Interview with Juliette Jourdain: Creating Images That Feel True

There is something immediately recognizable about the photographic world of Juliette Jourdain. Dreamlike yet intimate, carefully constructed yet deeply emotional, her images often feel like fragments of memories, childhood stories, or scenes from a half-remembered dream.

Rather than relying on elaborate post-production, Juliette builds much of this atmosphere in camera, paying close attention to light, props, color, and the emotional connection with her subjects. Her son frequently appears in her work, bringing an especially personal dimension to images that already blur the boundaries between portraiture, storytelling, and fine art.

For Top Photo Awards, we spoke with Juliette about inspiration, childhood, working with her son, finding an artistic voice, photography competitions, the growing presence of AI, creative self-doubt, and why photographers should stop creating for algorithms and start creating images that feel true to themselves.

1. Your photographs feel like visual poems—quiet, emotional, and deeply personal. Where do your ideas usually begin: with a feeling, a dream, or something entirely different?

I draw my inspiration from everywhere. Everything can be a source of inspiration. But more particularly, the world of childhood really speaks to me. Books, atmospheres, everyday situations with my own children. Cinema and music are also very inspiring to me.

2. Many of your portraits blur the line between reality and imagination. Do you see your photographs as a reflection of your own life, or are they more like fictional stories inspired by emotions?

I love creating fantastical, imaginary scenes that are born from an emotion or a feeling. I always want my images to carry a certain intensity, to evoke something and leave a lasting impression rather than leave the viewer indifferent.

This is important to me because I experience these emotions very deeply myself while creating my images.

3. Your son appears in many of your photographs and has become part of your artistic world. What is it like collaborating with him? What is your secret to keeping him engaged and making him such a natural part of your creative projects?

My son and I are very close. We love each other very deeply, so it felt completely natural to me to ask him to be my model. To me, this adds an emotional depth to my work, and I think that feeling also comes through to the viewer.

Luckily, he loves posing, and he is incredibly good at it. He has this natural intensity and understands exactly what I expect from him.

Of course, he is still a child, so I work very quickly to avoid him getting bored or losing patience. Most of the time, our shoots only last about five minutes. He loves being the centre of attention during these special moments and being his mum's little star.

I feel emotional writing these few lines because I know I will cherish these moments forever.

4. Your work reflects patience, imagination, and a very personal artistic process. In an era where AI can generate images in seconds, what do you believe gives handmade photography its lasting value?

For me, nothing will ever compare to creating something with my own hands. There is something deeply special and meaningful about making things myself, from start to finish.

I feel that the growing presence of AI all around us, and particularly in the art world, makes craftsmanship even more precious. It reminds us of the beauty, emotion, and human touch behind something that has been carefully made by hand.

To me, that makes handmade art feel even more powerful, unique, and meaningful.

5. Your prints have found homes with collectors around the world. How does it feel knowing that such personal pieces become part of someone else's everyday life?

I find it wonderful that people love my work enough to include it in their own environment and see it every day. It means that my art has touched them, and that is exactly what I hope to achieve.

6. Your editing style has a timeless, painterly quality. Could you share a bit about your post-processing workflow?

Most of the time, my images don't require a lot of post-production. There's mainly some work on the color grading and contrast to create that dreamy atmosphere that I love so much.

I try to do as much as possible during the shoot itself—from the props to the lighting—and then I add that little extra touch of atmosphere during post-production. It's an essential part of the final result, and it's also a stage of the process that I absolutely love.

7. Photography contests introduce artists to new audiences around the world. In your experience, what role do competitions play in helping photographers grow creatively and professionally?

Competitions are very important. I think you should definitely enter them, but you also need to choose them carefully.

They can be a great opportunity to get your work seen by a much wider audience, and they're also a really good exercise for young photographers: to put your work out there, be seen, and gain confidence in yourself.

8. What would you say to photographers who hesitate to submit their work to competitions because they fear rejection or feel their work isn't “good enough”?

We take photographs for ourselves, but above all, we make them so that others can see them. What a shame it would be to keep them all to ourselves!

We can't win every time, and we can't win every competition. Our favorite image won't necessarily be someone else's favorite. Everything is subjective, especially when it comes to art, and we have to accept that some people will love our work while others simply won't.

That's just the way it is, and we have to learn not to let it hold us back, to keep going, and to persevere.

9. Who has been your greatest source of encouragement throughout your career, especially during moments of self-doubt or creative challenges? Has there been someone who has always encouraged you to keep creating?

Not really. I've had very long periods when I didn't create anything at all. Several years, in fact, especially after the birth of my first child. My priorities and desires simply weren't the same at that time.

It all came back naturally after a while, on my own terms and simply because I felt the desire to create again.

I've never felt any kind of pressure, either positive or negative, when it comes to my creative work. It has always remained something very personal and intimate to me.

10. If you could create your dream photographic series with unlimited time and resources, what story or emotion would you most want to explore?

I already feel like I'm doing this. Of course, my resources are limited and my time is divided, but I feel emotionally fulfilled by my work.

Perhaps these limitations, which can be frustrating, are also stimulating. They force me to be more imaginative, resourceful, and creative.

11. Your artistic vision has resonated with photographers worldwide. Have you ever considered offering mentoring sessions, workshops, or an online masterclass? If so, what would you most enjoy teaching, and what would you hope your students take away from the experience?

I would absolutely love to do all of this, and I've actually had the opportunity to do it before.

I have quite a strong case of imposter syndrome that I'm trying to overcome, and it sometimes holds me back a little. I would love to develop this more “teacher” side of my work in the coming years, if that's something people would be interested in.

I'd like to teach them the technical basics, but also—and perhaps most importantly—the freedom to create and express themselves.

12. Many photographers struggle to find a style that truly feels like their own. What advice would you give someone who is still searching for their artistic voice instead of following trends?

It took me more than 10 years to find my true style, the one I feel completely at home in, the one that inspires me, excites me, and makes me want to create again and again. The one that truly feels like me. 10 years!

So the advice I would give is to let time do its work.

We change, we experience things, we grow, and we gain experience. You shouldn't try to find YOUR style overnight. It's a long journey, shaped by a mixture of so many different things: your experiences, your influences, your emotions, your curiosity, and simply the person you become along the way.

Your style will come to you naturally when you stop trying to force it.

13. Every artist has moments of self-doubt. When you feel creatively stuck or uninspired, what helps you reconnect with your imagination?

I've learned to accept it, knowing that it will come back. There are periods when I create a lot, and periods when I don't create at all. And that's okay.

I've learned to live with it. I never force it, because it never leads to a good result anyway.

14. Many artists balance personal projects with commercial work. How do you bring your unique creative style into client commissions? Looking back, which commercial client or project has been the most memorable, and why?

I'm lucky enough to have clients who reach out to me because of my own style, so I never have to compromise or disguise my artistic vision to please a brand or a client. It's wonderful.

I particularly love photographing pregnant women and children because I feel that I'm being completely trusted to create a memory that will last a lifetime. Which is a little daunting in itself, of course!

15. Whose work do you admire today, and are there any contemporary artists or photographers you think deserve more recognition?

I'm actually more drawn to paintings than photography. That said, there are photographers whose work I absolutely love, although they usually have a visual universe that is quite different from mine.

There are so, so many artists out there who deserve much more visibility and recognition!

16. Finally, what advice would you give photographers who dream of developing a unique artistic voice but are afraid to step away from trends or the expectations of others?

“Don't create content. Create images that feel true to you. You're not here to please an algorithm.”

All photographs featured in this interview © Juliette Jourdain. Interview for Top Photo Awards.