Before I ever had a day job in advertising, I was texting my best friend who lived next door, telling her to put on her best outfit, her boots, and as much lipstick as her mom would allow so she could come hang out in my backyard. I had a very serious plan: I was going to shoot her. Shoot her with the brand-new Canon Rebel I’d just gotten. And honestly? I thought I was a natural. The best part of being a beginner is that blissful illusion of grandeur. That illusion is what sent me deep into the rabbit holes of Lightroom and Photoshop, and eventually Illustrator — the domino trail that led me into the branding and design world I work in today.