Yes, like many college students I have those stressful days when everything seems to be going wrong. However, I have found something that helps relieve my stress and opens a whole new world to me.

Photography
I was always a visual child. My mother had put me in all sorts of art and drawing classes and I was always making or creating something. I became interested in photography when I was 16-years-old. One of my older brothers had a nice SLR (single lens reflex) camera that he never used. So, I started taking candids of my family and of things that interested me. At the time I was very interested in nature and B&W photography.

One of my art teachers had told me of a photography program at Tulsa Technology Center; she encouraged me to apply. The only thing was you had to have a portfolio in order to be accepted. I was nervous because I didn’t have a portfolio and I didn’t have any teaching in photography. However, I decided I would give it a shot. I started taking pictures of everything and used my background in art to help create exciting compositions for my first portfolio.

After being accepted at TTC, I learned the basics of photography and how to develop and print your own photos. Through this experience, I learned that photography can be relaxing and a stress reliever. Yes, you can be very technical and precise when photographing but you can also be creative and care-free. When I am taking photos I see the world in a different perspective. I want to capture moments and feelings that tell a story. I want to show others what I see through the lens.

Photography can be a very powerful form of communication. It’s sometimes difficult to explain how photography makes me feel but all I know is that it is a very satisfying and rewarding experience that helps me release my stress. So if you are feeling stressed out, try taking some creative photos. Who knows? It might work for you too.

I had an awesome photography internship with BW Studios in Tulsa, Oklahoma. BW Studios specializes in commercial photography. They shoot anything from food to jewelry.

This is where I met my mentor Bill Welch. Bill is the owner of BW Studios and has been such an inspiration to me. Bill gave me the opportunity to use amazing equipment that helped me produce a portfolio. This portfolio has given me a wonderful job working in the univeristy’s marketing department as a photographer. If anyone is serious about photography, I recommend doing an internship.

Hello everyone! My name is Erika and this is officially my first blog. I am a little new at this whole blog thing; however, I hope that this will be a learning experience for everyone.

I would like to share a little bit of my background with you. I am from a family of seven children; I have four protective brothers and two sweet sisters. I know most people think this is a rather large number but for me it’s comfortable. I was born in Oaxaca, Mexico but raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. My father is from Mexico and my mother is from Kansas. So, all I can really say about growing up in a multicultural family is that it’s CRAZY!

I am a transfer student from OSU-Okmulgee. Yes, Okmulgee. This crazy little town is where I received my associate degree in applied science and it is also where I learned the art of photography. So, now I am at OSU Stillwater where I will be receiving my degree in advertising. I currently work for the univeristy’s marketing department as one of their photographers.

Photography has been a passion of mine from a young age. I began by photographing my friends, family and pets, and now I have already been published in magazines and on billboards. I would like this blog to be focused on photography and all aspects of it. I do all kinds of photography from nature to weddings. So this is going to be a very broad discussion on photography and on how I see the world through the lens.