Julie Hrudová, often called the ‘heron photographer,’ first became captivated by these birds when she saw them fighting over leftover fish at a market in Amsterdam. This curiosity led her to explore various urban settings where she observed herons stealing food from other animals in the zoo, waiting for snacks outside people’s homes, walking on cycling roads, in parks, on roofs, and everywhere. She found it fascinating how these wild birds adapted to city life and how the city adapted to them.
Now a popular street photographer living and working in Amsterdam, Julie’s work, particularly her series ‘The Grey Heron,’ has been featured in The Guardian. Her photographs document the large population of grey herons that have made an unlikely home in urban Amsterdam, showcasing how these birds integrate into city life. Julie’s journey into street photography happened spontaneously.
As a teenager, she used her first camera phone to capture life around her. She believes that unexpected moments can amaze or surprise her, whether it’s a peculiar scene, specific lighting, or someone’s expression. For her, the thrill lies in the potential for anything to happen at any moment.
In April 2024, Julie visited Oman, a trip she describes as a dream. She was enchanted by the country’s beauty, its people, the preserved culture and traditions, and the seamless blend of modernity and great food. “If I get the chance to stay longer, one day inshallah, I’d focus on the contrast between traditions, history, and modernity,” she says.
Julie found Oman different from any place she had been before and expressed a desire to return and create a longer-term series there. She felt that the unique duality of traditional and modern aspects in Oman would be fascinating to explore further.
Julie advises aspiring street photographers, especially those in Oman, to enjoy their work and have fun with photography. She has always been a curious observer, a trait she attributes to her childhood. Her family’s moves from the Czech Republic to The Netherlands gave her a unique perspective on both places. Raised with a lot of humour, she finds funny and surreal elements in life to photograph.
Some describe her photographic style as surrealistic and humorous, as she enjoys capturing the strangeness in daily life and prefers to show just a fragment of a story, allowing viewers to use their imagination.
Julie’s series and exhibitions often come about naturally, like her heron series. Sometimes, it’s assignment-based when newspapers or agencies ask her to photograph a sequence. Julie who uses Fuji and Canon cameras finds street photography as easy as it is difficult.
Capturing a scene is one thing, but doing it without causing discomfort to the subjects is another. In different cultural contexts, she often walks around without her camera initially to gauge the atmosphere and determine if it’s acceptable to take pictures.
For instance, in Oman, she found it challenging to photograph people, as many were private and didn’t want their pictures taken. She had to forgo many scenes she would have loved to capture. In Europe, particularly in the Netherlands and Germany, she faced skepticism towards cameras in public spaces and sometimes encountered threats and almost physical confrontations. Despite these challenges, street photography has led to numerous unexpected encounters that would not have happened without her camera.
Julie’s @hrudography work is influenced by photographers like Lars Tunbjörk, William Eggleston, and Martin Parr. She is also amazed by Vivian Maier’s work, which was discovered posthumously. Currently working as a photo editor for Dutch TV News RTL Nieuws and as a freelance photographer, Julie is curating a catalog of trends and similarities on her Instagram account, StreetRepeat https://www.instagram.com/streetrepeat
Pictures by Julie Hrudová
Profile picture by Zuhair Al Siyabi
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