November newsletter 2014

Featuring

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 4

Mandy Blakeof Mandy BlakePhotography

B Y NA P C P

Industry News &Announcements,

Workshops,Updates andmuch more!

INSIDEA look at a few newgoodies in the NAPCP store

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

LATESTThe

INSP IRED

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‘Tis the season for counting our blessings, sharing little moments with loved

ones and giving thanks for goodness aplenty. First up on our list? Each of you, of

course! Thank you for being a part of our family and believing in NAPCP. In the midst

of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, when the “thank you” seems to start

falling flat and in between the presents and wish lists for Santa, know that we are

grateful for each of you and the contributions you make to the NAPCP community!

As a way to show you our appreciation, every NAPCP member will receive

a FREE $25 credit to the NAPCP store! Stocked with new holiday templates, free

downloads and goodies galore, we hope you’ll select something that will make your

lives easier… Kris Kringle insists, and so do we!

Always on the “nice” list, Mandy Blake of Mandy Blake Photography is this

month’s featured photographer! A firm believer of simplicity and someone drawn

to the intimate moments shared between families, Mandy’s goal is to provide clients

with beautiful reminders of life’s precious, fleeting moments. As an active member

and mentor in the NAPCP community, she aids other photographers in finding their

workflow balance and refining their personalized style. Get ready -- she’ll be joining

us at the winter retreat, speaking on these topics and offering advice to her peers!

Ah – speaking of, we have only a few slots left for the NAPCP Retreat! Come

join us in fellowship and fun after an eventful holiday season. Register online before

it’s too late! We’ll even be serving up hot chocolate with marshmallows – have we

convinced you yet?

While you continue to trump through tree trimmings, festive parties and

even Jack Frost’s wrath, don’t forget to take time to sit, be still and reflect on what a

beautiful life it is. Give thanks and hug your loved ones just a little bit tighter.

Wishing you all the most wonderful time of the year!

Hello friends!

SincerelyThe NAPCP Team

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pg. 5.............Featured Photographer: Mandy Blake

Pg. 21 .................................Camera Bag Essentials

Pg. 25............................................Video Resources

Pg. 26................................. Apply For Membership

Pg. 2 ..........................NAPCP Store: New Products

Pg. 4 .....................................NAPCP Retreat 2015

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L I M I T E DS E AT S S T I L L

AVA I L A B L E

Register now!

Images by Mandy Blake of Mandy Blake Photography

FEATUREDPHOTOGRAPHERM A N D Y B L A K E

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andy Blake of Mandy Blake Photography is our November

featured photographer! Believer in “letting your happy shine,”

Mandy has surrounded her life with positivity, laughter and lots

of joy. Drawn to moments that are tender, wild, silly and a bit

quirky, her photography captures the raw emotion of families

and children while they, too, let their happy shine. When she’s

not photographing, she’s busy being a mother to her daughters,

enjoying the water and refining her trivia skills – challenge her,

if you dare! Read on to see Mandy’s happy shining through her

clients and to experience a glimpse of her wonderful talent.

M

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1. Started photographing when? I started photographing family and friends in 2010.I started outsource editing in 2012.

2. Officially opened business?November, 2011

3. Favorite camera? Canon 5D Mark III and my iPhone

4. Lens of choice? Canon 35mm 1.4

5. Favorite Editing Tool? Curves!

7. Favorite place to relax? Our family cot-tage in Tobermory, Ontario on Georgian Bay

BEHIND SCENESBEHIND SCENESBEHIND SCENESAT GLANCE a U

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Mandy Blake

8. Favorite musician? Sarah McLachlan is my all-time fave, but I listen to just about everything while I am editing all day

9. Favorite movie? Beaches

10. Recent favorite read? I love the Outlander series by Diana Galbadon andre-read it constantly!

11. Favorite client product? Artisan State albums

12. 3 things you can't live without? My iPhone, ginger ale and books

BEHIND SCENESBEHIND SCENESBEHIND SCENESAT GLANCE with MANDYBLAKE

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F L I P T H E P A G E F O R O U R

Exclusive interview with Mandy Blake!

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Tell us your story. How you started and how your photography, brand, and

business transformed over the last few years?

Before pursuing photography, I was a registered massage therapist for nearly

10 years, while also teaching massage therapy at a local college. While this

career was fulfilling, I was battling repetitive strain injuries which got worse

with every massage treatment I gave. I decided to go back to college for pho-

tography and started a 3-year program in the fall of 2009.

In 2011, I met Hilary Camilleri and she took me under her wing and taught me

the ropes. I was so fortunate to have someone who was willing to open up her

life and business to me and to show me how to become a stronger photogra-

pher and business owner.

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After graduating from photography college in 2012, I started to take on some

outsource editing for Hilary and others and quickly learned that I really en-

joyed and had an eye for retouching. By the following year, I had launched

Flow for Photographers to offer training, actions and presets and started

teaching Photoshop and Lightroom to fellow photographers. I haven’t looked

back since!

You are a fantastic iPhoneographer, can you share some of your tricks?

I think that biggest tip I could share is to look for fantastic light and then use

it in an interesting way. The people I tend to follow on Instagram who are

amazing iPhoneographers are those who really play with light and shadow.

Also, using editing apps like VSCOcam and Afterlight can be really useful for

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taking what otherwise might be a snapshot and turning it into something kinda

cool. Play around with editing your phone images and see what you can come up

with!

Would you rather be photographing subjects or editing images? Why?

Well, it really depends. I love being out photographing families and weddings and

even boudoir, which feeds my need to chat and laugh with people. But I also love

the quiet, steady pace of editing, where I can listen to my favorite tunes or a great

history documentary while making people look their very best. It is too close to

call. Can I say both?

You are so passionate about teaching people how to find their own style, and

then helping them create an editing process to match.  Tell us more about that.

I am really passionate about helping people finding their own style because when

a photographer can find his/her own unique voice, it can really help to set him/her

apart in an industry that can sometimes lean towards homogeny and trends. And

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while editing alone cannot define or create that voice, it can play a huge part

in helping to mold the final image. And any chance to play with Photoshop or

Lightroom to find a new way of doing something is a good day in my books.

What does your typical work day and work week look like?  From sunrise to

sunset…. After working until 1:00 am on editing images, I get out of bed at 7:30

am to get my girls ready and off to school. Sometimes, I get home from drop-

ping them off and catch a quick nap, but usually I grab breakfast to eat at my

desk and settle in for a day of editing. Pick up my girls 3:20 pm and then work

for an hour or so afterwards before heading off to whatever activity they have

on that particular night of the week. My hubby takes over for bedtime duties

and I head back down to my computer at 8:00 pm until around 1:00 am again…

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Hit repeat 5-6 days a week, throw in a couple of photography sessions per week

and that’s my life!

Where do you see your life 5 years from now? I hope that in five years I will be

travelling the US and Canada (and maybe beyond) teaching Photoshop/Lightroom,

as well as continuing to photograph families and small weddings. Or maybe writing

a book in a cabin in the forest. I will keep you posted…

What are you most grateful for?

I am most grateful for both a supportive family and a wonderful group of photog-

raphy friends. My husband is infinitely patient and hardly ever rolls his eyes at

my crazy work schedule. My girls put up with me asking them to jump in the lake

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Thank you so much Mandy!

over and over to get just the right iPhone underwater shot and my parents step

up often to help out when I need a babysitter or a hot meal after a long day of

shoots. I am pretty darn fortunate to have them all.

I have an amazing circle of photography friends who are there to give me hon-

est opinions on my work, celebrate my shining moments and console me in the

low moments. Hilary has been an unceasingly kind, generous, supportive and

inspiring mentor and best friend who teaches me something new nearly every

day. She is the Oprah to my Gayle. Dana, Michelle B., Martina, Sandra, Kate,

Lisa, Michelle S. and Elisabeth are also people whom I trust to help guide me

through the highs and lows of the photography world. Love my peeps.

To see more of Mandy's work, please visit her site here!

Camera Body

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BEHIND SCENESBEHIND SCENESBEHIND SCENESBEHIND SCENESWe asked Mandy to give us a peak into her busy day to day life with a few of her favorite Instagram captures. Enjoy a behind the scenes look at some of her favorite moments!

BEHIND SCENESBEHIND SCENESBEHIND SCENESBEHIND SCENESWe asked Mandy to give us a peak into her busy day to day life with a few of her favorite Instagram captures. Enjoy a behind the scenes look at some of her favorite moments!

WITHMANDYBLAKE

WORKSHOPS

NAPCP’s July 2012 International Image Com-

petition 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 medal-

lions, priority listing on our directory, vendor

endorsements, member points, titles and pro-

fessional recognition. Members each receive

a total of 2 Competition Credits per Competi-

tion with their Membership. Details are online!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words …

and yours November be featured in our next

press release. For the past two International Im-

age Competitions, the winners announcement

highlighted the names of the competition win-

ners 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!

Start Submitting Now!

WORKSHOPS

please visit napcp.com or email us at [email protected] with questions or inquiries.

MembershipInterested in applying for

membership? Learn more

about the benefits of a NAPCP

membership on our site!

Directory

Looking for a photographer in

your area? Visit our exclusive

NAPCP Member Directory on

the site today!

DIRECTORYAPPLY NOW

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