Welcome to a new and exclusive series of video interviews on the 500px YouTube Channel! We hope you’ll tune in regularly. To kick things off, 500px co-founder and CPO Evgeny Tchebotarev sits down with Erika Barker, a former veteran combat photographer who now lives and works in New York City as a portrait and fashion studio photographer and retoucher.

What did 5 years in the navy teach Erika Barker about her photography style and approach to her craft? Hit play in the video below to find out.

Scroll down to get a glimpse of her awe-inspiring images:

Photograph Chronicle Stone : Magazine Shoot by Erika Barker on 500px

Chronicle Stone : Magazine Shoot by Erika Barker on 500px

Photograph Flexing Muscle With Adam : Fitness Shoot by Erika Barker on 500px

Flexing Muscle With Adam : Fitness Shoot by Erika Barker on 500px

Photograph Elegant Nights by Erika Barker on 500px

Elegant Nights by Erika Barker on 500px

Photograph After The Battle ends by Erika Barker on 500px

After The Battle ends by Erika Barker on 500px

Photograph Black and White Attitude by Erika Barker on 500px

Black and White Attitude by Erika Barker on 500px

Photograph Apocolyptic Bliss by Erika Barker on 500px

Apocolyptic Bliss by Erika Barker on 500px

Photograph EBP Austin Obrien by Erika Barker on 500px

EBP Austin Obrien by Erika Barker on 500px

Photograph Shirtless Fashion by Erika Barker on 500px

Shirtless Fashion by Erika Barker on 500px

Photograph In Motion by Erika Barker on 500px

In Motion by Erika Barker on 500px

Photograph Chronicle Stones : Fashion Editorial Shoot by Erika Barker on 500px

Chronicle Stones : Fashion Editorial Shoot by Erika Barker on 500px

Photograph Night by Erika Barker on 500px

Night by Erika Barker on 500px

Photograph Flexing Muscle With Adam : Fitness Shoot by Erika Barker on 500px

Flexing Muscle With Adam : Fitness Shoot by Erika Barker on 500px

See more of Erika Barker‘s photos and work on her website.
Want to say hi to Evgeny Tchebotarev? Follow him on Twitter.