Media Gallery Portfolio

by Erika Smith / Forever Blessed

I enjoy taking pictures and have fun modifying them for use in my articles and social media. I strive to use primarily my own photos, but occasionally I borrow some from the public domain or through copyright permission.

The gallery showcases some of my work with details about which photos I took and different modification or capture techniques used. All of my photos were taken with my 108MP phone (except Solar Charged and Bread-making pics, taken on an older phone). Hope you enjoy!

*You can click on the single (but not grouped) pictures to enlarge them.*

The Original

I shot this picture of myself using a second camera. I wanted to show how important angle and perspective are to creative outcomes.

A&P Newsletter Image/Logo

Using “The Original” photo, I applied a nice vintage filter and added text I felt appropriate for a newsletter.

A&P Featured Website Image

Still using “The Original” image, I applied several layers of filters and enhancements to create this stark contrast with the flower especially high-lighted. This is my favorite image. It also helps that it hides a slip up I made by faking the shot with a closed lens. 😉

A&P Site Icon / Logo

Variations of the image I created for mini icons using simple apps & filters.

Solar Charged Series Image

This photo was taken at one of our local Florida beaches. In the raw, no filters, no edits. I loved the way the sun was casting the bronze hue on everything and was able to capture if nicely. Text was added to the Solar Charged series covers. The boy is my son. 🙂

“I don’t talk. I write.”

This image was used in the cover of the article “Being Sad Isn’t A Defect” and also on the contact page of the website. While readers might not believe it, I’m actually predominantly mute/non-verbal and feel this photo captures the quiet, silent side of me. I really like the play of shadows and light, the simplicity and the angle.

HoneyBees Article Cover

This image was taken after making some flavored honey that I sold at a Native American Pow Wow (before labeling). The natural light brings out the subtle amber glow of the honey. The pink raw cotton blanket and placemat add intresting texture, a slight coziness, and along with the blue sky and greenery add to the picture’s overall vibrancy. Text added using Canva.

Article Cover Images

[Photo1] The picture of the surfers was taken by fellow documentary journalist covering Maui wildfire aftermath. I cropped the photo, added the rainbow filter and text. [Photos 2 and 4] These photos use background images found in the Creative Commons (CC0) domain, modified and text / text bg added. [Photo 3] The last photo is a collage of two personal pictures. The tipi one taken at the pow wow, the table (in my back yard) I earned by trading at the pow wow with my friend Squirrel, very special to me.

More Images from Pages, Covers & Articles

The first three photos of child-bearing women were used in the article “Feminism Is Still Haunting Women.” All were taken from the public domain and modified. I added the FB signature banner, borders and text (quotes are mine).

This last image is of myself making homemade Muesli Bread (one of my favorites), showcasing my feminine home-making skills, used in the article “You Can Be A Woman As Long As You’re Seen In A Certain Context.” Another image making use of light and shadows.

This side by side comparison shows the filter I added to photo I took of a beach dunes sunflower. Scripture and text bg was added by me. (Donations page)