I have been wanting to do this post for a while, so I’m so excited to finally be sitting to do it!!
When I first began my journey as a photographer, I felt like there was SO MUCH I needed to learn and didn’t know where to learn half of it! I’m sure many of you that are photographers either by trade or hobby can relate 
It’s been about 5 years since I began and I’m still always learning and growing. There are so many wonderful aspects of photography… the creative outlet, always meeting awesome people, getting to be a part of capturing precious moments that are gone all too quickly… but frozen in a photo.
I have been inspired by a HUGE list of talented photographers… my google reader keeps me up on the eye candy they post on their blogs I have gotten to meet and build wonderful friendships with a lot of these photographers as well.. and they continue to inspire and teach me! The photography world has been a huge blessing in my own little world!
Last April, I headed to Utah to attend a workshop from one of my FAVORITE photographers… the extremely talented Nichole Van! My sweet friend and fellow photographer, Janelle Zeller attended with me and we left completely blown away and excited! Nichole is my inspiration in the world of “photo art”. Any great photograph begins with fantastic composition, light, and camera technicals, BUT doing a little magic in editing can turn a photo into a piece of art. One of my favorite touches to add to a photo is texture. Almost all of my textures come from Nichole (you can purchase them here). Here’s a recent photo of my girlie with a little texturing:
Here’s the same image before the texture was applied:
While at the workshop, we discussed and practiced so many aspects of photography. We practiced a little off camera lighting as well… when you get it right, the results are really cool! We were at the campus of the University of Utah and this sweet girl was our model. The first image is edited, but no texture applied:
And here’s the image with a little texture love:
Here’s another image from the workshop that I spent a considerable amount of time editing. Mostly adjusting colors, brightening some areas, darkening others, and a little texture… but in the end, you have more than just a photo. And we had the most beautiful little models!
I am hoping to continue to do more posts like this… sharing great tools that make images more amazing! I do not claim to know it all… like I said earlier, I consider myself always a student of my craft first. Though along the way, I have learned so much from those that have freely shared their knowledge and the wisdom that time and practice brings. I would love to give back in the same way.
So, if you have a particular question that you would like me to *try* to answer in a future post, please leave me a comment or drop me an email. I try to answer individual emails that come in as I can, but why not post the Q&As here for all to see. Professionals and hobbyist alike are welcome! I know many mamas that use their love of photography to simply capture the everyday things of their children’s lives. My children are a major inspiration in my own photography as well! So don’t be shy! I would love to hear from you!
With Joy, Erin
