I’ve been feeling a little out of practice recently with taking portraits, so I asked one of my friends to be a model for me.

And, I gotta say, I love these pictures. It’s always a much more relaxing vibe when I’m taking pictures of friends I’ve known forever. Plus, shooting during the golden hour makes things much easier, lighting wise.

This was also a great chance to practice my Lightroom editing skills. I’m starting to get more into presets, and it was fun to see how different ones can make a photo feel completely different.

It’s also made me think about how far I’ve come since I got my first camera about three years ago. Even though I’m still nowhere near the skill level I would like to be at, I’ve definitely made a ton of progress. Learning more about photography and what makes a good photo has been fun and frustrating at the same time, and has helped me practice being more creative.