Julia Astok is a passionate and intuitive visual artist and art director based in her native Estonia.
Growing up in the Nordic countryside, Julia loved reading tales as much as she loved making up her own. Her artistically inclined mother encouraged her to explore creativity through painting from an early age. Though she will tell you that her inner world was greatly expanded the day she was gifted her first camera at age 10, and she started to capture stories through this natural extension of her imagination. More than stories, she was fascinated by faces, and she applied her understanding of light and colour to ‘paint’ portraits with her camera.
It’s perhaps no surprise that Julia chose to pursue photography at the London College of Fashion, where she earned her BA in Fashion Photography.
A keen observer and attuned storyteller, Julia enjoys putting herself at the service of independent fashion and accessories brands to bring to life carefully crafted seasonal campaigns, photo series, and short films. Core to Julia’s process is her creative approach to camera work, by which she generates a visual language that enables her clients to tell their stories.
The multimedia artist harnesses her sensitivity to capture the essence of the brand and its products, translating their values from words to images, films, and other visual elements. She is passionate about developing these for companies who care about expressing their values to connect and build loyalty with their audience.
“It’s about creating together, something that may be small but important in the world.”
Day to day, she finds herself inspired by the poetry of nature, and likes to imagine that her works are painted with light, whether she uses her digital or analog cameras.
Julia strives to collaborate closely and thoughtfully with her clients with the view to build relationships based on trust, openness and honesty.
Julia also offers one-on-one portrait workshops for women who are looking for a unique experience of connection and who want to explore their relationship towards their own mind, body and soul. For more on this, visit this page.
In her spare time, Julia advocates for mental health and female empowerment, is still a keen painter, and loves nothing more than to roam the nearby countryside with her husband and huskies Äike & Sära.
Photo by Silver Mikiver