“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.” ~ Audrey Hepburn

My name is Julie Hirshenson (formerly Mattke) and I work as a Multimedia Designer and photographer at Coyne PR. I live in Boonton, NJ and work in Parsippany, sometimes in New York City. I usually have a camera in my hand (or near me) both at work and in my spare time… I am seeking out the beauty in the world- it is everywhere as long as we open our eyes.

Here’s more information than you’ll ever need to know about me…

Besides photography I have many hobbies. I know so much about nutrition I could probably get a degree, and I need to exercise regularly or I go crazy. I love taking the dog on long walks through town and by the river, and playing with all the animals. My husband is a vet (and a part-time artist-extraordinaire) and we have quite a furry family going… pictures of them take up many of my blog posts.

I love to cook, especially when the cats don’t try to help, and drink wine. My favorite indulgence is a glass of crisp Pinot Grigio and brie with raspberry jam, but nowadays I am trying to be good and stick to a paleo/primal style diet – I also occasionally post up some food p*rn and recipes!

I enjoy reading- in fact, I have a pile of unread books and so many magazine subscriptions I can’t keep up with them. I love to travel and wish I could do it more… I have a thirst for experiencing the world. I was a foreign exchange student in St. Petersburg, Russia, in high school and I studied abroad in Florence, Italy in college among other travels. People and cultures have always fascinated me- I love to get out of my comfort zone!

I moved to New Jersey more than 4 years ago and I miss my family and friends back in Minnesota, but I am so happy that I feel connected through technology and the occasional plane ride. I hate talking on the phone but I’ll do it for the people I love.

Luke and I got married on July 9, 2011, and now I am back to my quasi real life!

If you want to get in touch, email me: juliemattke@gmail.com or find me on Twitter: @dzignjulz or on Flickr.