Featured Artist Julian Starks

Photographer Julian Starks presents a stunning wildlife portfolio that supports a mission to protect and preserve these magnificent species. See more of his work by visiting his website.

 

 

I’m a Los Angeles based photographer, filmmaker, actor and animal activist. My career began in New York City as an actor, having studied under acting teacher legends Sanford Meisner and Bobby Lewis, as well as Martin Barter at the Neighborhood Playhouse Theater.

 

 

I also studied at The School of Visual Arts in New York. Eventually I moved to Los Angeles to further my education at the UCLA School of Film and The Los Angeles Film  School. There I studied directing, screenwriting, producing and editing.

 

 

I set off to film A Journey to Sundance, my first feature documentary film. This film is about Robert Redford and the spirit, dreams and struggles of independent filmmakers from all over the world. I faced a 13-year battle to finish the film, serving as producer, director, composer, co-editor and on-camera host/interviewer. It was released worldwide in 2021.

 

 

While filming A Journey to Sundance I fell in love with the still photo. I decided to enroll full-time at the Brooks Institute for Photography in Ventura, California. This continued my passion for storytelling in a new medium—photography. It allowed me to share my love for wild animals, when I presented Life Behind Bars, Vol. 1, my first fine art photography book. It was released worldwide in 2020.

 

 

I began photographing these amazing animals at Tippi Hendren’s Shambala Preserve. Tippi is the beautiful blonde actress in Alfred Hitchcock’s movie The Birds. I fell in love with the animals and the work that Tippi is doing there. It has truly been an inspiration that Henson, Shambala’s regal male lion, graces the front cover. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the wildlife sanctuaries featured in the book!

 

 

I founded Visions of the World, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to help support wild animal sanctuaries and institutions like those featured in my book. I want to put a spotlight on these beautiful animals for the world to see through books, fine art photos, NFT’s, clothing and other ancillary products.

 

 

My second book is Life Behind Bars…Except if You’re Free, which is Volume 2. It will focus on the conservation efforts for gorillas and big African cats in their natural habitat—Africa! This second book will be dedicated to Dian Fossey, her lifelong work and tragic death to poachers, who she fought against regarding the conservation of the mountain gorillas. That is the inspiration for the project.

 

 

The Kings of Beasts will be my first NFT campaign, based on the lion and tiger featured in Life Behind Bars Vol. 1. A portion of the proceeds will go to the institutions where these beautiful creatures were photographed.

 

 

I urge you to help support our mission to raise awareness for wildlife conservation associations in the United States that support, protect and preserve endangered species. Be the voice for these animals through your actions!

 

Julian Starks invites you to follow on Facebook and Instagram.

 

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