A photographer since she received her first camera at age seven, Julie Mancini began shooting friends' weddings in 1991 and continued to expand her photographic horizons at the urging of many friends and Dunnellon residents. She remains completely fascinated with the science and art of photography and immensely enjoys doing whatever it takes to record what she has envisioned. Her other hobbies include reading, writing, cooking and traveling.

Mancini recently retired from Dunnellon High School where she advised the school's publications students. She delighted in seeing the students create photography on a metaphysical level, and also looks forward to seeing some of her students turn their passion for photography into enjoyable careers.

Today Mancini enjoys shooting wedding, event, family and pets, commercial, sports, scenic and nature photography. She is an Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop, and a Journalism Education Association mentor for new journalism teachers. For her work with the Riverland News, she earned first place in  the Florida Press Association Class C 2015 Sports Photography contest, and the second place in Feature Photography and Photo Portfolio in FPA in 2016.