Thanks for a wonderful 2012!

I know I'm 8 days late on the Happy New Year but here it is.
Happy New Year! I've recovered from Christmas and Ukrainian Christmas (yesterday) and now I mean business :)

I just wanted to thank everyone who I got to see again, got to meet and photograph in 2012. It was a great and extremely busy year and I'm blessed to do what I love. I know sometimes I complain because I'm exhausted during wedding season (which is like 8 months of the year around here) or I don't get to go out often but I try to never lose sight of the fact I'm doing what I love and it is amazing to see families and couples displaying the artwork we created together which makes every edit, every phone call and email and every trip to the lab worth it!

In 2012 I was fortunate enough to be a part of the following fundraisers as well and am really proud that I could participate in these events and that so many funds were raised for charity.


I started off the year preparing to Co Host the Team Diabetes Dress Sale and mini wedding show - which we aided in a huge fundraising effort for the Canadian Diabetes Association.
http://www.diabetes.ca/


The Queensway Carelton Hospital Foundation hosted the 2nd annual, Spring Bling Fashion Fling Event at 6400 Celebration Centre in Stittsville, which is close by to the studio so I jumped on the chance to see a bunch of women living it up in support of a good cause.
They raised even more money than last year and had a fun keepsake in the Wonderwall Photobooth (with their mascot - Lady Bling) I donated my services for the evening in April.

Next was just a simple framed scenery donation for a yearly Light the night event one of my amazing Bride's hosts for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's event, Light the Night walk.
http://www.lightthenight.org/
This is the type of thing that goes to show if everyone makes an effort we can do so much!



I was asked to participate in the Angels In Action in support of Ovarian Cancer Research and I had to do a beautiful canvas and session as this is a cause that doesn't receive a ton of support.
angelsinaction.ca
I received this letter which is going for plaque mount tomorrow,
"...With the help of our guests, concerned supporters and generous sponsors like yourself Angels in Action raised nearly $25'000 for ovarian cancer research and patient support in 2012..."

And to finish off the year we had a gift basket sale where all the left overs went to the Kanata Resource Centre and The Olivia Act which passes on the gift of a photo session to a very deserving family (Photos to come in February when the shoot has happened)

Hopefully 2013 I will be as fortunate to participate and continue to help raise funds for worthy causes.

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