Hello and welcome to my website.
I'm Juliana Swenson, senior graphic designer, photo editor, National Geographic Your Shot Photographer, educator, English literature graduate, and writer. My friends say that I'm laid back, unintentionally hilarious, creative, curious, and smart. I am also wild, spontaneous, and a bit dorky. I place a high value on authenticity and self-determination, and bring an unshackled spirit to everything I do. In fact, my curiosity has led me to learn many trades. Below is an outline of how that happened:
Photography
When I turned fourteen, my grandma gave me a new Pentax K1000, a set of lenses, and a tripod. I enrolled in night photography classes, not to interfere with my surfing schedule, and decided that I wanted to become a professional photographer. But my dad said, “No. You will die of hunger as a photographer in Brazil.” I continued taking pictures, though. You can see my work by choosing a category on the menu above.
Later in my career, when I was working for a magazine publisher and art directing photo shoots, I became friends with a few photographers. I saw how they edited their photos and decided to learn more about photo editing and retouching.
Now, my photo The Four Amigos was favored by National Geographic Your Shot editors and made Best of the Week on June 7, 2019.
Teaching
When I was a child, I wanted to be a teacher. I spend hours writing random things with chalk on my neighbor’s block wall while she pretended to be the student. As I grew, I forgot about it, found school to be a complete waste of my time, and chose to ditch classes to go surfing. I drove my parents crazy, but had the best time of my life.
In 2008, when the recession killed my businesses, I said, “Screw graphic design. I am going to be a teacher who writes on the side.” I got a job as the computer lab education support professional at a school for special education where I taught students and sometimes teachers how to use the computer and complete technology related assignments. During that time, I also managed the school website; designed quarterly newsletters, awards, yearbooks, and graduation invites; photographed all school events; and edited the videos for the weekly announcements.
Now, I'm a five-star tutor at Wyzant.com
Graphic Design
Well, I didn’t stay in Brazil. I came to the U.S.A. with my Pentax and my surfer boyfriend soon after I turned seventeen. I grew up and became a responsible member of society. And I majored in graphic design, because my father said it was the job of the future. He read that somewhere.
I also learned how to design motifs and patterns on Adobe Illustrator. So, naturally I spent countless hours designing patterns, some of which were printed on a line of recycled and recyclable gift wrap that cost me a fortune to produce and never became profitable (Ecosaurus, LLC – one of the businesses that died in 2008). I didn’t give up on the patterns, though. I’ve been applying them onto Zazzle products.
Writing and Literature
Someone invited me to submit an essay for a coffee table book about designers and their favorite things. An editor friend read the essay and told me I should become a writer. I thought that she was bunkers, considering that English is my second language, but I followed her advice and enrolled in every single creative writing class I could afford.
Since then, I’ve meddled with content writing for my boss and myself, have written unpublished short stories, and started writing a memoir. I also went back to college and got myself a B.A. in English Literature from Grand Canyon University.
“Juliana works well on her own and as part of a team, adhering to deadlines and welcoming feedback from others. She is a marvelous colleague, and an asset to all who chance to work with her.”
Amanda Fier
Editor in Chief, Estates West Magazine (also my former business partner with Ecosaurus, LLC.)