We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Judith Rae a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Judith thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
There are moments in our lives that feel more like magical doorways into what we’re becoming. They help define who we are and the paths we choose. These moments are the ones that attach themselves to feelings, sights, smells and sounds – holding on tight so they’ll always be remembered.
Like the moment I was informally introduced to photography. At the time, I was studying Early Childhood Education with a minor in Latin American Culture. I had been reading the biography of Frida Kahlo so I had it with me at all times even as I stood at the front desk of my college figuring out what class would fulfill the extra credits I needed.
The Head of the Photography Department, Mel Rosenthal, just happened to be waiting for the elevator, a few feet away. He noticed the book in my hand and said “if you’re enjoying Frida, I think you’d love my class” and handed me a flyer.
The paper was a folded thick stock and smelled like it was hot off the press. The class was called “Women in Photography”. As serendipity would have it, the timing fit perfectly into my schedule and the credits fulfilled my requirement to be a full-time student. This moment, this chance encounter near the elevator, with a stranger, almost 20 years ago, altered the course of my life forever.
I was a single mom, full time student, working multiple jobs. My daughter and I had been living out of a suitcase staying with different friends for a year and were now living in our first apartment on our own, which felt like a huge accomplishment. It was a one-bedroom railroad style with paper thin walls. She had her own bedroom and my room was a portion of the living room that my friends helped me block off with fabric stapled to the ceiling. Our daily lives were filled with the hustle and bustle of train rides, bus rides and lots of homework, hers and mine. Doing my best to make ends meet all while raising my baby girl and finishing my college degree.
The simple task of getting the laundry done was a journey in and of itself that consisted of packing all our dirty clothes into a large rolling cart, making our way down five flights of stairs and getting it to the nearest laundry mat which was three blocks and two avenues away atop a hill on 110th street and Columbus Ave.
Growing up I was always ready to fight with no preparation but plenty of fire and courage. My daughter Jessica helped shift this for me. Born just 5 days after I turned 14 her presence called me to show up with intention, purpose and clarity.
Nineteen years ago being a professional photographer was all a BIG and almost impossible dream for me.
The love I felt for the craft of photography was bigger than I could express and my desire to actually be a professional photographer felt as impossible as climbing Mt Everest barefoot.
Finding out about the “Women in Photography” college class and then showing up to take it changed our lives forever. Along with the challenges of being a young single mom I also had ADD but this class captured my full attention. I was fully present and engaged. I was romanced by the images and stories shared and from then on, my love and passion for photography has only expanded.
Judith , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
After graduating with a BFA, I started my own business and began working with private schools on the Upper West Side, capturing candid images for annual reports and family portraits while babysitting for a family in the West Village and interning at Magnum Photos. I then landed a job at FIT in the photography department, which led to an assistant managing position at Kolo, an archival album company with a pop-up store inside Kate’s Paperie in Soho. A chance encounter with wedding photographer Mel Barlow offered me the opportunity to work with Mel for two years as her studio manager and associate photographer in the wedding industry. With incredibly supportive mentors, I flourished in luxury weddings and events.
By 2010, I dedicated 100 percent of my efforts into growing my own business with the help of my former partner, David Oliver, who ran his own successful businesses and worked as a consultant for larger firms. With the help and encouragement of family, friends, mentors and clients, I continued to thrive.
In 2020, I was named A Top Wedding Photographer in the World by Harper’s BAZAAR.
I combine my love of fine art with an innate eye for storytelling to create a genuine documentation of weddings, brands and culture around the world.
I value the opportunity to bring my unique perspective to the art of photography, and I’m thrilled to offer my services to help you share your personal story. I am regularly commissioned to capture life stories worldwide and I’m happy to travel anywhere in the world to tell your story through photography. I also have a virtual shop where you can purchase travel prints as a gift, for your home or workspace.
I strongly believe in the act of self-care, daily gratitude, meditation, and self-love and in the idea of lifelong learning. As an entrepreneur and professional photographer, I am honored to have the opportunity to share some of the skills I believe helped me grow from where I once was to where I am today. I especially enjoy motivating and empowering young parents and their communities. Having been a young single mom, I feel the absolute importance of sharing my journey and message of hope.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I’m a native New Yorker with Brazilian heritage. I was raised speaking Portuguese and lived in Brazil for several years. As a child I became influenced by many of the artists in my family and the culture around me. Art is in my DNA.
I’m no stranger to adversity. At thirteen I became pregnant and chose to raise my daughter Jessica, while attending high school in New York City. I then graduated college while working to support my daughter and myself.
In 2003, I discovered my passion for photography in college; in particular, I discovered my passion for telling compelling stories of love, beauty, culture and the human experience through photography. Since then, I have applied myself to sharpening my skills, capturing the beauty I see and growing as an entrepreneur.
Fast forward to today, I am hired by couples and brands worldwide photographing their personal stories and helping them share the passion they have for the life they lead and (in some cases) the products they sell; capturing a celebration of life.
As for my daughter, she is now a young working professional with a college degree and like me, loves to travel the world!
My passion for photography is rooted in the desire to tell global stories of love, beauty, fashion and culture. I believe the challenges I faced at a very early age enable me to quickly connect with people and capture their lives with sensibility and compassion.
I now share my story with confidence to inspire and empower young parents to live their best lives and feel more supported by their communities.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
When my father passed away I felt shaken to the core of my being. I had been working around the clock for years to go above and beyond in my business. Along with networking, photoshoots and edits I also had a paper newsletter I’d snail mail out to hundreds of clients, vendors, family and friends every month. Even though I had a team of incredible freelancers to help me with the design, proof reading articles and handwriting the addresses; this newsletter still required a lot of my time and energy. I barely had a moment for self-care, reflection, play or creative exploration.
I knew I couldn’t ignore the depth of the loss I felt and I also realized that I wanted more time to take better care of myself. So, at the suggestion of my big sister I began learning spiritual methods of healing in upstate New York. This all lead me to taking better care of myself along with the ability to clearly hear my heart. So when my heart screamed Brazil, I didn’t hesitate and booked a three-month long trip where I worked while I revitalized my Spirit. Time spent with family, friends mixed in with a lot of dance, laughter, nature and playtime helped me feel alive again.
Arriving back home I had a clearer vision for what I wanted. Around that same time my daughter was graduating from college and had planned to move to Austin, Texas. She had shared with me for years the possibility of this plan and when the day came for her to move she looked at me as said “Mom, you did great! Now it’s time to do you. Peace I’m out.” and with big hug she was on her way.
Realizing I wanted to live near the ocean I decided it was time for me to try something different too. This pivot was instrumental to my growth as a person and also as an entrepreneur. I was able to move closer to the ocean, make time to care for myself and I met the love of my life and now husband.
Living with my husband, has helped me reach a place of deeper understanding, appreciation and respect for my journey. I plan on continuing my destination work to explore and capture the beauty of culture, weddings, brands and travel — leaning into daily self-love and self-care. Thanks to all my mentors, professors, family, friends, clients, and the impact education has had on my life, I’d like to (one day) start a college scholarship program for teen parents and their children. I believe that when we are lifelong learners, we grow and gain clarity on what we want to experience in our lifetime. There is plenty to go around. With our thoughts, actions, words, energy, and intentions, we can live our best lives and make the world a better place.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.judithrae.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judithraenyc/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judith-rae-467b239/
Image Credits
Headshot of Judith Rae : Ahmet Ze All other images by Judith Rae