Street photographer Juliette Mansour is a first generation American raised in the 1970s when other concerns besides artistic expression took precedence. After having completed graduate school studies, it made sense for Juliette to use her strength in learning languages and her ease with communicating with other cultures as a start to her professional history. She devoted her time as an English as a Second Language teacher – until an unexpected left turn inspired her toward self-taught web design, which turned into a career in Information Technology and web marketing projects. As the founder and owner of Casa Dresden, Juliette found a way to blend her love for languages, the written word, and cultural diversity with her career experience in IT, graphics and web development.

 “All my life I’ve been collaborating with God but until I hit a crossroads and was forced to redefine my spiritual life, I wasn’t ready to truly collaborate. Now, I feel more like a co-collaborator, willing to explore anything. So that’s what I did with photography…. Now, I just listen and do what my heart tells me to do.” ~Juliette Mansour

Listen to Juliette’s Art as Worship interview on Empower Radio.

Juliette Mansour Photography was created as the artistic branch of Casa Dresden. Today Juliette enjoys a comfortable balance as a sub-contractor by day, continuing her web design and marketing experience, while at night she hones her passion for her photography work. Juliette actively grooms herself in the genre called street photography, using both film and digital mediums.

While she still uses her digital SLR for event photography for small clients, Juliette prefers film and loves to lose herself in the darkroom.  Juliette says, “Film requires a different kind of artistry — it requires almost a spiritual side to the photographer. There is a lot more waiting involved. There’s something absolutely magical about being in a dark room and picking that one negative that really speaks to you. It’s in its raw form and all you have to do is shine the right amount of light on it. You stick that piece of paper in the chemical and watch the image materialize.”

Juliette is one of the few street photographers in Atlanta. Inspired her own fascination with street photography and the amazing back story of street photographer, Vivian Maier, Juliette founded The Atlanta Street Photography Group, which meets actively each month and posts on Flickr.com.

About the art of street photography, Juliette says, “It is people living everyday lives. It’s that candid moment that you can find something really unexpected, something humorous, something sad. It’s about finding emotion and about what people are doing on the streets.”

Juliette’s recent street shot entitled, “The End,” was highlighted in a two-page spread in The Atlantan Magazine. She participates in Atlanta emerging artist exhibitions, competitions and local art festivals.

Juliette has an undergraduate degree in Romance Languages and a graduate degree in Applied Linguistics and English as a Second Language. Casa Dresden offers freelance event photography and over 15 years of experience in bilingual online media planning, design and development. Read more at www.casadresden.com.

Find out more about Juliette and her street photography at www.juliettemansour.com.

Listen each Wednesday at 9am Eastern on Empower Radio to hear another artist’s story. Share your art and comments on the Art as Worship Facebook page. Namaste!