Photo by William Camargo, 2025.
Contact: Julieleopo@gmail.com
Currently located in Orange County and Ventura County in California. Available for freelance and travel assignments. Speaks English and Spanish.
Julie Leopo is a California-based, award-winning photojournalist. Her work is grounded in a commitment to visual accountability, amplifying underreported communities and documenting the civic life of Southern California.
Her path to visual storytelling began at age 10, documenting family road trips between Santa Ana, California, and Guadalajara, Mexico, early images that shaped her connection to place, identity, and community.
Since 2019, she has served as Director of Photography at Voice of OC, where she mentors early-career photographers and teaches photojournalism courses at Chapman University.
In 2021, California Chicano News Media Association named her one of California’s Most Influential Latina Journalists, in 2022, she was a finalist for the prestigious Ruben Salazar Award for her photo essay, “In Oxnard, Latinos By the Beach Create A New Reality” published by KCET.
Her work has appeared in Voice of OC, LAist, CalMatters, Los Angeles Times, KCET, KQED, OC Weekly, NBC News, NPR, The New York Times, and others.
CV
Visual Journalist- Award-winning photojournalist focused on community-centered storytelling in Southern California, with an emphasis on public art, immigration, and civic life. Her work highlights Latino and immigrant communities.
Director of Photography, Voice of OC, Orange County, Calif.
2019- Present
Established a long-term photographic record of civic life, immigration, and political engagement in Orange County
Supervise, train, and edit student photojournalists contributing to daily newsroom coverage and long-form reporting
Freelance Photographer
2015- Present
Report and photograph stories on immigration, public art, community life, protests, and local politics across Southern California
Produced photo essays and visual coverage for nonprofit, public media, and legacy news outlets
Chapman University Adjunct Professor
2021- Present
Teach foundational photojournalism, ethics, AP-style caption writing, and visual storytelling
Mentor students on portfolio development, field reporting, and newsroom workflows
Emphasize ethical decision-making in the field and representation of vulnerable communities.