One of my favorite hobbies is editing photos. It started out as a need: in our digital world, having a curated social media feed is more important than ever. However, the more I learned to edit, the more I fell in love with it. While I don’t consider myself an expert, I certainly spend a lot of time playing around with different apps and programs to make my picture look as good as possible.
The one danger of editing photos, however, is how far one can get carried away. I’m certainly guilty of editing photos to make myself seem more “perfect.” With just one stroke, you can have perfect skin, white teeth, a slimmer body, or even a completely new location. With the abundance of “perfecting” apps, I think it is more critical than ever to embrace our authenticity. Lately I’ve been focused on moving away from “perfecting” apps and instead using platforms to channel my creative energy, such as VSCO. I’ve been on VSCO for over four years now, and it’s really interesting to see how much it has changed in the past few years, especially as it has become more mainstream. Despite its boost in popularity, VSCO has remained an important resource for artists who specialize in photo editing. I stumbled across one of these artists– Patsy Buckley– on my VSCO explore page, and I instantly fell in love with her art. For today’s Feature Friday, I’ve chosen a few pieces of Patsy’s work to highlight. I also interviewed her to gain more insight into her process and how fame has affected her approach to editing. Hope you enjoy!
What motivates you to take photos/make edits?
I have always loved photography but when I started editing photos it was a whole new scene. I think I’m motivated by the fact that I have so much more to learn and so many more pieces to make!
How do you find inspiration for your subjects?
I’m inspired by so many things. The weather, what movie I just watched, my favorite song, people. The list goes on.
Do you have any specific goals for your photography? Why?
I really want to enter the marketing and advertising field through my photography/editing. It’s something that I love so much I want to make it my job.
What has been your most challenging setback so far?
I think my most challenging setback is myself. It’s hard to believe in yourself 24/7, especially in places where art/creative projects aren’t really important to people.
What other art forms do you create or are interested in creating?
I love film and video and am trying my best to master the art of video editing. I don’t want to hold myself down to just photo editing. I want to try it all!
What types of digital mediums do you use to create your edits?
I think I use the most from magazines but I love getting inspiration from all types of digital media!
How does it feel to be recognized by large platforms like VSCO for your edits?
It’s humbling to be recognized for what I make. It makes me want to create more.
Thank you again to Patsy for this interesting interview and super cool edits. If you have any suggestions for another Feature Friday, let me know! Until next time ❤
Skylar Hansen-Raj 
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