We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Julian Duque a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Julian, appreciate you joining us today. Before we talk about all of your success, let’s start with a story of failure. Can you open up about a time when you’ve failed?

Life has blessed me with many character building experiences including loss and failure. The one I’d like to focus on is losing the livelihood I trained seven days a week for three years to attain – my job as a professional ballet dancer with The Miami City Ballet (MCB). My senior year in high school, I decided to take dance as an elective for fun and realized upon graduating that it was something I wanted to do full time. After training in the world renown school of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB), I got my first job with Tulsa ballet and then later with Miami City Ballet where I danced for three years. My hard work didn’t end with my training, as I still pushed myself beyond my limits in every class to constantly improve. My third year at Miami City Ballet , my contract was not renewed, and the other companies for which I had auditioned did not appeal to me more than the relationship I was in at the time, and the once in a lifetime opportunity that I had created for myself towards the end of the performance season.

That year, for the MCB Gala, I had the crazy idea to talk to all the manager’s at Bal Harbour Shops (The number one luxury shopping center in the US) to see if they were interested in dressing me for the gala. I was able to convince the manager of FP JOURNE, a luxury timepiece brand known by the most valued of collectors, to come to said Gala. There, he saw how I was with people and offered me a job the next day. I decided to take a break from dance and follow this new path with which life was presenting me. After three years in Miami, the brand asked me to move to Los Angeles. After 5 years total with the company, I decided to leave to focus on my photography and what makes me happy. While I was originally, understandably, upset about losing something I worked harder than most if not everyone to achieve, and confused about what I was going to do next, it is something for which I am now so beyond grateful. If it wasn’t for losing that job, I would not be sitting here writing this story for this article. While I no longer dance professionally, I still take ballet class and am more focused on Salsa and Bachata dance – I do it at least 4 days a week. My spiritual practice has shown me the main takeaway from any of my failures and losses which is that everything is perfect and exactly as it should be, and for that I am grateful. It is thanks to my deepest and darkest moments that I have been able to experience and attain the most incredible and beautiful experiences in my life.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I was born in Medellin, Colombia and have a thirst for life that is more than my glass can hold. Be it languages, people, experiences, or culture. I have always been a creative person, be it painting, crafting, anything, but when I was 11 years old and sitting in front of the public library, I looked up and saw a beautiful scene before me of the semi cloudy sky, the tree I was laying on, and the birds flying by. It was in that moment that I knew that I would eventually be a photographer. Though I was not able to obtain a professional camera until about 9 years ago, I have not stopped taking pictures on it or my cellphone since. I’ve proudly taught myself to be able to manually shoot and capture moments in any environment, fast paced dance shows, dark theater performances, landscape, events, anything, though my preferences are self portraiture and portraits of women. My unique eye in the way I see life and appreciation for all of its beauty is translated onto my photography as well. With my kindred demeanor and ability to befriend anyone, I pride myself in bringing out the best and most beautiful in people by creating a setting that allows them to be comfortable. To be the natural person we all are when no one is looking and are unafraid of others’ subjective opinions, the one we were as a child before the world started to shape our ego in a way that it felt it needed to protect itself. People like to say “I’m not photogenic” or “I never look good in photos,” so I remind them that they are beautiful, and it is the photographer’s job to show that, not the model. This is because I intrinsically care about each individual and their story. Just as with life you must work with what you have, I work best with natural light and use what is at my disposal to create art – an ending result whose beauty unknowingly entrances the viewer and encourages him or her to question how that special moment was achieved.

I also enjoy being on both sides of the camera and have been blessed with opportunities to model and act in commercials that keep increasing in project size.

One of the things that makes me most proud is being where I am right now and having created the life the I want to live every day. I can photograph, I can create, I can model, I can dance, I can meditate, or I can sit at home and relax.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

My social media is a type of social diary that I will look back on in 50 or 60 years. The captures of not only beautiful moments, but the stories behind them and where I was in my life, both physically and spiritually in that moment. My goal with my photography and the messages of love that I share is to motivate people to be the best versions of themselves, to remember how beautiful life is, even in the darkest of times, to always be grateful because it is that constant action that brings us continued happiness, and to share those feelings with others. Unconditional Love is a beautiful fire, and all it takes is a spark.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is taking nothing, turning it into something, and seeing how it can bring a therapeutic feeling of happiness or calmness to someone. Be it a physical object or a moment by using music or dance. This is in addition to feeling confident in always being yourself and meeting like minded people.

Contact Info:

• Website: julianduquephotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliansez/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julian.duquelopez
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@juliansez

Image Credits
Personal Photo – Antonio Combs First Two Images of me – Emma Smith Photos 5-7 of Models – Julian Duque