a little about me
I'm Julienne Ratanasen and I also go by Jules.
I'm a photographer in Sacramento, where I was born and raised. Loading my dad's camera with film, taking pictures, and opening an envelope of newly developed prints were some of my favorite things growing up. In my mind, the act of taking a picture was a reflection of the stories around us, who we were, the beauty of what we saw, and the life we forged.
This reflection is most felt when I look through old photo albums. In my parents' home we each have a baby album, marking our milestones of childhood, beginning with old school hospital photos of us as newborns to grade school class pictures. There are also albums and loose prints of family trips to my parents' homeland, everyday snapshots, and the childhood glamour shoots my mom would stage of me on our front lawn.
This legacy of photography is really something I dove head first into after my first daughter was born. Was it possible to capture every bit of love and adoration I felt in a single image? This was one of my great aspirations. When my son arrived a few years later, I spent many late nights nursing while studying class material from the photography courses I enrolled in. I began my business in 2013 and have had the privilege of photographing so many beautiful and joyful families since. I use my photography to help tell stories of their love.
Now that some time has passed and my youngest daughter is in grade school, I'm hopeful about doing so much more, telling more stories with my camera, working with diverse families rich in connection, and creating treasured reflections of the beauty that surrounds us.
generations
A photo of my mother and me from the pages of my baby album; a recreation of the photograph featuring me and my then 2-year-old daughter. Some 36 years spans these photos, both taken by my father. My mother held onto some of my baby clothes, and in turn I'm saving them as heirlooms to pass down.
pins to peek at
