NAPCP September Newsletter: 2012!

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NEWSLETTER September 2012

Featuring the wonderful Hilary Camilleri of One For The Wall Photography

The Latest News & Announcements, Workshops, Updates and much more!

INSIDE: a special look inside the world of the new app, Preveal!

Hello friends!

By now, you’ve probably felt the first touch of a light breeze in the morning and watched a few leaves start to change just before they fall from the trees. Coming soon is a season of sweaters, scarves, crisp air and cooler temperatures. We’re in full planning mode for our fall portrait sessions, we’re settling into the new swing of things and many moms in our community are marking a special occasion… the kids’ return to school! (We saw you doing your own private happy dance out there!) Enjoy this time and get ready -- the holidays will be here before we know it!

Our September member spotlight features a Canadian photographer who combines her passion for photography with her love of people and relationships. Hilary Gauld Camilleri started One for the Wall in 2008 with a Nikon camera and a dream of helping people preserve their favorite memories. She is known for shooting in a natural environment with a focus on one thing – the people. Also a woman who believes in a strong family unit, Hilary started a non-profit organization for families that have been changed by the loss of an immediate family member. Another Door Opens donates family sessions to those who have suffered such tragedy. Hilary maintains a balance between work and family, and has built a name for herself by creating fun and meaningful sessions with her clients that eventually turn into long lasting relationships.

Take a sneak peek into the world of Preveal, our Featured Vendor this month. A revo-

lutionary app available for the iPad, Preveal allows photographers to share photos with their clients - all with a touch of a finger. Combining actual images of the clients’ walls and images taken by the photographer, it’s an amazing and easy way for clients to envision what photographs will look like in their home. Preveal makes the selling process effortless for both the client and the photographer – we can’t get enough!

Our first NAPCP Pinning Party just wrapped up and we’d like to give a huge shout out

to our favorite pinning ladies: Andrea Hasley, Mandy Johnson, Heather Thorne, Elizabeth Smith, Meg Borders and Sarah Lane – and thank them for being so talented and wonderful!

They successfully created a non-stop-shop for studio décor inspiration by pinning images of their own studios along with fabulous studios that inspire them. Check out their pins here!

We want to again thank everyone who participated in the NAPCP International Image

Competition. Stay tuned - our winners will be announced the beginning of October!

Sincerely

The NAPCP Team

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TA BLE O F CON TE N TS Pg. 3 .......................... Facebook Community Page Pg. 4 ...............................News & Announcements

Pg. 5 ...... Featured Photographer: Hilary Camilleri

Pg. 25 ..................................... Tips of The Month Pg. 27 .............................. Featured Vendor: Preveal Pg. 29 ................................................ Pinning Party Pg. 30 ................................. Apply For Membership NAPCP

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FACEBOOK COMMUNITY PAGE request to join now!

We are very excited to be launching the brand new NAPCP Facebook Community page! The page will be setup similar to the forum with hot topics, discussions, image critiques, but with a much more casual feel. As with all Facebook pages, they are by request only and will require members to contact an admin if they would like to join. We hope that everyone will partake so don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. Click here to join!

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N E W S & ANN OU N CE ME N TS Image Competition The NAPCP July International Image Competition results are just around the corner. We cannot wait to share the final results and showcase our new winners! Stay tuned... (above image credit Aneta Gancarz, Sleeping Beauty)

Follow Us on Pinterest That’s right...NAPCP has just recently let our curiousty get the best of us as we took the plunge and joined Pinterest. We would love for you to take a quick spin around our boards as well as help us spread inspiring photography to the Pinterest community everywhere!

To follow us, please visit our profile page here! Happy Pinning!

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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER HILARY CAMILLERI

Images by Hilar y Camilleri of One For The Wall Photography

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B

ased in Waterloo, Ontario, Hilary Camilleri is

the owner of both One for the Wall Photography (2008) and Another Door Opens (2012). Athough she primarily focuses on work with children and families, Hilary continues to provide work for a few corporate clients as well. When she doens’t have a camera in her hands Hilary volunteers her time with many of the organizations her own children are involved with. She also co-chairs a women’s business networking group called “Women’s Inc” that is dedicated to the growth, support and positive outlook of entrepreneurial women in their professional and personal lives. Quite the busy lady! Keep reading for a little peek into the world of Hilary Camilleri!

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Tell us your story. How you started and how your photography, brand, and business transformed over the last few years...

I have a fascination with three things. People, time and photos. I am madly passionate about people, their lives and relationships with one another. I am acutely aware of how fast time goes. And I discovered very early on in life that one of the best ways to preserve these memories was to take a picture.

I am the keeper of many of our family albums. On occasion, I sit and sift through old photos and laugh and cry. Cry for how fast the time has gone, for those in the pictures who aren’t here anymore and for the things I can’t recall in my head because the memory has faded too much. I laugh at the big hair, the odd ex-boyfriend and the joy I have had in my life! This chapter of my 09 | NAPCP

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life began in November of 2008. My husband and I both left long standing careers at the same time to try something new. I had been in corporate sales for 8 years and wanted to be home more with our two little girls. After four weeks at home, I registered One for the Wall photography.

Photography proved to be the perfect fit for me combining my love of people and relationships, my obsession with preserving memories and making photographs. Equipped with a Nikon D80 and a 50 mm lens I began taking photographs of the little ones in our neighbourhood. It was from ten families that my business grew into a full time photography career.

I don’t think I have ever really explained to people how my “brand” develNAPCP

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oped. I hadn’t wanted to use my name as the business name. It is a long name and can be hard to pronounce and spell... let alone google. And people might think it rhymes (could have been gimmicky but no thanks)! When I was portfolio building I said to people, “you just need one good photo for the wall”. And the clients would say, “we would like one for the wall”. So, I simply became, “One for the Wall”. It sets expectations for which I deliver on. Almost four years later, my clients say I make it too hard to choose just one for the wall. That feels like an accomplishment in itself. Quite frankly, four years ago I sincerely didn’t know if I would be able to produce any more that one good photograph per session. My branding is fun! It’s clear that I love shooting in natural settings. I love focusing on families, children and their relationships and I incorporate props when they are natural and have meaning to the people in the photos.

Tell us about your market and how you reach out to your demographic specifically. I live in a wonderful mid-sized city that has an array of industries that contribute to our economy; high tech (home of the blackberry!), 11 | NAPCP

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manufacturing, farming and academic. Because I had been in sales in our city and neighbouring cities, I had an established group of work friends and a client base. We also had young children who were in activities and they had a mother who loved to be involved! I sat on the Board at their daycare and helped with some local fundraising initiatives. I also got involved with our local skate club where the girls took skating lessons. When I started my photography business I was naturally in touch with many people so it did not take long for my fantastic group of friends, family, neighbours and colleagues to spread the word that I was taking on a new venture with photography. Once a year, I look forward to a call from the daycare the girls attended to come and take their class photos. I also look forward to the call from 13 | NAPCP

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their previous dance teacher to come and take spring dance photos. I have enjoyed photographing the skaters at our local club and loved being involved with a high level youth singing group called KW Glee. Being involved in my community is an important part of growing my business and has always been an important of my life overall. I am there with my girls for their lessons so why not become more a part of things? All of these fun initiatives have contributed growing my name and clientele base in the city. I have also been able to give back to some wonderful organizations in our community.

We love how you incorporate video as part of your marketing and branding. How has that and other forms of media impacted your business and NAPCP

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set you apart? Early last year I began a project with a very talented young cinematographer to produce a video about photographs. Jordan Pressault filmed and produced the video with the help of my clients to help explain the importance of photos in our lives. I wanted people to hear the voices of the those behind the photos they see on my website and on my photography page. I wanted people to really think about how photos guard our memories and how they take us back in time to places that our mind can not always go.

Seeing that come to life was amazing. I created that video for my clients but was surprised at how many photographers connected to tell me how inspired they were by the messaging. The real reason we take photos for these families can often get lost in the complexity of the process; the composition, the exact light, the coolest clothing, the latest props etc. It was nice to see photographers getting inspired by their clients and the love people have for one another.

I am on twitter (mostly to follow the celebs!), Pinterest (more a winter pastime) and Facebook. I find that the vast majority of my clients come from referrals and I have found that my photography page on Facebook has been instrumental to my business. I have a wonderful community of clients, friends, family and photographers that contribute positively to my work and daily musings! I am proud of that group on Facebook for growing year over year and being an inspiring place for me to be.

Who has been your your biggest inspiration in your work?

Inspiration for me is simple. My clients. Those people that stand staring at me and my camera in that field, freshly groomed and holding the hands of their little ones....ready to begin our session. That is who inspires me most above all else. I value the relationships I have with my clients from the moment they book a session with me until their images are delivered and beyond. I have developed so many incredible friendships long after our sessions are complete. Documenting the relationships and feelings between family members and friends are the reason I do this. These are their families, their relationships and their memories that I am privileged to be a part of. I take that seriously and work hard to listen to their needs, understand their family dynamics and I look to capture the moments I know they want.

I make it a goal every year to take one to two courses. I believe in pushing NAPCP

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yourself to be better everyday. There is no moment where I have thought, I have got this! There is always more I can do to be better at photography. I have been very fortunate to have taken some incredible courses with these extremely talented people in the industry. Cliff Mauntner, Shannon Sewell, Barb Uil, Silvana Frammartio and Deb Schwedhelm. I have always loved the work these photographers create for all different reasons. I have learned valuable lessons and new ways to look at myself, my work and my clients through these courses. I feel extremely blessed to have been able to learn from these great people. They have all in very different ways motivated me.

I thank you each of you for that!

How do you balance photography and home life? When you own a small business it is not easy to balance it all. Family, friends, the children’s activities, the laundry, the groceries, the appointments and the occasional shower! We do the best we can as a family to juggle it all so that we have our time together and that we also have time for our individual goals in life. I work very hard at my business and I like setting a positive example for our girls around working hard and achieving what we put our minds too. I think that is important. The girls are getting older and they are able to participate in my business by coming out to a photoshoot once in awhile, helping to cull the images (my oldest has strong opinions!) and packaging discs.

Over the years as my business has started to become more established we have brought on more help in our home so that we can enjoy the down time without all the pressures of the household tasks and that has been a gift to our family. It was not easy in those early days. But we survived and we LOVE what we are doing with our life!

What is your typical schedule like with your family and business?

A typical day for us might look like this! My hubby leaves for work at 5:15 am to beat the morning traffic into Toronto everyday. The girls and I are up around 8 and out the door to school at 8:50 am. I head to my fitness class at 930 every day that I possibly can. I often won’t start shooting until 11 so that I make my class. Exercise is a huge priority for me. One hour for myself in the day is all I ask :) For the remainder of the day, I am either out shooting or in my office. During office days I load shoots, cull and prep images for the editor, package discs, return client emails and organize where my shoots 17 | NAPCP

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will be. The girls are home mid afternoon. Some days they have activities and other days they simply play with their neighbourhood friends or hang out with us for the evening. This is my break from the business and time for the girls. My hubby arrives in around 630 for dinner. We all get caught up and then the girls are back out the door to play until we are shouting at them to come in for bed! 9 pm to midnight you can find me doing much of the same as I do during the day and I try to add a blogpost in a couple of times a week.

And then we start it all over again....

Tell us about your business workflow. How many clients do you shoot a week? Do you do most of the editing, shooting and ordering fulfillment yourself? April starts the beginning of the spring season and being that I shoot the majority of my work outdoors - how busy I am depends very much on the weather! I have had one April that was literally washed out. This April the weather was great so the start was fast. I typically shoot three sessions a week in April with it building steadily all year. By the fall I shoot anywhere from 5 to 10 sessions a week. I photograph approximately 150 to 175 families per year. I load, cull and prep all images for my editor. I really found that outsourcing some of the tasks within my business has helped keep this from taking over every minute of our lives. Editing and accounting were the two parts of the process I decided to outsource for now. Client discs are turned around and delivered in four weeks. It is very hard to do it all. I have made the choice to not do it all and it works for me and my family. Cliff Mauntner, whose workshop I attended this summer, had some wise words that I hold close. He showed us his way of shooting, his workflow and his business structure. He never wants people to believe his way is the right way....it’s just HIS way.

Who are some of your favorite vendors?

1) One Willow Presets. I often edit the preview shots on my Facebook page and I am in very much in love with the black and white presets. 2) FLOW for photographers has fantastic actions. Many of which are used on my images by my editor (owner of FLOW). 3) Kraft and Jute. I buy all of my packaging from them. I love how simple and organic the products are. I also love their service.

4) Giclee Factory - love their canvas!

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Where do you see yourself in 3 years, Hilary?! In 10 years?

Three years from now...how about OLD?! I feel like I found my real passion in life a bit later. I sometimes wonder how long I can keep this pace as I slowly creep up to 40. But if I keep my gym classes I just might be able to do it!

I still see myself photographing children and families. I would like to continue growing the corporate photography side of my business. I think from time to time about mentoring. But I still feel I have so much to learn myself.

Ten years from now...retired, sifting through old photos and crying that my little girls are all grown up. Truly though, I haven’t thought quite that far as it puts me on the cusp of being 50 and I am not ready to go there yet!

Tell us about your newest endeavor in starting your non-profit, Another Door Opens. What inspired you to start this?

I recently launched a not for profit photography business called, Another Door Opens. When I started my photography business I knew that I want-

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ed to give the gift of photos some how. Until now, I just hadn’t found that “thing” I wanted to do. I thought about it often. Had many ideas. Four years later I have found it. Another Door Opens donates family sessions to those whose lives have been changed by the loss of an immediate family member; a mother, a father, a child, a sister, a brother, a wife, a husband. The purpose is to give hope to families and to help them re-build their memories while respecting the legacy and love of those that have passed away.

My hope is that out of these fragile, courageous photographic moments that new beginnings can take shape. I sincerely hope that I can help heal a small piece of a grieving heart. This project is so special to me and I feel blessed to have found a way to give back with my photography.

To learn more about ADO, click here! To see more of Hilary’s work, please visit her site here!

Thank you so much Hilary!

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TIPS OF THE MONTH

BY HILARY CAMILLERI

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1) Treat your clients that way you would like to be treated 2) Be yourself 3) Remember that you are a part your clients photography memories so make it positive 4) Don’t take the industry too seriously 5) And always say thank you when someone has helped or inspired you

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With this book you’ll learn how to use backgrounds that complement your subjects, set up and shoot in-studio, light your images anywhere with straightforward lighting setups and diagrams, pose your subjects in a beautiful but natural way, nail your exposure, and create meaningful family portraits that leave everyone feeling and looking their honest best.

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WORK SH O PS Start Submitting Now! NAPCP’s July 2012 International Image Competition opened on Monday! The purpose of NAPCP’s Image Competitions is to recognize the accomplishments and creative excellence of our members, rewarding their talent with medallions, priority listing on our directory, vendor endorsements, member points, titles and professional recognition. Members each receive a total of 2 Competition Credits per Competition with their Membership. Details are online!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words … and yours may be featured in our next press release. For the past two International Image Competitions, the winners announcement highlighted the names of the competition winners and received great exposure – collecting thousands of views, postings to other websites, and search index hits. Wouldn’t you like to see your name and photo sent over the wire too?

Members, you can start submitting your best images here!

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(c) Jane Johnson Photography

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