I’d like to introduce April Milani, our Flickr winner for the month of April. Had the privilege of conversing with her for a little while, she has such an interesting story. Everyone has a story, of course. This is hers.
April considers herself a photographic illusionist and a storyteller. Meaning her work recasts common or well-known concepts in a different light. Her preference is to make images that speak for themselves rather than drone on with long-winded explanations. Her shooting style stays loose because she never knows exactly what she’ll be shooting. She’s the type that follows her own initiative and perceptions rather than have a pre-determined plan.
She fell in love with photography when she was just a kid. April recalls heart-felt memories of taking an occasional snap with her grandmother’s camera, whose passion for the art must’ve rubbed off on young April. Not just the passion for photos, but technique as well. At a young age April knew to stop, look, and think before she took a shot. In college, she explored her love of B&W photography, but it wasn’t her major. Later, she enrolled at the New York Institute of Photography to further explore her endearment for it.
April started a 365 project a few years back. It was such good practice that she’s working on her third one-year photo project right now. She feels that using her camera everyday has made her a far better photographer. The next step she took to better her photography was to join a group of brilliant photographic storytellers. Her group: The Mad Hatters. They designate a new theme for each week’s posts. The group’s aggressive pace of crafting new images is a great way to keep motivated.
For years April claimed to be a 99% Lightroom and 1% Photoshop, girl. Then, Alien Skin Software came along. April says, “Exposure brought back my first love of film–which I still shoot and develop myself–in a way that no other software can. The best part is that it only takes a couple of mouse clicks. Then, there’s Snap Art, which enables me to give a fairytale feel to any of my shots. So I guess I’ll have to say that I’m part Alien, too.”
—
It’s nice to get to know you, April. Thanks for sharing your story with us. Check out more of April’s work on her website, Facebook, Flickr, and her 365 projects online. Don’t forget to share your shots with us. The next Flickr winner story you read could be yours.