Julia Mae Photography, LLC

Julia Mae Photography, LLC Branding, headshot & senior photography for humans building businesses and lives in real bodies. Parkinson’s doesn’t define me, but it’s always here.

Showing up anyway. 💖

09/09/2026

Parkinson’s gets a say in my shoes…but it doesn’t get the only vote. 💖

Sensible footwear is a must because an unexpected “off” time can change my balance and walking anywhere, anytime. But this skirt deserved something more than tennis shoes…cool as they may be!

My right foot went in. My left foot, which is still a little swollen less than a year after surgery, put up a serious fight. By the time I got that boot on, my face was red and I was very glad I wasn’t already late for somewhere! 😝

Once they were on? Comfortable, stable and walking-test approved.

Will I have the energy to wrestle them on every time I want to wear them? Probably not. Getting dressed with Parkinson’s can already be difficult enough. But on the days when I can?

VERDICT: I’m keeping the boots! 🖤
Polkadot skitmrt is from Harlow + James they have an online shop!

09/09/2026

We pretty much missed summer this year.

Between the two of us, we had two knee replacements, one broken hip and one kidney stone surgery…so this was our FIRST grill-out of the year! 🍔

And it deserved my favorite burgers.

For 8 patties:

2 lbs. ground beef
3 eggs
⅔ cup breadcrumbs
Onion powder to taste
Salt to taste

Mix everything together, shape into patties and grill. The eggs and breadcrumbs help hold in the moisture and flavor…and keep the burgers from shrinking into tiny little hockey pucks!

We topped ours with blue cheese and bacon on toasted pretzel buns. Everything came from Aldi!

Egg juggling is optional…and not necessarily recommended for people with Parkinson’s. 😂

We try to eat healthy most of the time, but joy matters too. This meal tasted like finally getting a little piece of our summer back. 💖

09/09/2026

Minimal effort. Maximum fabulous. 😂 Show up anyway!💖😘

09/08/2026

Getting back on my feet was only the beginning… literally.

This year, physical therapy transformed me twice.

First, it helped me heal after two knee replacements, rebuild my strength and learn to trust my body again.

Then I started therapy for Parkinson’s… and discovered I could still do so much more than I imagined.

It gave me confidence, but it also gave me something I didn’t realize I needed: ongoing support as my body and abilities change.

That includes the hard things, too. Someday, I may need help recognizing when something like driving is no longer safe. I don’t want an accident to be the first sign. I want knowledgeable people who know me, understand Parkinson’s and can help me make those decisions before a crisis makes them for me.

Physical therapy didn’t just help me recover.

It helped me believe in my future again. 💖

Happy World Physical Therapy Day to the people who help us discover what’s still possible!

Has physical therapy ever changed what you believed you could do? On With Life DMOS Orthopaedic Centers

09/08/2026

Photographer brain: I go to a networking event and immediately start scouting the light. 😂📸

But this location isn’t just pretty.

It can make you look and feel powerful, confident, stylish and modern — which might be exactly how you want your brand to show up.

If this feels like you, DM me for a consultation and let’s go PLAY! 💖

PS: wonderful presentation at the Women’s Consortium by Amanda Nuzum I really was listening to!💖😆

09/07/2026

Turns out “keeping your cool” is mostly just good hair placement and sunglasses. 😎😂

09/07/2026

I’m trying to gently push the edges of what I think I can do—not recklessly, and not by pretending my symptoms aren’t there.

My arm and leg were freezing. My toes had the wiggly pigglies. So instead of skipping my walk, I grabbed my walking sticks and tried going very, very slowly.

And I did it. 💖

I want to keep discovering what’s still possible. I also want to build the best physical, mental and emotional condition I can—so I have more capacity on symptomatic days and hopefully crash from exhaustion a little less often afterward.

Regular exercise is one of the most powerful tools we have for living well with Parkinson’s, and research suggests it may help slow symptom progression.

That doesn’t mean pushing through everything. Sometimes showing up means resting. Today, it meant adapting my walk and going slowly.

Although choosing to test this theory in the Iowa heat was perhaps not my finest scientific decision. 😂

Slow still counts.
Adapting still counts.
Showing up anyway counts. 💖

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day! I hope this didn’t happen
to you! 😆🫪🍉💖I made watermelon salad at 3 a.m. for our family reunion. Apparently, I also performed extensive quality control. 😂

Parkinson’s insomnia: when nighttime Julia leaves daytime Julia and her family very little salad and absolutely no memory of eating it!🍉

Ok, ok- that bowl was full, but I really did make it at 3am! And I did eat so much I had to add more! 😆
I worried if I’d forgotten any of the ingredients or used the right ones.
We almost forgot to bring it!
Parkinson’s insomnia is very common for us and of course, makes our symptoms that much more difficult manage.

09/06/2026

Apparently “I almost missed my meeting” Julia and “I have arrived” Julia are only an hour apart. 😂💖 Remember to take your meds!!

We’re showing up anyway. And we’re dressing for the life we’re building now. ✨💖

09/03/2026

Gloria Steinem died yesterday at 92.

I’ve been thinking about the fact that she kept creating, speaking, writing and showing up for what mattered to her well into her 90s.

She once talked about being afraid of public speaking. And yet she did it anyway — because the message mattered more than the fear.

At 55, while I’m still reinventing parts of my own life and work, I find that incredibly moving.

We spend so much time asking if we’re too old, too late, too changed, too something.

Maybe there’s still a lot of life left to create.

Thank you, Gloria. 💖

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Des Moines, IA
50310

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