Photographer Erika Barker in Wynwood Miami Florida

Embracing Change: A New York Photographer’s Transition to Miami’s Vibrant Scene

Why did I decide to trade the bustling streets of the Big Apple for the vibrant energy of Miami as a photographer? After all, isn’t New York City the ultimate Mecca for fashion, designers, jewelry, fashion accessories, cosmetics, and beauty? Well, it certainly is, and I spent a solid decade there. However, as many of my fellow creatives can attest, …

What really makes a great photo? What makes a legendary photo?

We all appreciate a good photo, but what elevates a photograph to legendary status? What is it about the works of photographers like Mario Testino or Mert & Marcus that mesmerizes audiences, driving them to invest in a luxury brand or pick up a magazine for its cover? Contrary to popular belief, the secret doesn’t always lie in provocation or …

Embracing AI in Photography: Balancing Humor, Humanity, and Tech in the Creative Process

As I meander through this uncanny landscape of AI-enhanced creativity, I can’t help but snicker at the absurdity of computers playing a role in our artistic pursuits. It’s like we’re living in some sort of bizarre tech-driven sitcom, and I’m just waiting for the punchline. I mean, imagine if the great artists of the past had computers to help them …

The 10 Commandments to Retouching Portrait, Fashion, and Beauty Photography

We retouchers have been taking a lot of heat recently over some really questionable work being released in the media.  Just this morning I woke up to find the headline This Photoshop Fail Will Make You Sick To Your Stomach on the Huffington Post’s front page. The image was of a female model that was viciously attacked by the Liquify …

Erika wins “Best Photo Story” and “Best Photo” at New Orleans Shootoff

First and foremost, I would like to thank Think Tank bags (www.thinktankphoto.com), Mannie Garcia (www.manniegarcia.com) and Adobe (www.adobe.com) for the free toys!!!  I would also like to thank Johnny Bivera for assembling this amazing event, and Bill Auth, legendary photographer from US NEWS & WORLD REPORT for ensuring I was doing a good job. The theme for this year’s event was …

Why Cinematography and Photography have a lot in Common

Have you ever watched an old movie from the 1950’s and found that it was not quite as exciting as a movie today? Well, cinematography has changed quite a bit since then and I am not talking about the explosive special effects department. One of the biggest factors utilized by the great Alfred Hitchcock, is the rotation of shots at …

Can a Graphic Designer become a great Photographer?

I found myself in a position when I was a young graphic designer where I grew tired of scouring the Internet for the perfect image to match my vision or a simple image to meet the client’s expectation.  I also found it a bit annoying that there were many restrictions on textures and certain photos that were fairly easy to …