inspired by napcp featuring becca wohlwinder

Becca Wohlwinder Photography

Industry News &Announcements,

Workshops, Updatesand much more!

FEATURING

THE LATEST

InspiredF E B RUARY 2 01 4

by napcp

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

0 1 | N A P C P N e w s l e t t e r Fe b r u a r y 2 0 1 4

in·spire (verb): to affect, guide or arouse by divine influence; to fill with enlivening or exalting emotion.

Not a day goes by that we aren’t inspired by one of you. The NAPCP community is filled

with artists who are talented, passionate, creative and -- inspirational. It is for this reason

that we have decided to dub our monthly newsletter “INSPIRED.” Of course, we’ll continue

to bring you monthly spotlights on our members who share insight on how they run their

business, how they balance family life with their passion for photography, how they maintain

meaningful involvement in their community… and how they produce such stunning work!

Our member spotlight for this month is Becca Wohlwinder, a natural-light children

and family photographer who has vowed to never grow up. A few things to know about

Becca: she loves working with children, she’s obsessed with all things Harry Potter and The

Walking Dead and she can’t get enough of Dr. Pepper. She’s not afraid to get dirty with chil-

dren during her sessions – she’s been known to crawl in the dirt and have stick sword fights!

We admire her for her passion, her drive and her imagination. She’s been recognized lately

as the winner of many of our Image Competitions, and her work has been published in Props

for Portrait Photography by Tracy Dorr.

The NAPCP 2014 International Image Competition closed this week. Our judges will be

diving into the scoring process over the next few months – results will be announced in early

April. Thanks to everyone who participated!

From our hearts to yours, Happy Valentine’s Day! We hope you take today and spend it

with your loved ones. Live, laugh and love.

Hello friends!

SincerelyThe NAPCP Team

N A P C P N e w s l e t t e r Fe b r u a r y 2 0 1 4 | 0 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pg. 5......Featured Photographer: Becca Wohlwinder

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

Pg. 23 ........................................Behind The Scenes

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

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

Pg. 3 .......................................Image Competition

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

0 3 | N A P C P N e w s l e t t e r O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3

COMPETITION UPDATE

The February 2014 NAPCP International Image Competition closed yester-

day at midnight and we could not be more excited to peak through your

submissions. 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 en-

dorsements, member points, titles and professional recognition.

Thank you to everyone who submitted


NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

We hope that everyone will continue

to partake in our NAPCP Facebook

Community page! Join now and get

involved with the latest discussions,

trending topics, news and updates,

and much more! Click here to

request to join today!

Facebook Community

Join Tamara Lackey in her studio in

Durham, North Carolina May 20 - 22 for

an intense, 3-day shooting-focused work-

shop, which includes an in-depth shooting

clinic, lighting configuration instruction,

post-processing and business training. This

highly interactive and hands-on shooting

clinic will help you to master your tech-

nical skills behind the camera, as well as

teach you how to set up and work with

existing and additional light sources -

and better utilize natural light in a more

controlled fashion.

Upcoming Workshops

COMPETITION UPDATE

Images by Becca Wohlwinder of Becca Wohlwinder Photography

FEATUREDPHOTOGRAPHERB E C C A W O H L W I N D E R


lease meet Becca. A natural light children and

amily photographer based out of Clovis, New Mexico. Becca

has been photographing children and familys since 2008

and has developed a stunning and unique look and style all

her own. We were so pleased to be able to spotlight her this

month as our February feature!

P


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

business transformed over the last few years? Like a lot of photographers I

developed a interest in photography when my babies were born. Im originally

from England and met my husband while he was Stationed in England, my

oldest was born there and I was always mailing photographs to my husbands

family in America, with the birth of my second baby myspace was popular and

I had switched from film to digital. I was still just using a point and shoot cam-

era and didnt really even know there was such a thing as a professional pho-

tographer. I had his baby portraits done at walmart and jc pennys! (gasp) Dur-

ing my pregnacy with my 3rd and final baby I was stuck in the hospital for a


month with gallbladder issues. During this time I discovered Flickr and that

there was a whole world out there of amazing professional photographers.

When my daughter was a few months old I purchased a Nikon d90 with the

intention of just photographing my kids and wanting to take pictures like

the ones I was seeing online. Needless to say I loved it and wanted to know

more, learn more and practice more. I kinda knew from the start I wanted

to photograph kids! Probably because I am still a kid and never really grew

up! I spent the next year and a half photographing anything and anyone I

could just to get that practice in. I joined clickin moms and I can honestly say

pretty much everything I learnt those first couple of years was from reading

and practicing what I had read on that forum. I was lucky enough to meet


a couple of amazing photographers during those first couple of years who talked

sense into me about pricing, what to charge and who to market to. We moved to

New Mexico in 2011 and I had to start over in a new place where there was already

established photographers and since it was a military town a place where there

was always new photographers coming in! This was when I decided that I really

REALLY loved just photographing children and decided to focus my business on

them and their familys.

Who or what inspires you and your work? How?

Aside from my favorite photographers in the world jinky art, chubby cheek pho-

tography and Audrey woulard I am just inspired by all the little things around me.

The client, my kids, the light all the usual things. I try to make each session some-

what unique to that family/child by having pre session consultations and finding

out all about that particular child/family and their favorite things at this time in

their lives. By asking the client questions about themselves we can come up with

a fun session for them that really means something to them when in a few years

their kids are into something else. Im currently taking a online tween workshop


with Audrey woulard and I cant wait to put in practice what I am learning!

How has winning in past image competitions helped in elevating your brand

as a photographer? I think it has definitely given me some credibility. Especially

living in a small town where there a hundred different photographers and more

coming onto the scene each month I think that little bit of recognition by a pro-

fessional affiliation gives the client a little piece of comfort that this photogra-

pher is serious about what she does and isnt just like all the others out there.

We love how your images take on another life with its joyfulness and color.

Can you share with us a little bit about your post production work and how

you take your images to the next level? In most of my images i dont do that

much processing. I think we all start out trying to find our style but most of the

time we always end up coming back to a clean simple look. I do use the dodge/

burn and saturation tool and textures a lot to bring out the color thats there

already. Of course there's always the sessions I do for fun where its fun to experi-

ment with composites and different images. The amazing thing about photoshop

is that there is always something new to try. Always something new to learn. We

have the most amazing sunsets here when there are clouds in the sky so I i will

often use my own cloud overlays when the sky's are just blue and cloudless! We

have wide open flat lands here with never ending fields and skies!

Who are your favorite vendors?

I teamed up with my friend Stephanie who owns Livis Sweets and Treats for my

cake smash sessions. She is a all round talented person who can make just about

anything. My favorite vendor for newborn accessories would have to be Bit O

whimsy! I just love her work and how simple it is but also so stinking adorably

cute at the same time!

How do you balance photography, your beautiful family, and your teaching?

I dont think I do!! My poor family has often had to eat chicken nuggets or pizza

for dinner (not that they mind, they'd rather eat that!) Its definitly become a lot

easier now my kids are older. My two oldest children are in school and I have

terrible mommy guilt about having my daughter sit on the couch watching net-

flix while im editing on the computer. I try to set aside only a couple of hours in

the morning to work and then do the rest once they are all in bed! My youngest


starts kindergarten in the fall so my plan is to hopefully kick off full time once all

my children are in school all day.

What advice can you give to those starting out?

It takes time. You dont need to know or do everything this week. take the time

to learn your camera before you even think about reaching out to clients. Pho-

tograph your kids, pets, toys anything to get your fingers comfortable with all

the buttons! Once you know your camera and you know you can provide consis-

tent work start building your portfolio. Figure out your pricing and discount it


for portfolio building sessions, that way your pricing is out there and there is

no sticker shock when you raise your prices when your ready to do this for real.

keep at it and dont give up! If you really want to do this you can but it will be hard

work! And the other photographers out there are not your enemy or your com-

petition if you go about things the correct way they can end up being your bestest

friends! Im lucky enough to be great friends with a lot of local photographers and

we all happily refer clients to each other when were booked up or its a inquiry for

something we dont photograph! Consider them colleagues rather than competi-

tion! Join local photography groups and just shoot all you can!


How has your business changed over the last few years? Tell us your daily

schedule and how you manage to make it all work! I think when I decided

to specialize was a turning point for me. Being in a military family my life is

always changing! moving and re establishing yourself every few years is ex-

tremely hard but it also gives you that chance to step back and re evaluate

your pricing, branding etc and if you are marketing to the right people.

Tell us your daily schedule and how you manage to make it all work!

5-7am get up and ready for the day, check facebook (!) make lunches, sign

homework folders give hugs and kisses and send my two oldest kids off to

school or drive to school and volunteer for a few hours. 7-10 feed my young-

est breakfast while replying to emails and facebook messages. Work on im-

ages in photoshop, design marketing products etc. 10-1 run errands, clean

house, lunch etc etc. 1-3 work on images and business stuff whilst entertain-

ing my now bored 5 yr old! 3-7pm make dinner, help kids with homework, be


Thank you so much Becca!

crazy with them for a bit. then get them ready for bed! 8-10ish reply to email and

facebook messages, chill out with my oldest and watch Csi or the walking dead or

something! 10:30ish BED!

Where do you see your life 5 years from now? This summer my husband is retir-

ing from the military so we will be moving (again) once we know where we are go-

ing and once my daughter is in school is when im really going to knuckle down and

do this for real! I want land! I want land as my studio within the next 5 years. With

different areas for different seasons/sessions. I will have a christmas trees, wild-

flowers, barns, ponds, a green house all the locations you dream about but on my

own property and I cant wait!

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


1 9 | N A P C P N e w s l e t t e r Fe b r u a r y

W I T H B E C C A W O H L W I N D E R


W I T H B E C C A W O H L W I N D E R

E S S E N T I A L ST H E C A ME R A B AG

T H E C A M E R A B A G

Nikon D700

50mm 1.4

135mm F2

Sigma 15mm Fisheye

Reflector

IN MY BAG

BEHIND SCENESWe asked Becca 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 SCENESWe asked Becca 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!

WITHBECCA

WOHLWINDER

2 3 | N A P C P N e w s l e t t e r N o v e m b e r

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 may 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

(c)

Jan

e J

oh

nso

n P

ho

tog

rap

hy

inspired by napcp featuring becca wohlwinder

Documents

e t t e r o c t o b

e t t e r fe b r u

p c p n e w s

p h e r s0

s s o c

d p h o t o g r

napcp community

image competitionpg