We had the good fortune of connecting with Julie Schoen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julie, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I have lived more years of my adult life outside of the U.S. than inside the U.S. Every time I moved to a new city, taking on risk defined my experience. It would have been impossible to grow as much as I have professionally and personally without taking that deep breath and stepping off the proverbial cliff. One example of this was the creation and development of my photography book, “AUGENBLICK”. I thought to myself, there is a need within my community to support a population that has no voice—women suffering from domestic abuse. I had no idea how to lay out a photography book, let alone publish it, but I thought taking that risk was important.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have always been inspired by visual pieces of art, whether that is design, fashion, or photography. Moving to Berlin for five years, opened my eyes to a whole new world of traditional art, street art, and architecture. To keep myself motivated to constantly explore these mediums, I made a goal of taking five photos a day during my first year in Berlin. I bought a (very) entry-level camera and hit the streets. I took several online photography courses on composition and post-production, but I didn’t beat myself up about a few bad photos here and there. As with any art, you have to produce a lot of bad stuff to produce good work.

When I created the AUGENBLICK photography project to benefit a domestic abuse women’s shelter in Berlin, I took the pressure off myself to take that perfect photo. I let the charitable cause guide me and threw myself into engaging with my photography subjects (Berlin women across all walks of life).

I think passion for the subject matter shows through in photography. If you don’t love it or aren’t inspired by it, it will be pretty obvious.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I always tell people visiting that Atlanta really needs to be explored through the eyes of a local. It is a cool city, but you may not really be excited by the traditional tourist sites. The power of the city is really experienced in the neighborhoods.

The best way to spend a good-weather day in Atlanta is with a bike ride through the city, with stops for food and drinks. A fun route starts at George’s in Virginia Highland for burgers and Atlanta’s own Sweetwater 420. I would suggest continuing on the Beltline with a stop at Victory Sandwich Bar for pimento cheese, popcorn, and Whiskey Coke Slushies. Jump on the bike and head on out to Felini’s in Chandler Park. The patio there is great, and I always love people-watching there. Bike just a bit further to The Thinking Man’s Tavern, which is classic Decatur. You can even play a board game while you enjoy a snack and drink.

My favorite restaurant in Atlanta is Kimball House. We are oyster lovers in my household, and you can’t go wrong with a dozen at Kimball House. A fancy cocktail on the side doesn’t hurt either.

I would highly suggest seeing some live music at Northside Tavern, too. This place has endured real estate development and gentrification, but still looks the same as it did 30 years ago on the inside.

Recently, I have become obsessed with Intown Atlanta history. I would suggest that visitors take a backstage tour of the Fox Theatre, if not only to stand on that famous stage and think about all that have stood there before. The Atlanta Preservation Society also leads some great walking tours of intown neighborhoods. I recently took the Old Fourth Ward tour, and I would say it is a must for all. The history of this neighborhood which includes the Civil Rights Movement and MLK’s life in the area is so important.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband, Mark, is my biggest cheerleader. He is always there to encourage me to take risks and grow professionally.

Website: augenblickberlin.com

Instagram: @schoeninberlin @augenblick.berlin

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieschoen/

Image Credits
All of the photos were taken by me.

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