So who is “Queen Skittles” and where did her nickname come from?


Queen Skittles is Julie Klima. For the past 20 years, Julie has dyed her hair a variety of colors- it started with blue and changed into any and all colors throughout the years!


Magenta & blue, green & blue & pink, purple & red, rainbow, red & yellow & blue & green & purple- you get the idea!


Her go-to colors of choice are magenta & blue or rainbow. Hence, a friend named her Skittles and it stuck!

Where does the “Queen” part come in?


In 2009, Julie did her first photo booth at the historic Zorthian Ranch in Altadena for a fundraiser event. A couple of people who run the infamous Doo Dah Parade in Pasadena (www.pasadenadoodahparade.info) were there, met Julie, and decided – “She must be our next Queen of the Parade!” And so it was. And it was glorious!


She tried out in the havoc of their crazy Doo Dah Queen tryouts and won! From thereon and so forth, she became Queen Skittles (of the 32nd Pasadena Doo Dah Parade).


After her reign as queen, she began a photo series of all the Doo Dah Parade's past & present queens (check out the series here: Pasadena Doo Dah Royal Family Portraits).

A photographer with vibrant pink and purple hair holds a DSLR camera against a backdrop of gold sequined curtains.
A figure in an elegant gold dress poses near illuminated trees in a dramatic nighttime garden setting.
A figure in dramatic lighting wears a blue ruffled collar and red hair with dark floral crown in a theatrical portrait series.
A photographer with blue and pink hair holding a camera looking in a mirror in a bathroom with rainbow hearts on the wall
A figure in a dramatic teal ballgown and pink headpiece stands alone in an elegant ballroom with draped windows.
Panoramic view of an elegant ballroom with ornate gold decor, crystal chandeliers and warm lighting creating a luxurious ambiance.
A photographer with vibrant pink and purple hair holds a DSLR camera against a backdrop of gold sequined curtains.
A figure in an elegant gold dress poses near illuminated trees in a dramatic nighttime garden setting.
A figure in dramatic lighting wears a blue ruffled collar and red hair with dark floral crown in a theatrical portrait series.
A photographer with blue and pink hair holding a camera looking in a mirror in a bathroom with rainbow hearts on the wall
A figure in a dramatic teal ballgown and pink headpiece stands alone in an elegant ballroom with draped windows.
Panoramic view of an elegant ballroom with ornate gold decor, crystal chandeliers and warm lighting creating a luxurious ambiance.

The Story of a Photographer


So I keep meaning to figure out how to write my bio, my story, my history. Honestly, when I think about it now, it's a story filled with happenstance & many people along the way who saw some kind of artistic potential in me. Otherwise, I could've been a scientist or in some kind of math career (geez that would've been a LOT more years of school & studying!).


My Grandpa Freddy Bear gave me my first camera - a 35mm Minolta- with the stipulation I would take a photography class.

Neil France was my first professor at Golden West Community College when I was 15 years old. My photos were blurry (not in a good way) and uninteresting, and yet he still helped me get into Orange County High School of the Arts! What?! Seriously, if I find those photos I will definitely post them because you would never guess I'd actually be a decent photographer.


After high school, I went to School of Visual Arts in New York for ONE YEAR. But New York was SO COLD compared to Southern California! It didn't suit me, I sent myself back. Going going back to back to Cali Cali. I made a few friends in NYC though (who I still chat with today!), and I came back with a higher level of sarcasm (I usually keep it at bay to be a professional).


Luckily, Art Center College of Design in Pasadena was a pretty good second option. ;) And that's where I stayed & graduated from with a BFA. Started in the Photography department and transferred to Fine Arts so I could bullsh*t better. It worked! I'm fooling you now, aren't I? I can't believe you made it this far. Kudos. When I see you, let me know, and I'll give you a gold star (or a bookmark). You ROCK!


After graduating in 2006, the recession creeped up. Eeesh. Who saw that coming.... The banks? Politicians? Wall Street? Good thing we bailed them out, and they still got to keep all their invisible 'money'! I dilly-dallyed about photographing bands/musicians, actors, portraits in general. I did some studio managing for a couple incredible photographers, one being the director/photographer Irvin Kershner (www.irvinkershner.net), and the other being editorial/fine art photographer Gregg Segal (check out his work https://greggsegal.com/).


I ended up photographing weddings, families, and portraits for many years. After having my two gorgeous children, Isabella Rainbow & Calliope Sunshine, I dabbled in land investing- buying and selling raw land. Now, I'm focusing primarily on Branding Photography! Hooray for me! Hooray for you! Now schedule a free consultation call below and let's chat about your business goals!


Two elegant ball gowns with full skirts and romantic styling sit beneath a tree at twilight with twinkling lights.
Black and white portrait series showing a person in theatrical makeup and ruffled costume against a striped background.
A person in a peach-colored vintage ball gown poses dramatically against a brick wall in a series of photos.
A magical nighttime photo series featuring a flowing pink ballgown dress illuminated against trees with blue lighting effects.
A colorful ruffled dress with vibrant turquoise, yellow, and pink tones photographed against an ornate interior backdrop.
A series of candid photo booth style snapshots showing people posing playfully in sequence with various expressions.
A pink and floral dress illuminated against a dark garden setting with trees and dramatic lighting effects.
Wedding couple sharing intimate moments in a desert landscape with mountains in background.

Wedding Photography

Your Story. Fun times. Good vibes.

What is your story? I'd love to hear about you and your partner's journey!

With over 15 years experience, I'll make sure you can relax on your wedding day knowing all the details taken care of, and we'll have a blast!

Click here to see my wedding photography
Couple poses against geometric wall mural with circles and lines in urban setting.

Testimonials

Melissa & Kyle

“Julie was our wedding photographer and photo booth expert. She was literally amazing. She gave us the exact look and vibe we wanted. We were doing a retro Palm Springs wedding. She listened our ideas about colors, and poses. It was almost 100 degrees so a lot of people were fussy about pictures taking too long but she was great and got all the shots needed, plus more. Everyone commented how amazing the shots were. Plus she made our photobooth so unique. I can’t imagine this wedding without her.”

01 / 03

Welcoming ALL People


I see us all as One Planet and One Human Species and One with all the Living & Non-Living Species (I'm totally a tree-hugger!). Therefore, I am LGBTQIA+ inclusive, inclusive of ALL religions & non-religious people, inclusive of ALL races, & ALL body types. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. I am your safe space to express who you are, without any judgment (my only parameter is to be a kind human!). I LOVE diversity, I LOVE how different we all are as individuals and groups of people. One of my favorite parts of shooting weddings is to see different cultures celebrate their joy. Let's make some magic & capture your true self!