Bernskiold Media » Interview

Guest on Learning Digital Photography Podcast

Erik Bernskiold — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:16:54 +0000

This week, I’m a guest on my buddy Jason Anderson’s podcast called Learning Digital Photography over at Personal Life Media. In the episode (ep #24) we talk about tips and tricks in nature photography (floral, landscapes and briefly touch on wildlife) as well as a bit about websites and how to market yourself nowadays. Jason also runs the Canonblogger website, where you can get the full shownotes.

He Said – She Said: Interview

Elizabeth Gast — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 06:30:03 +0000

As the first part of the series of He Said – She Said that me and Elizabeth Gast are doing, we thought it work be a good idea to answer some interview questions so you get to know us a little bit better. We gathered questions from our twitter followers and everyone who wanted was free to send in. On my blog today is going to be her answers to the questions, and if you want to read what I had to say, go and visit her blog here!

@JoeHendricks – How did you get started in graphic design? What motivated you?

I’ve loved art for as long as I can remember. Ever since I was little (we’re talking 4 years old) I knew it was the only thing I wanted to do. Then, at about age 12 something happened. Someone showed me a computer and my world was forever changed. I took 2 years of computer programming in High School along with 4 years of art, which then spiraled into tons and tons of similar college courses and two degrees. Graphic design became an adrenaline rush that I still get to this day. And knowing that I have the ability to bring ideas to the world via my two favorite things in the world – art and computers – well it just doesn’t get any better than that.

@egower – Will this lead to any collaboration of artwork with you two in the future? A round robin type of project between your two different styles would be fun.

You never know what the future may hold. Erik and I know that we enjoy working together. However, we also seem to be constantly swamped with new ideas, projects, and work needing to be done. This is the main reason why we decided to make this article only once a month. But, we are open to new ideas and right now – anything is possible.

@weewood – What does the "datchic" in "datchicfirgs" stand for?

I get this question constantly! So I’m glad this got asked. For those of you that are not on the NAPP Member Forums – my screen name there is "datchicfirgs". A name that I have often half-heartedly regretted choosing. I can’t tell you how many times people thought I was a guy and have called me "Datch". So for the record once and for all I’m going to spell this out – It is three words. Dat (a slang word for ‘that’) – Chic – Firgs. I hope that clears things up.

@shadowcall – Are you afraid of bees?

Erik and I actually liked this question. So the answer is – I’m not really afraid of bees but if they are around my mother I will freak out because she is allergic to them. And granted I’ll tend to quickly move out of their way to avoid getting stung myself.

@b_e_creative – What artists have influenced the most through your career?

This list on this is so long it would be a mile of paper if I ever printed it out. From the old school greats – Leonardo da Vinci, Jan Van Eyck, Dahli, Escher; to the current masters – Burt Monory, Deke McClelland, Joe McNally, Jill Greenburg; to the ones that are on their way – Lisa Sage, Will King, Michael Green, Justin Seeley, AJ Wood, and naturally, Erik also plays his part – the guy has amazing drive, talent, and skills, which is why I asked him to join me in this. Every day I am influenced by someone or some thing. It never stops – and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

@b_e_creative – Where do you find inspiration when you hit a "wall" during a project?

Great question! Several places – I start with browsing the NAPP member portfolios, then move on to Google Image searches, and dafont.com, then I saunter over to Planet Photoshop to see what Corey Barker is up to, then I’ll talk it out with my friends and colleges, and when all else fails – I take a shower – a place where I do my best thinking and where I have come up with my best ideas. And if all that fails – I walk away!!! I have found that you can’t force yourself into the zone. It’s either there or it’s not – so if you’ve tried all your best "bust up the wall" tricks – then stop fighting it, go do something else, and let the zone find you.

@Squiretwizz – How do you cope with having a busy life and still find time to do tutorials, twitter and blog updates, and respond to all th emails you must get? must be very busy with no time to rest let alone breathe!

Weird as this may sound – I thrive if my life is slammed with things to do. If there is ever a lull in my life I go stir crazy and get really grumpy. I know that my "master of multitasking" life that I lead can sometimes get crazy to the point of me screaming my full head off – but I contue to do it, because I love it so much. But I am learning that I need to set limits on myself and others, because I do need time away to spend with those that I love. My family, boyfirend, and close friends bring about a calming feeling that helps me to stay grounded and focused for all those times when it does get to be too much. I couldn’t do what I do without those people in my life.

@CreativeWisdom – Would you consider yourself a SM expert – and do you plan on integrating SM into your design company

Me? A Social Media expert? Heck no! Nor would I want to be! I think once you become an expert on anything then you have no where else to go in life. The term "Social Media" is becoming the "it" buzzword of the new mellenium. And this idea strikes me as funny, because it’s not really a new concept. It’s been around forever. The term "It’s not what you know but who you know" was coined decades ago – so I’m a little surprized by all the SM hype that seems to be growing at an alarming rate. Don’t get me wrong though – I love talking to and meeting new people and making connections through Twitter and verious other social networks, and a small amount of SM is included in my design company. But I don’t think that I will become the Rambo of the social world pelting anything that moves with my own ideas, services, or words. It just seems to me that sometimes, less is actually a whole lot more productive.

@UseR2006 – How do you choose what gear you use for certain shoots?

This question is for Erik, he does amazing photography work where as I don’t own photography gear – but if I did, I know that I would be a Nikon girl. The D90 makes me drool.

@aj_wood – Do you Mac or PC? Why?

I was raised on Macs. My first computer was an Apple 2c with the 3×5 floppy disks and ran dos. All of my high school and college courses were done on Macs, and I have owned several. But somewhere along the way, I also picked up the Windows team and I currently work on a PC. So, I guess you could say (with a small amount of snickering) that I go both ways. If I had a choice though, I would go back to Macs and never leave them again. They just feel like home to me.

@aj_wood – Was Photoshop the first imaging tool you used, or did you use a lesser known product first?

Ok, I am totally going to date myself with this one – The first imaging software I ever used was a fractal design program called Turtle. It was a little arrow on a dark screen and you would type in the DOS code to tell it which direction to draw a line in, how long you wanted the line, and in what color. Then you would repeat this a few times and type "LOOP" and the little arrow would draw a bunch of amazing fractle images on your screen. I’ll never forget that program – I was hooked solid after that. Paint Shop Pro – (also known as the first Photoshop) soon followed and I’ve been with it ever since.

@mcgregorlink – What impact does the growth of Social Networking have on your approach to Web Design?

It has a huge impact. All the world is abuzz with Social Networking right now, and if you don’t at least attept to keep up with it, you will be left to dust. So knowing how to incorporate it into a client’s website is a MUST KNOW for any web designer right now. You need to be aware of what networks are winning in the popularity poll and what their rules and regulations are. Often they will determine for you how they want you to build them into the site you are designing. And if you don’t pay attention to this, you could have a huge mess on your hands later. Like I said before though, on my own site – less is more.

You still have a couple of days left to enter your questions!

Erik Bernskiold — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 05:59:08 +0000

I told you about this new feature column that me and Elizabeth Gast from Design by Firgs are going to be doing once every month on eachothers blogs. We are going to talk about one specific topic and on my blog here, you’ll be able to read her take on it and over on her blog you’ll be able to read my take on it. Anyway, we are doing a special introductary before this all gets going. We think it’s good that you get the chance to get to know us two a little better, so we are offering all of our Twitter Followers an opportunity to send us questions through a direct message through Twitter with any question you might have for us! If we pick your question, not only will you get it answered by us but you’ll also be featured on our sites! Isn’t that a cool thing?

The deadline for the interview questions is quickly approaching so make sure you send a direct message to either me @ErikBernskiold or @Frigs on Twitter now (and you must be following at least one of us for that). Oh, and make sure to note in some way that it is for the interview.

Quick Important Facts

Deadline: Sunday 11th January, 2009
How to Submit: Send a direct message on Twitter to either @ErikBernskiold or @Firgs with your question. Make sure we know it is for the interview.

Wednesday Artist Interview: Jason Anderson

Erik Bernskiold — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:00:24 +0000

The Wednesday Artist Interviews have been on a slight hold for a while. It’s just a bit hard to find new people for every week. This week we have Jason Anderson stopping by doing an interview and sharing some of his thoughts!

Tell us a little bit about yourself

My name is Jason Anderson and I fairly recently rediscovered photography (about 4 years ago) after a brief stint in my youth. With a career in Information Technology, part of my evolving set of skills has begun to include web design and administration. After several years of this, I thought that it might be fun to return to photography and use the shots as graphics on web designs. After several trial versions with slow digital point-and-shoots, I ultimately ponied up and got into the SLR bracket. The rest, as they say, is history.

Do you have any formal training/what is your background in art?

No formal training in photography as an art. I did take a few art classes bu found I couldn’t draw a straight line with a ruler so switched to music for my earlier creative outlet. Singing and piano were the bulk of my artistic expression through high school and college.

What equipment do you use?

I started with a Vivitar 110 film camera back in the early 80’s. After that, my brothers Pentax K1000se held quite a bit of fascination for me with all it’s buttons, levers, and gadgetry. When I re-entered the field 4 years ago, the growth spurt of digital had just begun so P&S cameras weren’t up to the task yet and serious shutter lag persisted. Wnating a faster shutter response, I decided to go the SLR route and dove in with the Rebel XT. For 4 years that was my mainstay, and I invested in glass and accessories. A few months ago I realized that I was just bumping up against the limitations of the XT too much and ponied up to the 40D. My lens collection includes the kit 18-55, a 70-200L (f4), and a 70mm Sigma Macro (f2.8), and a 50mm 1.8 (the nifty fifty). Other accessories include the ST-E2, a 550EX, and usual other things like tripods, light stands, umbrellas, CF cards and such. A wide angle lens will likely be my next big purchase.

Who is your biggest influence? Why?

Joe McNally. Not only is he the consummate perfectionist, but you can tell he’s the real deal. He doesn’t dress things up and believes whoeheartedly in the "open book" mentality of photography as a discipline. After many encounters with some who attempt to "safeguard their secrets", and don’t tell you anything you can use (or make you sign NDA’s), I like the appeal he has in his instruction, imagery, and just the whay he comports himself. Plus, he really is a good guy. A great example of this is his work with fire departments post 9/11.

Do you have any advice to aspiring artists?

Study the mechanics. Often.
Take lots of pictures. Often.
Keep your mind… open.

Do you have anything else you want to say?

I’d like to thank Erik for taking the time to talk to me, and I hope I was able to share some useful information with the readership.

Wednesday Artist Interview: Phil Dawson

Erik Bernskiold — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:00:15 +0000

This week I have the fortune to be able to post the interview with the talented photographer Phil Dawson. Phil is a photographer with a base in shooting portraits, weddings and events and he does that really good as you see from the photos here It’s a really good interview so do continue to read it!

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

As a Photographer, my areas of commisioned work covers sports and anything with people, from Social Events to Weddings, I really have a strong passion for Wedding and Portraiture. My style is starting lean strongly towards contemporary wedding photography. Though nothing can be quite as relaxing as sitting waiting for the sun set/rise with a camera.

Do you have any formal training/what is your background in art?

I don’t have any formal qualifcations, and I would advise anybody wanting to work as a professional, that they study business and accounting, and study photography in your personal time. Photography is a skill that you show not through a certificate but through your portfolio. I started in photography assisting my brother shooting weddings and portraits, like many others, just carrying bags.

What equipment do you use?

I shoot totally with Nikon, I just love the menu systems and ergonomics. I shoot a D300 with a D40 backup, it was originally a D80 backup, but it just takes up to much room for a backup, the D40 may slow me down, but it sure is one of the best bodies that Nikon have made. As for glass I have all the focal ranges covered from 17 to 200, in either fast zoom, or prime. Including the good old 50mm 1.8, Nikkor 17-55 2.8

Who is your biggest influence? Why?

One of my biggest influences is Martin Prihoda, his lighting ability is absolutely stunning, everything is so well thought out, and his images just have a "feel" to them, that many other photographers miss. I try to bring elements of his work into mine.

Do you have any advice to aspiring artists?

I remember a quote from somewhere, though I can’t remember where but it went along these lines "If I like my photograph, that’s all that matters. If somebody else likes it, then that’s a bonus" Very true, but if you’re looking to go into business, then it’s 80% business 20% photography. If you don’t keep your eye on the market, you will be having your ass handed to you buy somebody that shoots auto, but knows how to run a business.

Do you have anything else you want to say?

A photographer is only ever as good as their last photo. Always strive to improve, experiment, and don’t be afraid to try new things, but never allow your standards to drop. As you will never be better than the last click of your shutter.

Artist Interview: Erik Ludloff

Erik Bernskiold — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:00:16 +0000

This week the interview is with a fellow Erik, Erik Ludloff. Erik’s a freelance designer and digital artist based out of California, USA. He’s got a strong portfolio and he’s a really good guy as well!

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Erik and I’ve been a freelance designer and digital artist for about 18 years. Music has always been a big artistic influence for me. I started off as a wanna-be graffiti artist, but had a much better feel for pencil and paper than a spray can. I didn’t make the transition to wall art very well. I have always been a computer geek so I bought a scanner and CorelDRAW for my computer. I’d scan in my sketches and print out multiple copies, then hand color them with my Prismacolors.

In college I studied page layout and typography and began designing flyers for my friends’ bands to promote their upcoming shows. Eventually I started charging them to design cassette sleeves, album covers, and other band merchandise including logos, t-shirts, etc. After about a year, word spread around the local music scene and my foot was firmly in the design door. I saved up my design money and bought Photoshop. (Not because I didn’t like Corel, but just because all the print shops I worked with at the time told me I needed to switch.) It was a love/hate relationship at first, but now Photoshop and I are good friends.

Playing in Photoshop is one of my favorite ways to spend my free time. I really enjoy photo collages, combining multiple images into a single piece of art. I’m not much of a photographer so I mainly use stock photos to play with. Occasionally I’ll incorporate one of my own photos and that’s always a big kick for me. I find myself taking photos of things just so I can use part of it in a collage later. Photoshop is such a powerful tool that I’m truly limited only by my imagination.

Do you have any formal training/what is your background in art?

My training has been mostly informal. I took a few college courses on advertising and design. It was great to get a solid foundation of the basics: color theory, typography, page layout, etc. I also read a lot of books, so I consider myself book-taught rather than self-taught. I’ve looked at tons of Photoshop tutorials online. It’s amazing the wealth of information available out there. NAPP has probably been the greatest learning tool for me recently.

The NAPP video tutorials are really well done, and the folks in the forums are incredible in that they are quick to offer help when needed. I’ve participated in a few head-to-head battles in the NAPP forums and it’s a great way to learn by looking at someone else’s layered PSD. There are so many ways to achieve the same result in Photoshop. I find that everything I learn helps me to build my personal toolkit and that keeps me wanting to learn more.

What equipment do you use?

Mainly Photoshop and Illustrator on the software side of things. For hardware I use a tablet, a mouse, a Spyder2Pro for color calibration, and pencil and paper of course. I highly recommend that artists sketch. It’s so quick and easy to do. I find that I can get a lot of ideas on paper in a short period of time if I just sketch them.

Who is your biggest influence? Why?

Probably my mom. She always encouraged me to pursue whatever art I was passionate about. As a kid it ranged from guitar to karate and even break dancing. Her enthusiasm followed me into adulthood. I try to be that supportive person to my friends and co-workers. My mother always appreciates my silliness too. So a lot of my artwork borders on the absurd.

Do you have any advice to aspiring artists?

Learn the fundamentals of design. Just like athletes pursuing the sport of their choice it all comes down to the fundamentals. Once you know the rules, then and only then, should you go out and break them.

Do you have anything else you want to say?

I read something recently that really rang true for me. I’m paraphrasing here because I don’t have the reference handy. It basically said that to get really creative, you should take your ideas way past where you think they should go then step back. That’s basically the gist of what was said. I hope I did it justice. It’s how I tend to work. Go completely wild then back it off to where it needs to be. Even a logo design for a conservative financial company will get a silly drawing on the sketch pad. It helps lighten the mood and often times that’s when the best ideas take shape.

I appreciate all that you do, Erik. Your informative blog is a wealth of resources and you are always eager to help others.
- Krazy E

Oh, and no interview would be complete without revealing the true meaning of life…

"Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations."
- Monty Python and the Meaning of Life

Wednesday Artist Interview with Will King

Erik Bernskiold — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 07:40:24 +0000

There was a while ago that I used to be running these artist interviews pretty often but it slowed down a bit a short while ago because it’s been hard finding people that want to be interviewed. Nominated however by a friend of mine, Elizabeth was this time around the great photographer, Will King (who by the way nominated another person you’ll perhaps see next week) who shoots some really great photography. Now, Will is one of these cool photographers that masters a lot of areas. He shoots very nice landscapes and yet he captures some truly great wildlife photos. Anyway, enough with the intro talk and let’s get right to it!

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a husband and a father of one boy. My daytime job is a Network Security Analyst. I’ve been an avid photographer for about three years and have been using Photoshop for about two years now. I love and respect all genres of photography. My favorite subjects to shoot are landscapes and seascapes with dramatic light.

Do you have any formal training/what is your background in art?

I have no formal training in photography or art. I study the works of others and ask a lot questions. I have read several photography and Photoshop books and of course I’m a NAPP member which has been extremely beneficial.

What equipment do you use?

I use all Canon equipment. I have 2 bodies: Canon 1Ds Mark III and a 1D Mark III. With several lenses ranging from 400mm to 15mm.

Who is your biggest influence? Why?

I have several influences. For landscape photography, Marc Adamus is someone I look up to and admire. He goes to great lengths in the field and the digital dark room to master his craft. For wildlife photography, I really admire Miguel Lasa. He captures wildlife at their best.

Do you have any advice to aspiring artists?

Study the greats. See what makes their work standout and without copying their style, try to make your work standout in your own way. Offer a different perspective. Shoot low, high, wide and long. Anything unique is good.

Do you have anything else you want to say?

Never be satisfied with your current work. Always demand better of yourself. Learn from others and yourself.

Thanks to Will for taking the time to answer the questions and make sure to catch more more of his beautiful photography at his portfolio.

The deal about Copyright, Model Releases and Public Shooting

Erik Bernskiold — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:04:02 +0000

There are a lot of discussions going on always about what you can do and can’t do when it comes to legal issues and photography. As Ed says in the interview, photographers have a trend to ask other photographers to get a simple solution to the problems. Well, most of them aren’t true and most times don’t apply to the situations as you think. Scott Kelby however took a little different approach and asked Intellectual Property Attorney, Ed Greenberg to come on as a call-in guest on Photoshop User TV which is airing next week. Scott posted the clips of the interview yesterday on his blog however. In the interview, Ed clears up the major things about Copyright, Model Releases and Public Shooting.

Listen to the Interview

Monday Interview: Dave Seeram/PhotographyBB

Erik Bernskiold — Mon, 19 May 2008 08:00:25 +0000

It’s a new Monday again with a full week of work ahead of us. Now that is always a good time to ponder into the minds of a fellow artist a bit. This week we have Dave Seeram, photographer and graphic artist who is running the free online magazine, PhotographyBB!

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

Greetings! I’m Dave Seeram, the Editor and Publisher of the PhotographyBB Online Magazine, and digital photography enthusiast residing in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. I’m also the administrator and owner of the PhotographyBB website and Discussion Forums. I originally started the PhotographyBB site back in October of 2006 strictly as a digital photography forum geared towards beginners. I’d seen a lot of digital photography forums out there, but the majority of them were catering to intermediate and advanced photographers, and I hadn’t really seen a forum for those who are just getting into digital photography. So, I decided to start my own, and it’s snowballed into a lively and friendly discussion forum, a photography blog, news site, and most recently the PhotographyBB Online Magazine.

I’ve been doing digital photography now for several years, however I didn’t get my first digital SLR camera until December of 2006 and since then I’ve been learning it inside and out. I’d have to say that I’ve always been more of a Photoshopper and software guy, but I’m starting to find a good balance between the two.

One of my most recent related achievements was being published in the March 2008 edition of the Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, published by the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists. In the journal I co-authored an article with my father (an expert professor in the field of medical imaging who was awarded the Fellowship from the CAMRT in 2000) on using Photoshop for Image Postprocessing in Digital Radiology. It was a highly rewarding experience which I am most proud of.

What are your background in art?

I’ve always been into the arts since I was very young. It started with music, but even as a young child I was always fascinated with photography, CD cover artwork, movie poster artwork, and photography in print. I’ve been shooting digital for years, but it wasn’t until 2006 that I got my first digital SLR camera, and since then I’ve been learning it inside and out. I really am more of a "Photoshop guy" than anything else though. I absolutely love digital image editing and the artwork that can be created by digitally manipulating a photograph. I never did have the skill of being able to draw or paint, but with Photoshop I have found there are truly no limits. However, as a result when it comes to photography, I do tend to think "Photoshop first" as opposed to getting the ideal in-camera shot; a habit which I am starting to break out of now!

I have over 11 years of formal schooling, along with self-training and research in Photoshop, graphic design, and typography, through which I have acquired an extensive knowledge of Photoshop and image manipulation. Last year, I developed my own Photoshop digital illustration technique, which I turned into a popular Photoshop Action. For a more detailed look, check out the PhotographyBB Actions page (http://www.photographybb.com/actions) at the Dave Seeram Illustration Action.

What equipment do you use yourself?

Currently, my arsenal of digital photography tools includes my Pentax K10D camera, Pentax 16-45mm and 50-200mm lenses, a Canon SD630 point and shooter, a Pentax Optio 555, and a Manfrotto tripod. On the software side, I use Photoshop CS3, Adobe Bridge, Photoshop Lightroom, Photomatix, and countless plugins I’ve accumulated over the years.

What inspired you to start your own magazine?

I started out by writing Photoshop tutorials for my forums initially, which received a great response from the members there. From that, I was asked to do a more in depth tutorial for the folks who run the PBase Magazine (http://www.pbase.com/magazine). I had such a great time writing for them (and I assume the enjoyed my writing) and I became a regular contributing writer for PBase Magazine.

I started to receive a lot of positive feedback and comments on my articles with PBase, and I felt that an online magazine would be a really valuable edition to the PhotographyBB website. Having a fairly strong background in graphic design and page layouts, I decided to launch the first issue of the PhotographyBB Online Magazine back in February 2008, with the help of some highly talented and devoted contributing authors. All of the writers for the PhotographyBB Online Magazine volunteer their time, knowledge, and experience in helping to create the magazine, which has been a huge success! Although I am the editor and publisher, I could not have done it without the great team of writers behind me, and they have my eternal thanks for all of their hard work.

The magazine has always been targeted towards beginners to digital SLR photography, as I had found there weren’t many "how-to" articles for the beginner out there. As we go through issue to issue, we will be evolving along with the experience levels of our readers, growing together.

What is most important with the magazine?

For me, the single most important thing for the magazine is good content. I am very discerning when it comes to the content we provide the readers. As you may have seen, there are several regular columns which will be in each and every issue, such as the Before the Digital Era, Photography Around the World, Photoshop Tutorials, and Spotlight on a Member (of PhotographyBB). Additionally you will find each and every issue has other thought provoking and photography related articles, such as the "Photography as Fine Art" in our most recent issue, or "The Responsible Photographer" in our March issue.

It’s my goal to provide our readers with a taste of all sides of photography within the magazine. Nowdays, there are so many considerations for the new digital photographer, and it’s my hope that the magazine will teach and inspire both new and experienced photographers to keep doing what they love – Photography!

Is there anything else you would like to tell us or add?

I’d really like to thank Erik Bernskiold for giving me the opportunity to do this interview for his website. Also, if you would like to learn more about the PhotographyBB website or chat with me online, you can find me on my forums daily at: http://www.photographybb.com/forum

I am always open to questions, lending assistance, or chatting with any like-minded photography folks out there. Happy Photographing!

Interview with Elizabeth Gast

Erik Bernskiold — Mon, 12 May 2008 11:00:09 +0000

Here comes another weeks interview with a really cool person. Today I have the privilege to interview the amazing Photoshop artist, Elizabeth Gast. She’s a really talented artist who’s background lies in digital art and also a member of NAPP, the National Association of Photoshop Professionals, where she herself says that she’s learned more than ever. Read the full interview after the jump!

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

Hello. My name is Elizabeth but my on-line persona is Firggy. I collect frogs and my dad has been known to call me Lizzy on location so I just combined the two to get Firggy. And I’m way cooler than that Black Eyed Peas chick!

I live in Chicago and love every minute of it. The is just something about this city that moves me and inspires me. I just don’t feel at home anywhere else.

Do you have any formal training/what’s your background in art?

I do have formal training. I have an Associates degree in Fine Art and a BA in Digital Art. A lot of what I know is however self-taught and taught to me by the wonderful friends I have made through NAPP. I love art. I’ve wanted to be an artist for as long as I can remember. But when I discovered computers in the 6th grade (we’re talking DOS here) I found a second passion that opened up a whole new world. As far as I’m concerned, art + computers is the best combination ever!

What equipment do you use?

Photoshop Photoshop Photoshop! Occasionally I’ll drift away to other programs in the Adobe suite, but Photoshop will always be my main love and my main source of artistic outlet. I started using it in version 4.0 and have stuck with it ever sense. As long as I live though, I doubt I will ever learn all there is to learn with this one program.

Someday though I hope to be able to test the waters with Photography and get myself a Nikon. Right after I win the lotto……..

Tell us about what you do for a living?

Currently I am teaching computer classes (including Photoshop!) at a school called Compy School here in Chicago. On the side I am also working with a photography studio called Light Bay Studio doing photo retouching, company branding, and specialty projects for weddings and the like. Also, I am working with two other partners on a business adventure that I hope to be quite successful. No comment on the details yet, but when we’re ready, I’ll let you know.

Do you have any advice to aspiring artists?

Whenever you think you’re done with your image, walk away for a while and then come back to it asking "Ok, how can I take this one step further?" – 9 times out of 10, just when you think you’re done, you’re really only just beginning.

Also, ALWAYS take time to play! That’s when you learn the most and if you find something good – turn around and teach it to someone else!

Anything else you want to say?

Take the time to be nice to people and they will take the time to be nice to you. Oh, and ERIK ROCKS! \m/ >.< \m/

Visit Elizabeth Gast’s Portfolio