Ottawa BeautiControl Holiday Basket Sale

What do baskets have to do with photography you may be thinking? Well not very much, however each year I pick 3-5 charity events to become involved in and to complete this crazy year I am doing a basket sale.

This Sunday December 9th I'm hosting a BeautiControl basket and loose product sale for someone dear to me who is no longer able to do the Spa/BeautiControl thing because of an autoimmune disease.
 
All the products are 75% off (some are only $5) and I've made up several baskets with these products and her handmade jewellery, and some with Melanie Shields Photography gift certificates too!

Please feel free to stop by on Sunday the 9th of December between 11 and 2:30pm.
There will be door prizes, just for dropping by and it should be a fun, relaxing and inexpensive way to get started on your holiday shopping.
 

Email me at info @ melanieshieldsphotography . com for any further details and hope to see you there. Everything must be sold, whatever is left over will be donated to the Ottawa battered women's shelter.

Ottawa Holiday Photo Contest

This year Melanie Shields Photography is celebrating the holidays with a chance to win a Portrait session (This can be for your family, for your pets, you name it!) The session will take place either in studio or on location in the Ottawa area.

How to enter? 
Submit your cutest, funniest or worst holiday photo for a chance to win a 45 minute in studio or on location session with Melanie Shields Photography, your Ottawa portrait and wedding photographer.
Enter on our facebook page here
Points are accumulated by votes from you, your family and friends. If it is an image I've taken you will also get an additional vote.
Files uploaded must be under 3mbs in size.

What is included?
Session includes 45 minutes in studio
1-11x14 and 2-5x7s, value of $170 a la carte

Because the contest is closing December 15th, you can keep the session for yourself or give it to someone as a gift!

Submissions and voting close Monday December 15th, 2012 at noon EST
no cash value. one entry per person
Chances of winning will depend on how many votes your image gets.

Good luck to everyone who enters!

5 Reasons Not to Use Groupon Marketing for Your Photography Business: An Ottawa Photographer's perspective

To all my blog followers, sorry for the delay in my postings. This Summer and Fall wedding and portait season has been a crazy one and I will try harder to update you on what I've been up to.

Here is some big news, I have teamed up with PhotoMint, an incredible online resource for Photographers to help with every aspect of photography businesses from shooting to business marketing. I will be writing articles based on my past and present experiences in the almost 10 years I have been a photographer!

My first, and maybe controversial (in the photography world) article is called

5 Reasons Not to Use Groupon Marketing for Your Photography Business

Based on what I have seen, even in my experience on the other side of the Groupon as a consumer, a lot of businesses are forced to shut down due to over selling and under cutting profits of their vouchers. Ofcourse there will always be a company who will flourish from running a group buying deal but I see all too many companies running several group buying offers which leads me to believe that their voucher purchasers did not become repeat clients.

Article:
Group buying sites became increasingly popular about two years ago and starting multiplying rapidly making the allure of quick money and promise of new paying customers who want your service appealing to small and large businesses. They guarantee paying customers who have purchased your gift voucher, but here is why this doesn’t work for photographers. Although it may have seemed like a good idea when group buying sites such as Groupon, LivingSocial, TeamBuy and  Dealfind just to name a few, came along to promote your business I feel the photography industry has realized how it is hurting our trade.

Read more here: http://www.photomint.com/photography-business/5-reasons-not-to-use-groupon-marketing-for-your-photography-business/

Please, if you agree, make sure to 'like' it, pin it, and tweet it. Hopefully my introductory article will be a success. 

Styled Couples Shoot, Arboretum Ottawa

Combined with the high energy, awesome ladies at Grazie Gifts and a beautiful couple Courtney and Phil, I had the privellage of photographing a styled shoot at one of my favourite Ottawa spots along the river.

Our lucky contest winner, Courtney, was whisked far far away (ok, only if you are from Orleans is Richmond far) to hair and makeup by Vange at Hair Expectations in Richmond who did a wonderful job enhancing Courtney's natural beauty- and I would know, she is one of my most photographed clients who always does atleast 2 shoots a year with her amazing, big personality son.

Thank you to everyone who participated in creating the styling of the shoot.
It was a hot day and poor Grazie Girls were running that hand made table up and down the steepest tobaggan hill in Ottawa but it was an amazing, hilarious experience.

Sources:
Coordinators, Favours and Decor:
Grazie Gifts
http://www.graziegifts.com/
info@graziegifts.com
Anita and Kristina are awesome to work with, super high energy, willing to carry tables up and down tobaggan hills, they brought almost all the props and the results speak for themselves

Photography:
Melanie Shields Photography
www.melanieshieldsphotography.com
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Melanie-Shields-Photography/158636580823601
Don't forget to vote for us until August 31st as Ottawa's best Wedding Photography:
http://www.weddingindustryexperts.com/votes/XftdqSnwb.html

Cupcakes:
http://www.countrygirlcakes.org/
Award-Winning Cake Designer Miranda Kenney creates edible works of art fit for any celebration.
These cupcakes were amazing, if you have a sweet tooth you must order something from Country Girl Cakes.

Hair and Makeup:
Hair Expectations in Richmond, Ontario.
http://www.hairexpectations.ca/
Vange was the stylist and as you can see did a wonderful job with hair and makeup.

Banners
http://www.poppylopparties.com/.
Alanna Teed is the owner and designer of the banners that were used in the shoot!

Please take two seconds to vote....

We have been nominated for Best Ottawa Wedding Photographer 2012 at the Industry Experts Awards. Obviously this is a huge honour as it's been a long road in my professional photography journey which started and will conclude (probably when I'm 80! in the Ottawa area) .

If you have ever used our services or know someone who has and loved the experience and images, please take just two seconds to click the link and hit "vote"
It means the world to me to even be considered by nomination.

http://www.weddingindustryexperts.com/votes/XftdqSnwb.html


Thank you to everyone for your support,

Mel Shields
melanieshieldsphotography.com

Spring is here! Engagement session Ottawa Arboretum

We got so lucky with the weather at the end of April for J & C's engagement session on the experimental farm property.
Here are a few of my favourites from my first outdoor Engagement session of the year to kick off the crazy season.
Looking forward to their wedding in under two months!

Want to see other samples of Ottawa Engagement, wedding or family photos?
Please visit us at: www.melanieshieldsphotography.com

Winter Wedding Shoot: Orchardview Wedding and Conference Centre

It was a privilege to work with some of Ottawa's finest vendors for this winter themed bridal shoot. Unfortunately it was during the heat wave in March so it didn't feel much like winter outside but luckily because of all the amazing winter themed decor, florals, jewellery pieces, and makeup it still felt like winter in Orchardview, and ofcourse the arena we visited.

Sources:

Photography: Melanie Shields Photography, Ottawa, Ontario www.melanieshieldsphotography.com

Hair and Makeup: Alyssa Hartley, 613-240-6356

Decorators and favours: Grazie Gifts, http://www.graziegifts.com/

Jewellery, Michelle with Stella and Dot, http://www.stelladot.com/sites/michellecollett/profile

Florals: Bloomfields Florals, http://www.bloomfieldsflowers.com

Cake and Cupcakes: Sweetsong Cakes, http://www.wix.com/sweetsongcake/irina

Venue: Orchardview Wedding and Conference Centre, http://www.orchardview.ca/

Wedding Values; in support of Team Diabetes

Hey Everyone, it is that time of year again for the Third Annual, Wedding Values New and Second hand gown sale and vendor show and this time it is bigger and better than ever.

Planning a wedding or helping someone who is? We will have many local Ottawa vendors to answer your wedding questions, as well as a selection of new and previously-loved wedding dresses EXTREMELY reasonably priced (and 50-100% of the wedding dress sales go directly to the Canadian Diabetes Association)!!

Only $5 donation to Team Diabetes gets you in!

Check back here for our list of vendors: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001669839552#!/events/224716934278787/

 Please invite your friends and let everyone know!

What is new this year? We have a ton of gowns in different sizes and styles as well as Swag Bags. Many of our very generous exhibitors have donated prizes to our raffle, and this year our swag bags. I know I'm so excited about the bags that I'm keeping one for myself.

If you would like to support a wonderful cause, please come see me at the Wedding Values show next Sunday, February 26th 2012 at 149 Second Avenue (Fred Astaire Dance Studio)

I am bringing my Wonderwall photobooth so whoever wants a free photo of themselves having a blast at the show, don't forget to stop by between 10 and 4pm

Nick Foligno and Living Science shoot

I had the sincere pleasure of photographing for Living Science & Natural food pantry, the super sweet Nick Foligno of The Ottawa Senators.

The shoot was for a product line designed for active athletes (including junior and NHL players) which Nick uses to improve his game.

I was a little nervous leading up to the shoot to photograph a Senator because I knew the shoot was going to be in an ad at The Bell SensPlex off Palladium drive, The Score Magazine at the Sens games and on a huge billboard in the Scotiabank Place covered walkway to the arena from the parking lots. When Nick got there he put me at instant ease with his outgoing, genuine personality and being so down to earth then I continued my shoot like he was any other guy.

He is really an impressive role model with all the work he does with Cheo, Sens Big Save (Canadian blood services), and the 65 Roses Club.

I hope Ottawa never loses him because these are the positive role models our community needs.

Here are a few of the finals you will see around the city shortly and a couple of my favourites