Athena Keys is a photographer who tells stories through pictures.
“A lot of my photos tend to follow one subject as it moves around. So I will focus and follow one bug for an hour because it looks so cool on the grass. It’s really nice because I can show people something that they wouldn’t normally see.”
Keys started taking pictures in 2017.
“I actually got started with photography around the time the [solar] eclipse was, because I had my phone and I wanted to take pictures of the eclipse, but I wasn’t sure how to do that. I went ahead and just started messing around and taking photos outside. I got beautiful pictures of the eclipse itself, and I got some beautiful pictures of the animals around there. I was like ‘This is amazing,’ because not many people can see such an event. I could take pictures and preserve it, and that’s what actually got me started,” said Keys.
Keys has grown as a photographer over the past few years.
“I actually have developed my craft quite a bit. I used to just take pictures with my phone. Then I bought a camera because I love taking pictures so much. I printed out a few minor things and shared [them] with people, and they thought they were good. So I’ve started to pile them back and save them for whenever I will be able to share them. I’ve changed different types of cameras and I’ve learned different skills, like I learned that you want to keep it in the rule of thirds, and a bunch of other things.”
Photography is a serious hobby for Keys, and she has also participated in many competitions.
“It’s more for me. I enjoy it, but it also helps me with some money making. I got paid to take pictures for my cousin’s wedding and edit them. But it’s more of a hobby,” said Keys. “I entered a conservational magazine competition when I was younger. I didn’t win, but they sent me a letter recommending how I could improve, which was very useful. They told me to keep in mind the lighting and color angles, but that was when I first started out.”
Photography is also a way for Keys to cope with her emotions in a healthy way.
“It is a great stress reliever because I just get so angry with something and then it’s like, I’m gonna go take a walk, and I take my camera and I take pictures. It’s a great stress reliever, even if you don’t share [the photos]. I’d recommend it.”
Athena’s Instagram: @a.l.o.k._photography

Beckham Armstrong is a sophomore photographer who captures scenes through photography.
Armstrong considers photography as more of a hobby.
“I say [I take photos] weekly, and right now it’s more of a hobby.”
Armstrong began his digital art career with photos.
“I just started taking pictures because my family goes on vacation a lot and I just see the sunsets all the time. So I like taking pictures of them.”
Armstrong has improved since he began.
“This year [I’ve improved my photography skills] with my advanced digital art, and Mrs. Myers helping me. So in the beginning, I’d kind of just take a picture and just leave it like that. But Mrs. Myers is showing me how to edit them and make them look better.”
Armstrong prefers certain conditions for taking photographs
“For me, I mainly make sure camera’s clean. I normally use my phone and then make sure there’s nothing in the background that will mess with it. You have to show someone first and see if they think it’s good.”
Armstrong likes taking two kinds of photos most.
“I like the sunset. It’s what I want to photograph the most because it just makes a cool picture, and to me sunsets just look like happiness.”