napcp NEWSLETTERMay 2012

The Latest News &

Announcements,

Workshops, Updates

and much more!

INSIDE: NAPCP announes its Photographer of the Year: 2011!

Featuring

Anne Kerr ofAnja Photography,

our Best NewEmerging ChildPhotographer

Winner!

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Excited. A bit unsure. Certainly overwhelmed. For many of us, it may have been a

while since we called ourselves (or were lovingly referred to as) a newcomer, a beginner, a

novice … but we remember the feeling. In the photography world, growing pains are a

necessity, a required right of passage to help mold us, strengthen us, and educate us in

those first few years. Hard work, perseverance, and perhaps a little patience, can pay off

tenfold as you emerge.

In the great-big-middle of it all now shines the wonderful Anne Kerr of Anja Pho-

tography, our May Spotlight and winner of our 2012 Best New Emerging Child Photogra-

pher Contest. Over 700 new photographers were nominated and the field was painstak-

ingly narrowed down to an impressive final five by an esteemed panel of judges. Then we

left it for you to decide. You voted, scores were tallied, and Anne was announced as victor.

Having been in business less then 2 years, Anne already shows inspiring promise through

her work, as well as a strong sense of self awareness and poise. We are thrilled to give you a

peek inside of her growing business this month.

And the accolades keep on coming with our announcement this past Wednesday

of NAPCP’s 2011 Photographer of the Year. We could not be more excited for our winner,

Stephanie Buckman of Stephanie Robin Photography as we proudly displayed her award-

winning image, “Fresh Love” in Times Square to announce her title. You can find additional

details, as well as a link to the official press release on pg. 19 of the newsletter.

Speaking of inspiring ladies, we would also like to take a moment to share with you

all some updates on the amazing Jen Thompson. Jen has always been a dear friend to

NAPCP, as well as a strong presence in the photography community. As many of you know,

Jen was diagnosed last fall with ovarian cancer. But Jen is fighter, and more importantly a

survivor. She hopes to spread her story far and wide, sending messages of hope and encour-

agement to others battling alongside her. If you haven’t already, please take a moment to

read Jen’s story, and if you are wondering how you can help, visit her blog and make a dona-

tion to assist with bills, groceries, travel, and a clinical trial with a five figure price tag.

Stay strong, be kind, and we look forward to seeing you on the forum.

Hello friends!

SincerelyThe NAPCP Team

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pg. 5 ................ Featured Photographer: Anne Kerr

Pg. 17 ...................................... Tips of The Month

Pg. 19 ..............................Photographer of the Year

Pg. 21 .................................Apply For Membership

Pg. 3 .................................................... Workshops

Pg. 4 ...............................News & Announcements

WORKSHOPS

Instructor, Robin Long, author of

“purebaby® - Newborn Photography

Guide to Posing and Business” teaches

newborn photography mentoring and

workshops around the world. Her

PPA Certified classes focus on posing

newborns safely using natural window

light, as well as basic business princi-

ples to start or apply to your newborn

photography business. Robin has

developed and created a unique pose-

to-pose™ technique to help new and

seasoned photographers alike conquer

the ease of transitioning the baby

while capturing unique and artistic

images for their clients.

Upcoming Locations:

June 18 | Oahu, HI

July 18-19 | Monticello, MN

August 16-17 | Salem, OR

Oct 11-12 | Wellington, KS

Purebaby Workshops

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More Info Here!

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NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

The NAPCP January 2012

International Image Competition

winners have been announced! If you

haven’t stopped by the winning image

gallery yet, you are missing out! See all

of our fabulous winning images here! (photo: Megan Drane, “Winter’s Walk”)

Image Competition

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!

Follow Us on Pinterest

FEATUREDPHOTOGRAPHER

ANNE KERR - ANJA PHOTOGRAPHY

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FEATUREDPHOTOGRAPHER

Images by Anne Kerr of Anja Photography

fter being selected as a Top 5 finalist, Anne Kerr

of Anja Photography blazed through the voting round

quickly becoming a fan favorite and eventually beating out

her competition to be crowned our 2012 Best New Emerg-

ing Child Photographer! As a relative newcomer to the in-

dustry, Anne has an impressive portfolio and a style all her

own, two traits that earned her praise during the contest.

Now sit back and enjoy getting to know this talented star

on the rise.

A

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

and business transformed over the year...

My mom is the most creative, detail-oriented woman I know. She also pos-

sesses an amazing capacity for children and a penchant for the aesthetically

pleasing. I believe my inheritance of these qualities is where my journey

started. When I became a mother, I began taking a lot of pictures. I had an

overwhelming feeling that I was finding something sublime, something I

knew, or remembered, but couldn’t put my finger on. This is when photog-

raphy wrapped me around it’s finger. I don’t think I’ve transformed as much

over the year, but rather, evolved. I’m always true to myself, and because of

that, the only thing that has actually changed has been my abilities.

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Who has been your your biggest inspiration in your work?

I want to draw from all the goodness I find and evolve into my own. I’m not

looking to imitate what has already been done. Furthermore, if I want to

develop my own recognizable style I think it’s important not to get too

wrapped up in one artist in particular.

What has been the best piece of advice you’ve received starting out? Why?

Being told that it’s “all about the light”. I learned to recognize the importance

of it, not only in flattering my subjects, but the surrounding landscape as

well. I’m glad I took the time to examine the effects of light in photography

long before I took on any clients. I try to never compromise it because I un-

derstand it to be the most essential ingredient to my work.

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What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your first 2 years?

I would have to say finding balance. I’ve neglected a lot of things I love for

photography. Even basic necessities like sleep. I need to sleep.

Tell us about your motto “It’s about time” - how do you translate this into

your work? I decided on my motto because there is an interesting double mean-

ing in it for me. A lot of photographers will talk about capturing a moment in

time, and obviously, there is that element in what I do. For me though, it is also

about creating the absence of time. When I feel I have captured my subjects soul,

their personal mystery, as unique as it is, I capture them not just how they are

today but how they always will be. My mission is create that moment, and that is

where the importance time, or the lack thereof, comes into play.

Give us a sneak peak into your camera bag - what are your essential must

haves? I keep it simple. I have my Nikon D700 camera body and 2 lenses. 50mm

1.4G and 135mmF2. Most of my work is with my 135mm lens, with the exception

of my studio work, and other times that less space is required between my sub-

ject and myself.

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What are some of your best selling products? How do you market them

& why do you think your clients gravitate towards them the most? Black

River Imaging for their silk wrapped accordion mini-books, these are posh

brag books for parents (even my husband carries one in his work vehicle)

and also, built in advertising! Also, love Pixel2Canvas for their Legacy can-

vases. I don’t have to do much selling of these products because they are ter-

rific show pieces and sell themselves. There are so many products out there

for us to sell but for me, I never want to sell anything that will end up packed

away in the closet so I’m selective and try and sell only products that will

stand the test of time.

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How does it feel to be our very first Best New Emerging Child Photogra-

pher? I was humbled to even be chosen as part of the Top 5, with such an

amazing group of talented photographers. And it was positively surreal to

find out I won the competition. Having this sort of validation at the begin-

ning of my journey is a tremendous gift for which I am extremely grateful.

Valuing your work and self confidence can be some of the biggest hurdles

to overcome in this industry. Since winning this award, I am able to see my

work with a fresh set of eyes and feel I am more able to trust what I see. Of

course, there is that part of me that knows how much further I have to go

and how much work lies ahead, but winning this award has been a huge

honor that has truly made me more comfortable in my own skin. It also chal-

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lenges me, now to live up to the title. I’m thrilled about how that aspect of it

will only make me grow in my work as an artist.

Where do you see yourself in 2 years, Anne? 10 years?

In the next 2 years I hope to design and build my own in-home studio. First,

we’re going to have to buy a new house so it’s all a process and I’m doing my

best to be patient. In 10 years? I hope my passion for this art, and this busi-

ness, remains as fiery and bright as it is today..with the added bonus of a

large client base and, of course, some paid travel!stretched is so important

to balancing business with family. I now have a set number of sessions I’m

willing to take each week and I really try to stick to that.

To see more of Anne’s work, please visit her site here, and her blog here!

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Thank you so much Anne!

TIPS OF THE MONTH

Trust your instincts when picking your own best images. I struggled with this

for awhile. Not trusting myself and always trying to figure out which ones

would be crowd pleasers, or client favorites. Trust yourself and make your

work what YOU want it to be. It’s all part of developing your own style.

SELECTING YOUR BEST IMAGES

TIPS OF THE MONTHBY ANNE KERR

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HOW TO BEST PROCESS YOUR IMAGES

Match your processing with the mood of the image. Some images are soft and

thoughtful. Some are bright and happy. Let the mood of the image guide your

processing. Also, it’s all about the light. I’m often asked about my processing

but I think it’s important to recognize that the goods have to be in-camera first.

If there is a processing style you are drawn too, examine the light that is being

used first. This is what you need to learn to capture. Once you nail that, pro-

cessing will be easy for you.

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PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

The National Association of Professional Child Photographers (NAPCP) is thrilled to

announce its 2011 Child Photographer of the Year, Stephanie Buckman of Stephanie

Robin Photography! A winning image from Stephanie was featured on an electronic

billboard in New York City’s famed Times Square.

Based in in Burlington, Ontario, Stephanie specializes in newborn and child photog-

raphy, creating timeless portraits through her mastery of light, the lens and a true

connection with her subjects. Known for her custom fine art portraiture, Stephanie

has been offering newborn mentoring and group sessions since 2009. Stephanie is

also a strong advocate for newborn safety and continues to promote knowledge and

awareness to the child photography industry. You can read her featured article on

the subject here! Congratulations to Stephanie on her fantastic accomplishment.

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Read the Press Release here!

please visit napcp.com or email us at info@napcp.com 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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