Behind the Scenes - Meet Erin Pikor

 

One of my goals of The Art of Soap is to educate people about the craft of soapmaking. In order to do that and do justice to the featured artists, I knew I would need an amazing photographer who understood the craft and its special beauty. There was only one person that I would consider - Erin Pikor.

Erin and I have been friends and work associates for over 3 years. She is an incredible soap maker and the one-woman-show behind Naiad Soap Arts, which is also featured in The Art of Soap. In fact, her soap (shown here) won Best in Show at the recent HSMG Soap Conference. It was her first year competing!

Erin studied photography and art at Art Institute of Boston, then graphic design at the Connecticut Institute of Art. I asked her a few questions about her background and she said,

I was taught the technical aspects of photography but I think to really take good pictures you have to take a lot of pictures and look at other work. Eventually you will know intuitively what type of composition will work with a subject as well as what depth of field you want - it is really all relative to the subject and I think it just takes practice...Right now my main focus is on the art of soap making and photographing my soap, which is just as fun as making it!

What other professional photography jobs have you done, or more simply – types of photography?

I have publishing credits as a photo editor, cover artist and illustrator but this will be my first credit as photographer! It is very exciting! I used to take a lot of architectural photography and there was a burned down fireworks factory in my town and it was one of my favorite places to take pictures, along with an old train car graveyard in northeast Connecticut. In Boston it was the old buildings that I really loved to shoot and when I moved to San Diego I used to love going to the Julian area to take pictures in the woods.

What kind of camera do you use?

I currently use a Canon Rebel digital SLR and am saving up for a new macro zoom lens! I love this camera - it is easy to use and reasonably priced. I love the overall reliability of this camera.

 Thank you for sharing that info, Erin!

Look for her work in The Art of Soap, coming this Fall!