Julia Nathanson’s love affair with photography began at the age of ten, when she “borrowed” her mom’s classic Pentax Spotmatic. After graduating from McGill University, she developed her visual skills at the New York Film Academy, where she wrote, directed and edited a short film. In 2011 she got hip to this whole digital age thing, and so began her foray into mobile photography. No one is safe from her lens; she captures everyday subjects and transforms them into surreal visions. She has since been published in Hipstography, The App Whisperer, and National Geographic, and won a multitude of awards, including Hipstography’s Street Series of the Year in 2014 and 2015, and the Mobile Photo Grand Prize at PhotoIndependent in 2016. In 2017, she was given a special award by acclaimed photographer Ben Watts for her series "In the Lane." In between obsessing about the right filter she manages to feed and clothe her two girls (who also happen to be unpaid models.) Julia lives and works in Toronto.
Exhibitions:
2023 “Colour Splash” John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto, Canada
2022 “On the Fence” outdoor exhibition, Toronto, Canada
2022 “Color” Photoplace Gallery, Middlebury, Vermont
2021 “Barcelona Foto Biennale” Fotonostrum, Barcelona, Spain
2020 “Color” SE Center for Photography, Greenville, South Carolina
2019 “School Days” Don’t Take Pictures - online exhibit
2019 “Summertime” A Smith Gallery, Johnson City, Texas
2019 “Dive In” Don’t Take Pictures - online exhibit
2019 “Smart as Photography” Zephyr Museum, Mannheim, Germany
2018 “Water” Photoplace Gallery - online exhibit
2018 “Print Swap Holiday Exhibit” Root Studios, Brooklyn, NY
2018 “Iphoneography Exhibit” SE Centre for Photography, Greenville, South Carolina
2018 “The North” Film North, St Paul, Minnesota
2017 “MIRA Mobile Prize Street Photography” Espaço MIRA, Porto, Portugal
2017 “MIRA Mobile Prize” Espaço MIRA, Porto, Portugal
2016 “Photoindependent Mobile Photo Show” Los Angeles, California
2016 “Shadow Stories” Sixteen Mile Arts, Milton, Canada
2015 “Toronto Guardian Photo Competition” The Richmond Gallery, Toronto, Canada
2015 “MIRA Mobile Prize” Espaço MIRA, Porto, Portugal
2015 “Click.Boom.Amazing!” Brussels, Belgium
Awards:
2023 Dodho Magazine Color Awards - Finalist
2021 Documentary Family Awards - 4th Place
2020 Mobile Photography Awards - Honorable Mention
2020 Julia Margaret Cameron Award - Honorable Mention
2019 Documentary Family Awards - 7th Place/Honorable Mention
2018 Iphone Photography Awards - Honorable Mention (children)
2017 Julia Margaret Cameron Award - Honorable Mention
2017 London Internation Creative Competition - Honorable Mention, "Kids of Summer"
2017 Mobile Photography Awards - Honorable Mention (travel & adventure)
2017 MIRA Mobile Prize Street Photography - Jury Selection
2017 Iphone Photography Awards - Honorable Mention (children)
2017 H2O for Peace - Gingermag Award
2017 MIRA Mobile Prize - Jury Selection
2016 Hipstography Awards - Ben Watts Award/Special Award
2016 Mobile Photography Awards - Honorable Mention (water/snow/ice)
2016 Mobile Photography Awards - Honorable Mention (transportation)
2016 Mobile Photography Awards - Honorable Mention (self-portraits)
2016 PhotoIndependent Mobile Photo Show - Grand Prize Winner
2015 Hipstography Awards - Street Photography Combo of the Year
2015 Mobile Photography Awards - Honorable Mention (silhouette)
2015 Mobile Photography Awards - Honorable Mention (people)
2015 Mobile Photography Awards - Honorable Mention (black & white)
2015 Iphone Photography Awards - Honorable Mention (children)
2015 Iphone Photography Awards - Honorable Mention (others)
2015 MIRA Mobile Prize - Shortlist
2014 Hipstography Awards - Street Photography Combo of the Year
Links/Publications:
PhotoED Magazine “The Water Issue”
The Smartview Magazine “Hunting Shadows” edition
Familiar Stranger - PH Museum Book on Mobile Photography
National Geographic Your Shot Story: “What is Family?”
National Geographic Your Shot Story: "Go Beyond"
National Geographic Editor's Spotlight
Blank Spaces Magazine - Photo Essay "Kids of Summer"
Apple Instagram Features (The Weightless Series, The A to B Series)
National Geographic Your Shot Daily Dozen
BlogTo Toronto real estate feature
Laneway project photo competition
National Geographic Your Shot Story: "Our World in Motion"
Koffler Centre of the Arts Instagram Essay
BBC Mundo coverage of The Mobile Photography Awards 2015
