photography industry under my belt, I bring a variety of experience. 

Repeat clients can contact me for reduced rates. 

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In 1971, Yousuf Karsh published a book of his portraits titled "Faces of Our Time" (University of Toronto Press). It included his iconic, intimate photographs of John F. Kennedy, Helen Keller, Albert Schweitzer, Ravi Shankar, Tennessee Williams, and many more. Anyone who is familiar with Karsh will know that the success of his portraits resulted from his respect for, and knowledge of, his subjects. When photographers have a good amount of time with their subject, so much more is revealed in the resulting portrait as a connection is made. When a photographer has to grab 2 minutes in a bland hotel room, they get nothing but a flat record of some face.

Steve Pyke is a brilliant man, wonderful photographer, still-young and -prolific veteran artist. His new book, "Faces of Our Time," will be filled with his own intimate and iconic portraits made over the last 35 years. From Quentin Crisp, to Gabriel Garcia Marquez, to Hugo Chavez, Pyke has made his own mark with the luminaries of the 20th century. 

Help get this book of photos and stories published through Unbound. You get the e-book for only £10!

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Word in from busy photojournalist and editorial photographer Phil Penman about his collaboration in producing Chalet, a magazine "about cycling culture in different cities. The first issue was based in New York the second issue we did was Montreal which involved riding to Montreal from NYC with my trusty Leica shooting scenes along the way." Eleven cyclists rode over 400 miles in four days, with a film crew, of course. Enjoy the groovy video!

Get your cycling fix by buying the mag online, or check your local cool bookstore (it's stocked at MOMA) for a copy! 

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Previous contributors Marianna Francese and Jaad Gaillet have completed their three-year-long project  in Istanbul. "We were students in Istanbul in 2011. It was by chance that we lived in the neighbourhood of Tarlabaşı, in the last months of our stay in Istanbul. People told us to never enter the region because it was too dangerous. Located a few minutes from the famous Taksim Square and Gezi Park, it was in the labyrinthine streets of Tarlabaşı that the protesters refuged from the police during the last months of protests. Yet urban planning in Tarlabaşı has not generated the same enthusiasm of the people to defend this place, perhaps simply because many do not like this neighborhood because is dirty, dangerous... But the choice to defend Gezi Park - it is environmentally friendly, it is mostly symbolic face to the urban renewal campaign that hits Istanbul."

They are now seeking funding to take the project to the next level with a documentary film which focuses on "Mustafa." 

"After wandering through several areas of Istanbul and taking up all kinds of informal jobs since his release from prison, "Mustafa from Adana", in his fifties, decides to start over and settle in Tarlabaşı; this is where he becomes a waste picker. It is in this cosmopolitan area, doomed to disappear, that he creates a new life."


Follow the project on Facebook.

See their full-screen feature in aCurator magazine.

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We're helping out "Headphones for Haiti" - here's some of the press release.

Monster personal audio is partnering with the Enigma Performing Arts and Convention Center of Haiti (EPAC HAITI), for the "Headphones for Haiti" fundraising initiative that will benefit the people and culture of Haiti.

As part of the initiative, Monster is donating 100 pairs of its Inspiration headphones to be used as "blank canvases" that will be hand-painted by ten renowned Haitian Master Painters, including Frantz Zephirin, St. Jean Saint Juste, Richard Barbot, Mario Benjamin, Patricia Brintle, Joseph Eddy Pierre, Yael Talleyrand, Pascal Merisier aka "Pasko", Levoy exil, Harold Dessalines, Pascale Monnin, Philippe Dodard and Patrick Ganthier aka "Killy". 

Each Master Painter was given ten headphones to transform into unique, personalized works of art. Ten of the completed hand-painted headphones will also have accompanying canvas paintings by the artists, which will be auctioned off at the celebratory launch event in New York City on June 25, 2014. 

The additional hand-painted headphones will be auctioned on eBay from June 23 to July 1, 2014. All money raised at both the New York silent auction and the online auction will be used to help fund construction of the new performing arts center EPAC HAITI. In addition to helping fund this ambitious construction enterprise, the goal of the "Headphones for Haiti" program is to generate positive awareness about the art, culture and people of Haiti as the Caribbean nation continues to rebuild in the aftermath of the devastating 2010 earthquake. The "Headphones for Haiti" project is part of Monster Cares™, Monster's charitable division that was created to support local charities with education, music, sports and technology.

They look fly - get bidding!

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Jana Cruder's "Great Expectations" ran here in the blog a couple of years ago. Through a series of vignettes, shown on two side-by-side films, Jana explores the societal and relationship roles through the icons of Barbie and Ken while creating a unique individual viewer experience: In order to display the series Jana built a replica Viewmaster stereoscope. This beast/beauty is now up for sale!

"Jana Cruder's 'VIEWMASTER' titled "All that Glitters is Gold" a piece that combines the artist's mild obsession with nostalgic nuances with her increasing curiosity of the moving image. Jana's golden VIEWMASTER is an exact replica of a 1956 Bakelite VIEWMASTER. This sculpture stands 5' 4" and spans over 36'' wide. This hand built, carved and sanded piece is meticulous in its execution. The golden reflective automotive painted finish gives the piece a real 'plastic' feel."

Check out the stop-motion film, and take a closer look at the Viewmaster below. If you're in the market, you can reach Jana via her website.



Designer Toby Mott talks about laying De La Soul on the floor for the 3 Feet High and Rising album cover.

Photos of the band are by the ridiculously fabulous Steve Pyke.

Snap Galleries hosted the launch of designer Mott's limited edition print of the album artwork at their space in London. The print is 20x20 inches in an edition of 60, for £480. Noice!

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Hyper-local is the future. Hoxton Mini-Press is a new publisher making books about East London. You can buy books individually, very reasonably priced at £12.95, or take out a subscription for future books. 

"I've Lived in East London for 85 1/2 Years" is the first from the series 'East London Photo Stories' and features photographs by Martin Usborne of Joseph Markovitch who "has left London only once to go to the seaside with his mother. He loves Nicolas Cage, has five sugars in his tea, would have married a six foot two Hispanic woman but in the end had bad chest catarrh and never had a girlfriend."

The first run is already sold out but a second printing is in the works for next month.

You can see Usborn's photos in '51 Faces of Hackney,' an exhibition on now through March 30th, at The Proud Archivist, 2-10 Hertford Road, London N1.

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All images © Martin Usborne


This is what a free Getty-served embedded image looks like. I'm hoping this means at least any website that gives a shit about how it looks won't be inclined to go this route. 

What I do think it means, and I have been saying this for years, is that if a publisher wants to differentiate themselves from the rabble they will HAVE to pay for content. But if the industry can't provide photographers with enough revenue, they won't be able to produce good content for future consumption by anyone. 

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Ahh, the web. Italian fashion/art project, teeshare, found the lovely feature 'Act' from French photographer Denis Darzacq, (whose work was originally introduced to me by the Curator for the Karsh estate), and dropped me a note to tell me about the line of limited edition T shirts they are producing with Denis. Edition is 20. €85,00.

"Teeshare isn't just an original t-shirt, 100% cotton made and handcrafted in Italy, ethically fashioned in artisanal workshops. It's also a means of expression. Which is why we decided to work with artists: so their artworks and their message can go around with the person wearing their teeshare tee." 

Because you may as well produce your own, before a dodgy clothes company does it behind your back. 

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