Freelance Writer

About

Erin began writing at a young age. She produced her first story during a creative writing course at a local bookshop. From that moment on she was hooked. Erin offers freelance writing services that can act in conjunction with her photography services or as a part of a separate service. Erin holds a Bachelor's Degree in Creative Writing from Acadia University.

Writing Style

Erin's writing style is clean and easy to read. She focuses on communicating ideas effectively and efficiently. When writing non-fiction pieces she focuses on appealing to the target audience. She strives to produce quality work. Erin carefully edits and proofreads all writing. Customers can be assured that the work will meet all of their needs.

Services Provided

optimize website content for users
raise brand awareness by working with you to create content for websites, blogs, newsletters, etc.
content audits to pinpoint areas for improvement of clarity
create content frameworks to enhance marketing and blogging content
work collaboratively to construct content which aligns with business goals and marketing
craft content that enhances social media engagement
ghost writing
academic writing

Upwork Profile

Published Work

Travel book published by 500 Hidden Secrets
Digital Photography School
Photoblog
Corel
Kognity
Picsera
Classloom
Dufferin Total Sports
Windspeaker

Article Clippings

Learn the Secrets to Effective Photography for Engineers

Written for Corel

The need for photos that effectively document your work has become increasingly important in the world of engineering, no matter your specialization.
Maybe you’re taking photos that document your progress on a project for your clients, or to inform contractors of necessary repairs. Whatever your needs, it’s important that these photographs be clear, detailed and highly accurate depictions of the work you are completing.
You’re a professional engineer, not a professional photographer – and you don’t have to be. So we’ve rounded up our most useful tips that will help relieve your frustrations from blurry, dark and low-quality images. So read on and it won’t be long before you’re documenting every task to show off your skills!

Slow down and take your time

In YouTube videos and other promotional materials, you might see a professional photographer snapping away a ton of photos at a high rate of speed. What you didn’t see in these videos were the hours they spent before the shoot preparing the set and mentally making notes about the images they wanted to capture. They are professionals for a reason.
You don’t have to follow their example. Take your time. Think about the images you are capturing. Determine the purpose of the photograph. Are you trying to show the crack in a foundation or an issue with some plumbing? Then be sure you frame the shot properly so that your viewers will be sure to understand the information you have documented in the image.

Be sure you respect the privacy of clients

Once again you are not a professional photographer who collects model releases, etc. Avoid capturing images of people in your photographs. You are documenting a building not the people who frequent that structure. Be polite and ask people if they might be willing to move while you shoot. A simple explanation of your purposes will usually result in cooperation. Most people will be willing to assist you when they discover you are working.

Fun Activities to Help Students Build their Vocabulary

Written for Classloom

We all remember vocab lists from our days as students. Teachers doled out lists of words and us students carefully copied these words along with their definitions into our notebooks. Most of us were then assigned some homework in which were to write out the new vocabulary and use it in a sentence. If we were really lucky we would have a test on these words at the end of the week. Our vocabulary was expected to become more rich and varied.
You know what it probably did become somewhat richer but not everyone learned through this method and the whole process was incredibly boring. It was very disconnected from the other learning we completing in class. We learned a whole series of words and used them in very isolated ways that didn’t connect to the other subjects. I know I’ve forgotten a great deal of the vocabulary I learned. I forgot it because I learned it in isolation. I didn’t take those new words and use them in a practical manner. I am always searching online thesaurus sites from new words. For instance, I should have replaced the term “incredibly boring” with some like “monotonous” or “dry”. I would argue that we can improve student vocabulary by being creative in the ways in which we incorporate the learning of new words into our language programs and the other subjects students learn. Learning has to be fun or the content just won’t “stick”.

Don’t Delete Your Failed Images – Instead Learn from Your Mistakes with These Tips

Written for Digital Photography School

I know you’ve done it. It’s okay to admit it. I’ve done it too! We all have! You’ve shot some terrible photographs.
Perhaps you shot the whole time in the wrong white balance, or you didn’t pay attention to shutter speed and everything is blurry. When this happens it’s incredibly disappointing. Frustrated and angry with yourself, you consider the experience a write-off, and delete the images. Then you head for the snack cupboard searching for some kind of solace.
But, everyone makes mistakes when they shoot, even professionals. There are times when we get excited and forget to check our settings, or make sure we are using the right lens for the right moment. It happens.

These failures don’t have to be a complete waste though. There’s nothing negative about making mistakes. Willie Nelson once said, “Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.”
So with that in mind, start looking at every photograph you take, as a step forward. Don’t delete those mistakes right away. You can learn a lot about taking good photographs from the missteps you make. I’ve met some photographers who have created a special file for all of their failures. Then when they have a little bit of time, they peruse through the collection and reflect upon them. This type of exercise can help you grow as a photographer......

Algonquins of Ontario Celebrate their Culture through Art

Published on Windspeaker

August will be a momentous month for members of the Algonquin communities in Ontario. For the first time, the Art Gallery of Bancroft will exhibit the work of Algonquin artists.
Robin Tinney, an Algonquin sculptor, has curated an exhibition entitled “Finding Critical Mass”, which runs Aug. 3 to Sept. 3 at the art gallery.
The exhibit, supported by a $3,000 grant from the town of Bancroft and donations from the Algonquin communities, “….is a means to spark a creative revival; a new collection of ideas, images and artwork from which to rebuild our decimated culture. The artists will primarily be new, undiscovered and/or self-taught artists from the 10 Algonquin communities in Ontario,” said Tinney.

The 10 Algonquin communities of Ontario are made up of status and non-status members from Antoine, Pikwakanagan First Nation, Bonnechere, Greater Golden Lake, Kijicho Manito Madaouskarini (Bancroft) Mattawa/North Bay, Ottawa, Shabot Obaadjiwan (Sharbot Lake), Snimikobi (Ardoch), plus Witney and area. And they have been involved in a difficult land claim process that has stressed and fractured their bonds.
The exhibit is significant in that it pushes aside the politics of the land claim and celebrates the culture of the Algonquins. Tinney wanted each Algonquin community represented at the exhibition. The goal is to reconnect communities and move forward into the 21st century as a powerful voice for Algonquin culture.

Inquiry-based Learning requires Support

Ghost written for Kognity

"Inquiry based learning is a fantastic tool, placing students’ questions and ideas at the centre of the classroom, and structuring learning around discovering answers rather than distinct subject areas. The teacher acts as a more passive guide who facilitates learning, meaning that the process requires students to use creative, collaborative and critical thinking skills to reach new depths and solve the problems at hand.

Inquiry based learning needs some groundwork

Although it’s a rich method of learning that fully integrates students into the learning process, problems arise when educators don’t fully understand the skills required to complete a successful inquiry unit. It’s a big contrast to everyday learning. Students are no longer given a simple ‘fill in the blanks’ activity, but have to independently navigate through open-ended questions. This takes far more skill than educators sometimes realise. Consequently, the inquiry process can be overwhelming. In lower education, teachers tend to limit projects to factual questions and distinct sets of source material. Therefore, most students aren’t fully aware of the inquiry process until their final years of education. By this point, the classic, rigid learning approach has already been cemented into their learning habits. However, by supporting students, who can focus on one skill at a time, teachers can effectively guide students along the way."

3 Easy Steps to Start Your Photo Editing Workflow

Written for Picsera

Like any process, it’s important to have a good base to your workflow. Photographers need to understand just how important post-processing is to the whole business of photography.
You should picture your workflow as a tree.
The roots have to be strong for the tree to grow. Without a solid and efficient process of importing, backing up, keywording, and copyrighting your images the rest of your workflow will suffer. Being efficient means you increase your productivity and your profitability.
For portrait and event photographers this means you spend more time finding prospective clients and shooting sessions. As much as I have advocated for post-processing we still make money taking photos not sitting behind a computer. Our post-processing methods need to enhance our business not slow it down. Follow these steps to enhance the first phase of your post production workflow.

Step#1: Secure Your AssetsOur images are our main business assets; they are our bread and butter. Securing our image library is the first stage of professional practice. It is not acceptable to lose images when shooting professionally. Imagine the look on a couple’s face when you tell them your computer crashed and all their precious wedding memories are gone…..
Use the 3-2-1 Method to Secure Your PhotosMost photographers use the 3-2-1 method of securing their work. This means three separate copies of your photographs. Save your work on two different types of media and save one copy in the cloud.
Cloud backup options include companies like Dropbox. It’s not overly expensive and can save your business if something goes wrong. Do some research and find a system that works best for you. The more copies of you work that you have stored in different locations the more secure your business.
Note: We recommend checking the rights and usage terms for any free services you may choose to use. It’s best to use a paid system free cloud back-ups have their issues most compress photos.

A Fear of Failure Hinders Confidence!

Written for Classloom

Over the years I have noticed a significant and concerning trend that is occurring in our classrooms. The issue has to do with a fear of failure.We are scared to let students fail. We are creating a generation of individuals who’s self-esteem is dependent on constant success. It’s unrealistic, in the real world people will fail. Most adults will tell you that there were job interviews that didn’t go well. This is life. The old saying still holds true.
“You win some and you lose some.”
Our children need to understand this if they are to become resilient and confident adults. The reality is we are creating a generation of individuals who will struggle to cope with the world that does not always hand them a trophy for participation. I would argue we have lost a valuable learning tool by taking away a child’s ability to fail.
There was a time in education when there were no considerations for things like learning disabilities, or family situations that might hinder a child’s ability to succeed. Kids that needed patience and support truly suffered because the system didn’t care. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the fact that we as a society and as educational institutions never let children fail in a safe and supportive environment. We don’t teach children to get back up and try again. It’s taking its toll on their self-esteem. They view failure as a dead end. They avoid taking risks for fear of failure. Alina Tugend’s book “Better By Mistake” highlights how a fear of failure hinders our ability to succeed......

Failure can be an Effective Road to Learning!

Published on Tweendom

"I have been a teacher for the past 16 years. During that time I have noticed a concerning trend that is occurring in our classrooms. The issue has to do with a fear of failure. We as parents and teachers fear letting kids fail. Our students and their self-esteem are dependent on constant success. At staff meetings we are always talking about how to “bolster success” for students. It is true; we need to help kids be successful but it’s unrealistic to expect that every experience will be a success. This doesn’t happen in the real world, people will fail. There will be times when a plan just doesn’t go as expected. Thomas Edison knew all about struggling to succeed. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas A. Edison (Furr, 2011). I think he was on to something. Edison faced adversity with confidence and determination.

As a teacher, I’m always updating my knowledge. Carole Dweck (Dweck, 2014) opened my eyes to the truth of Edison’s statement. I now view motivating children and encouraging learning in a completely different way. I learned that it was “okay” for my students to fail at certain tasks. I didn’t always have to rescue them when they struggled. There are times when my students need me to be positive and supportive. I’m always there to listen to their frustrations. Ultimately, though they need to learn the skill for themselves. I don’t hold their hands for them instead I try to act as a guide. I think it’s made me a better teacher. My student’s thoughts and ideas take centre stage in the room. I love the TV show “The Magic School Bus”. Ms. Frizzle is one of my all-time favourite teachers. She is a great example of the teacher as a guide. She understood the importance of mistakes. Her favourite saying “Take Chances, Get Messy, Make Mistakes!” encapsulates the ideas of Edison and Dweck (Lodge, 2006). She knew that small failures and mistakes could help children learn to be creative. She encouraged her students to take risks and experiment without a fear of failure."

Using Nature Journals in Class - Learning in the Outdoors

Published on Classloom

"It’s spring once again and the world is coming to life. It’s during this time of year that I notice how my students gaze longingly out the classroom window.They’re restless and their thoughts are rarely on the work in front of them. I don’t blame them. I want to be outside in the sunshine as well. There’s something about spring sunshine that’s so inviting. That’s why learning in the outdoors can be such an amazing experience.
Saving nature based units for the spring can be a fantastic way to finish the year. There are so many amazing topics to cover. Students can investigate ecosystems, food webs, and the water cycle. Not to mention many other parts of the natural world.

Nature journals are a fun and relaxing way to teach students about the natural world."

Children have their own Agendas when it comes to Sport!

Published in Dufferin Total Sports

I love sport!!! As a child I played a million different sports. I was a gymnast. I competed in show jumping; I played hockey; I played soccer; rugby was one of my favourite sports. I just loved being active. As I got older I focused on just a few sports. My favourites were hockey and rugby. I play both sports in University; it was a fantastic ride.
Now I volunteer as a coach and I photograph sporting events. Strangely enough I do both activities for the same reason. When children play sports they have this raw energy. They aren’t focused on the same kinds of priorities that we adults expect. They come to the game and they play with this innocence that makes every day at the rink or the gym brand new and exciting.

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