NAPCP September Newsletter 2014 by Alice Park

SEPTEMBER 2014

by napcp

Featuring Christy Johnson of Be True Image Design

The

LATEST INSIDE

NAPCP Celebrates Its Fifth Birthday

Industry News & Announcements, Workshops, Updates and much more!

N AT I O N A L A S S O C I AT I O N O F P R O F E S S I O N A L C H I L D P H OTO G R A P H E R S

Hello friends!

Pack away the sunscreen and say farewell to pool days – autumn has officially

arrived! Today marks the fall equinox, which means we are one day closer to some of our favorite events. From holiday festivities to our 2015 NAPCP Retreat, this upcoming season offers plenty of inspiration to get the creative juices flowing.

Speaking of creativity, for those who submitted images to our July International

Image Competition, winners will be announced soon! Our competition judges are hard at work, critiquing and reviewing the last round of entries before making final decisions. Be on the lookout for an official announcement in October!

Also arriving with the fall breeze is Nations Photo Lab’s biggest sale of the year!

As one of our favorite vendors, we can’t help but spotlight this company’s amazing event. Now through September 24, shop 8x10 photos for $1, 11x14 photos for $2 and 16x20 photos for $6. (We do a little happy dance for deals like this!)

An advocate of fierce love and believer in showcasing life’s most precious moments

right from the beginning, Christy Johnson of Be True Image Design is September’s featured photographer! A Carolina (North, that is!) gal, Christy’s sentimental nature paired with her seven years of experience offers a double dose of expertise and talent for creating memorable moments for mommy-to-be, newborns and the entire family. Read on for more of Christy’s beautiful work!

Do you hear the sound of skiers swooshing down the slopes? Can you smell

the marshmallows roasting over the bonfire? Our 2015 NAPCP Retreat in Whistler, British Columbia is only four months away, and we can’t wait to indulge in this winter wonderland! If you haven’t already registered to join us, there are a limited number of spots left, so don’t miss out! Register by September 30th to take advantage of our convenient payment plan.

Cheers to pumpkin- spiced everything, cozy evenings and brisk, colorful days!

Sincerely

The NAPCP Team

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Celebrate with us on Instagram! #NAPCPbday

As we look back at the past 5 years, Kyu and I can not help but reflect on how far we as an organization have come and the many milestones we've experienced together. We hold such fond memories from meeting our members at our intimate Retreats, and it's been truly a humbling experience witnessing such growth and talent exploding from our member community. We are in awe of you all. This week, as we celebrate our commemorative 5 year birthday, NAPCP is excited to host a number of fun and special giveaways and downloads! In addition, we're thrilled to offer an exclusive discount to all new members who join this week (details on the blog!). Just a small thank you to our amazing membership community. So to all of our valued members - Thank you. Thank you for your enthusiasm and faith in us for the past 5 years. We can't wait to see what the next 5 unfolds.

Kyu & Alice Park NA PC P F O UN D E R S

TA B L E OF CON TE N T S Pg. 2 ................................Happy Birthday NAPCP Pg. 4 .....................................NAPCP Retreat 2015

Pg. 5........Featured Photographer: Christy Johnson

Pg. 25 ........................................Nations Photo Lab Pg. 27............................................Video Resources Pg. 28................................. Apply For Membership 03 | NAPCP

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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER CHRISTY JOHNSON

Images by Christy Johnson of Be True Image Design

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s a mother of two daughters and lover of “little people,”

Christy Johnson of Be True Image Design has honed her craft of photography over the past seven years. Specializing in maternity, newborn and family portraiture, Christy is inspired by the natural joy and innocence of children and finds happiness in photographing mama and baby’s connection straight from the start. Continue on for a sweet dose of visual bliss!

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AT A GLANCE WITH CHRISTY JOHNSON

1. Started photographing when? 2007 2. Officially opened business? 2009 3. Favorite camera? Canon 5d Mark III 4. Lens of choice? 135L 5. Favorite lab? ProDPI 6. Favorite framer? Art City Frames 7. Favorite age to photograph? Newborn 8. Favorite musician? Jason Mraz 9. Favorite movie? Steel Magnolias 10. Recent favorite read? The Language of Flowers 11. Favorite client product? Framed wall portraits 12. 3 things you can't live without? my children, books, my notebooks

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Tell us your story. How you started and how your photography, brand, and business transformed over the last few years? When my first daughter was born, we realized that our little point-and-shoot camera wasn't going to cut it. This child was (is) constant noise and motion, and I needed a faster shutter speed to keep up with her! My husband bought me a full complement of camera gear, including a Canon Rebel XT that I still have, and an obsession was born. For the first few years, I drifted along without much of a vision or a brand. Last year, I actually began preparing an exit plan to get out of the business because I was feeling unfulfilled creatively and as an entrepreneur. Luckily, with the encouragement of two amazing mentors, I was able to rebuild an entirely new business that comes authentically from my heart, with a fresh new purpose 11 | NAPCP

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and outlook. In the last year, I have rebranded, specialized, opened a studio, and worked harder than ever before. And I couldn't be happier. Your style is very unique and consistent. Can you share how this has evolved over time for you? When I first became interested/obsessed with photography, I was a member of a forum known for its "hard hat" constructive criticism. I absorbed the critiques of my work as well as the other members, and I practiced nonstop. I learned a great deal about what makes a technically good photograph. I'm a bit of a perfectionist as well, which is a blessing and a curse. What is the most valuable business lesson you've learned so far? Creating a strong brand changed everything for me. I believe in a very perNAPCP

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sonal, authentic brand that reflects my values, my style, and my purpose. I'm able to measure every decision I make in business against my brand, and it's very easy to see what will fit and what won't in an instant. Specializing is hugely important as well. We cannot be all things to everyone and do it well. You have said you are an introvert, but many aspects of the photography business require you to put yourself "out there." How do you balance that? It can be very tempting to hide out in the studio behind my computer all day, but building relationships in the community is vital to succeeding as a small business. As an introvert, I know my limits and how to make it work for my busi15 | NAPCP

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ness and for my sanity. For example, I'll attend a Chamber of Commerce event in the morning, and then plan for quiet alone time that afternoon to get myself recharged and re-centered. When did you open your beautiful studio, and tell us how it has improved your business. My studio opened in May of this year, and it has completely changed my life. Personally, it has solved a major work-life balance issue for me and for my family. I can't always leave work at the studio, but I have much better boundaries and I'm much more relaxed - now that I can walk away from it for the weekend.

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Professionally, having the studio has opened up so many wonderful opportunities. I'm able to better position myself as a professional, and it clearly communicates my brand to my clients. I can provide a consistent, high-quality experience for every client, and they absolutely love being able to see, touch and feel the different fine art products that I offer. Where do you see your life 5 years from now? In a bigger studio! :) I'm entertaining the thought of opening an additional studio location, publishing photography books, and traveling the globe with my family. What are you most grateful for? Unconditional love. Natural light. Creativity. My children. This life. To see more of Christy's work, please visit her site here!

Thank you so much Christy! 19 | NAPCP

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The Bag

K E L LY MO OR E "KAT E" BAG

Extras

A PEN iPHONE 5 BUS I NES S CARDS

CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS WITH CHRISTY JOHNSON

Camera

CA NON 5 D MAR K I I I

LE NS P E N

Lenses 50MM 1.2L 100MM 2.8L 1 35 M M 2 . 0 L

SANDISK 16GB MEMORY CARDS

BEHIND

We asked Christy to give us a peak into her busy day to day life with a few of her favorite

SCENES

WITH CHRISTY JOHNSON

Instagram captures. Enjoy a behind the scenes look at some of her favorite moments!

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 August 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!

( C ) H I L A RY C A M I L L A R I - O N E F O R T H E W A L L

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