One thing I love about the Lenspiration EXPLORE Meetups is simply being together with other people who love photography! As I packed my suitcase and camera gear for the quick trip down to Jekyll Island, Georgia, I already couldn’t wait to see the West family again, along with their grandfather, Slade. And Lukas, who talks photography every time I see him at the TTD Conventions in Pigeon Forge . . . he would be there too! It was going to be such a fun day.

Then, last minute, another sign-up came in. I didn’t recognize the last name . . . which made me even more excited! I love meeting new people. And as I looked into where the Milligans were coming from, I noticed that they were very new Lenspiration members too. Wow, this was fantastic! I love to meet my students in-person if I can. This Jekyll Island workshop was shaping up to be even better than I had planned.

And it was!

Beyond the incredible gifts God gave us that day, from the unusual wildlife sightings to the unbeatable weather, Summer and her dad, Clayton, added a wonderful dimension to our group. We got to talk about shooting in manual, and Summer’s dad provided us with a non-photographer viewpoint to judge our fun “door” competition.

So, it came as fun surprise that at her very first webinar after shooting her very first Shoot To Serve Photo Assignment, Family Devotions, the random-choice winner was Summer Milligan! Congratulations!

Here’s a little more about her in the conversation below.

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself!

Summer: I’m from Valdosta, Georgia. I’ve been photographing for about 7 years. My uncle gave me a camera when I was nine years old and I’ve been into photography ever since. I really enjoy the different varieties of birds that I get to photograph.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to take pictures of, and why?

Summer: My favorite thing to take pictures of is probably birds. I really enjoy following birds around the yard and woods, trying to creep up on them and get as close as possible. Honestly the experience is more fun than actually getting the photo! But because birds are very skittish I find it very rewarding when I get that “perfect picture” I’ve been waiting for.

Q: What’s one of your favorite things about learning photography with Lenspiration?

Summer: I love the way that the material is taught. Its taught in a way that is comprehensive, and not too overwhelming.

Q: Which Lenspiration course has been your favorite to go through?

Summer: Well I’m only part way through Phase 1 so I guess Foundations of Photography is my favorite.

Q: If you could talk to someone who is just starting out in photography, what would you tell them?

Summer: I would tell them that though it may seem overwhelming at first, to persevere and it will all eventually make sense.

Q: What’s an area of photography that you’ve been growing in during the past few months?

Summer: I’ve experimented recently with taking pictures of people and that has been very fun!

Q: Let’s talk about “Family Devotions”. What was your favorite aspect of the assignment and what was the hardest part?

Summer: So far I’ve only done one photo assignment . . . I loved the challenge, and I loved that the photos could be used for something practical. The hardest part was probably staying within the parameters of the assignment while at the same time getting a variety of photos.

I was so encouraged to see Summer jumping into the Shoot To Serve Assignments so soon after starting with Lenspiration! One of the challenges of real-life photography is what she described, being creative within the parameters of the needs of photo clients. While we usually shoot what we love, it’s another thing to use the talent God has given us in photography to shoot for the needs of others.

So, great job, Summer! Thank you for sharing your work and experience with us. Keep up the good work and thanks for being willing to push yourself outside your comfort zone to grow. Looking forward to seeing more of your photography in the future!