Looking for some photographic inspiration? Look no further then the current members of the APC. Each month a different APC member will be featured and we will provide a glimpse into their photographic life.

This month, our featured photographer is APC member, Terri Sullivan.

Bio:
Photography is still a hobby for me. I haven’t yet quit my day job. But it’s a hobby that I love and that brings me much joy and satisfaction. For as long as I can remember I have always loved taking pictures.

Initially I just wanted to capture memories on film so that I had them forever. Then I was given my first SLR for my 23rd birthday and that opened up the possibility of taking more than just snap shots. There were no automatic settings on my camera, so I learned to shoot in manual mode right from the beginning. I took some lessons and did some tutorials along the way, but mostly learned by trial and error. Shooting a whole role of 36, 37, 38, 39 … wait a minute, I forgot to put film in the camera! And, why is one half of all the pictures on this role dark? That was an unfortunate, but well learned, lesson on flash sync speed.

Then I got busy raising a family and went back to mostly taking photos of vacations, family gatherings, and my sons.

I bought myself my first DSLR, a Canon Rebel T2i, in 2009 and was hooked on digital. Then I joined a photography club and began learning more about photography and also post-processing.

My goal is to capture those moments that take my breath away and preserve them forever.

• How would you describe your photography style?Developing … yes, pun intended. I love to learn and try new things with my camera. I prefer to photograph landscapes, nature, wildlife, birds, and children.

• Which photographer is your biggest inspiration? Ansel Adams was the first famous photographer I became familiar with and I still find his landscapes absolutely awe-inspiring. But I am influenced by any photographers whose pictures I find breathtaking or emotionally evocative and want to learn how to recreate the technique or process that makes these photographs so compelling. And of course I’m influenced by the beauty of the world that we live in.

• How long have you been interested in photography? 
• For as long as I can remember.

• What was your first camera? My first camera was a Polaroid swinger land camera which I begged Santa and my parents for when I was a child. I still remember the excitement of watching the photos develop before my eyes. I had no idea then what wonders the future of photography would hold. My first SLR was a second hand Minolta SRT-200 which I shot with up until 2009 when I finally went digital.

• What is your dream photo trip? I would love to go to the Galapagos Islands to photograph the blue footed boobies, penguins, tortoises, marine iguanas, and many other species indigenous to the area. I would also like to travel to Arizona to photograph the Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley.

You can view more of Terri’s work on our APC Meetup site