Meet Yulia Pogodina | Photographer

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

Hi Yulia, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
One of the most important decisions and a pledge to myself is to never measure my worth by comparing myself to the success stories of others. Instead, I chose to embark on a personal quest, a journey where my only competition is with the person I was yesterday. The truth is, each of us is on a unique voyage through life, with our own dreams, aspirations, and timelines. Comparing our progress to someone else’s can only lead to frustration and self-doubt. So, I’ve decided to celebrate the successes of others as inspiration and motivation, not as a yardstick to measure my own worth.
I believe that my growth and achievements are measured by my own standards, my own progress, and my own sense of fulfillment. What contributed to my success is focusing on becoming the best version of myself, setting goals, and surpassing them, one step at a time.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I could have never defined myself as just one thing. If someone else’s journey is a straight, ascending road, mine has been a whirlwind of scattered puzzle pieces, each fitting together to create the portrait of who I am today.
A full-time corporate lawyer before I graduated from Law School; a founder of a profitable modeling school as my first entrepreneurial side hustle when I was 19; a Managing Director of Nabokov Museum when I was 21; back to law with focus on merges & acquisitions while working as a celebrity paparazzi on a side; full scholarship for a Master’s Degree in Law at Northwestern University; NY Bar exam and law practice in the largest American law firm; dropping it all to pursue my “passion for fashion” at 26 followed by 10 rocky but exciting years in NY fashion advertising world; International and American awards in photography, and assignments to travel around the world; fast-growing retouching career with A-list brands. By 35 years old I felt like I lived multiple lives, and I had it all. Then, my son was born, and yet another new and very different life has began for me.

In motherhood I discovered a newly found passion, and probably because of that motherhood unexpectedly turned into a new career of sort. I started documenting my motherhood journey and sharing it on Instagram and on the blog that I created (www.dreamingofleonardo.com) It brought me a status of mommy-influencer and allowed me to make a living by creating content and advertising, while I was also managing my retouching studio (IG: @rgb.studio.nyc) remotely. For the first 5 years of my son’s life I worked from home or while traveling, but as he grew older I started questioning myself – what I would like to do besides motherhood? I found an empty spot in place where “passion for fashion” used to be. Photography the way I knew it didn’t interest me anymore. Once drawn to capturing the polished allure of professional models, I now found myself captivated by the raw, unfiltered beauty of real moments and genuine connections.

In 2021 I opened my photography studio – Those Tiny Moments (www.thosetinymoments.com) – and focused on maternity & motherhood portraiture, while still doing branding photography & commercial retouching on the side. My hope is to elevate family photography level and attract like-minded clientele with high standards and taste, who are normally scared away by the traditional family photography. Through my own motherhood journey I learnt the value of the fleeting moments preserved in photographs, and I find meaning, honor and passion in witnessing and capturing these moments for other families.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
When in LA, my favorite area to be is the coast. From Venice Beach to Matador beach, this strip of white sand and ocean is gorgeous and there are so many things to do and see.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’D LIKE TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO:

MY AMAZING PARENTS: Thanks for giving me life and the most wonderful childhood filled with magic moments, for bringing me up in unconditional love and support, and for teaching me how to live my dreams.

MY SON: You gave my life a new meaning, you makes me smile every day and show me thousands reasons to be grateful for everything I have.

NICOLAS AMBROSIO: You hold a special place in my heart, always!

MY FRIENDS: Thank you for being there for me, for uplifting me during my lows and celebrating with me during my highs.

NEW YORK: You’ve shown me I can make it anywhere!

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MYSELF: Here’s to being adventurous, resilient, and daring; a dreamer and a doer; trusting my intuition; working hard and playing harder; and always believing the sky is NOT the limit! 🚀

Website: www.thosetinymoments.com

Instagram: @those.tiny.moments

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/those.tiny.moments.studio/