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Natalie Howe APP M.Photog I - 2016 AIPP Australian Professional Newborn Photographer of the Year

To be honest, totally shocked, I never entered the newborn category thinking I would take out the top honours.  I entered knowing I had 2 pretty strong images out of the 4 in total and was concentrating more so on earning enough points for my 2nd gold bar to my Masters.  I was totally taken off guard, which was clear from my pathetic acceptance speech.

Natalie has owned and run Howe Studios (formally Natalie Howe Photography) for 14 years.  The Studio is a highly sort after and based in Wallacia.  Natalie has achieved some amazing milestones during her career, including 2nd place in WPPI in 2010 for bridal party, 1st place in International Aperture Awards for weddings in 2009, receiving her first gold at APPAs in 2013 and first GD at State level last year, winning NSW Family photographer of the year 2015 and Australian Newborn Photographer of the year 2016 and finally receiving her first gold bar on her masters in 2016.  With a 16 year background as a Personal Assistant, Natalie runs a tight ship, the workflow schedule runs like clockwork and this allows her to manage a large portfolio of work every year.  Natalie has spent her past few years creating a custom built studio for her clients. Offering a unique experience, clients keep coming back for more as there is always something new at the Studio. Clients are more than just clients, they become part of the family and it isn't rare to have children running up the driveway to the Studio door to wrap their arms around her. That is the best endorsement a photographer can have. Natalie’s journey to become a successful photographer includes hard work and passion. She started from humble beginnings in her late teens and now owns a Multi Awarding winning busy photography business, anything is achievable with hard work, passion and realising things take time.

www.howestudios.com.au 

https://www.facebook.com/howestudios/ 

Natalie Howe APP M.Photog I - Harry Potter Little Caleb was booked in like every other newborn, just a standard session, however, when mum turned up, she brought the little Griffendorf hat with her and I knew I had to quickly come up with something suitable. They had had a hard time in the past year, with her mum passing away from brain surgery complications. Something that is close to home for me, considering I suffer from the same condition her mother died from. I wanted to make them smile and exceed their expectations, considering my son and I are both massive Harry Potter fans, I had the props necessary to take the image to the next level.
Natalie Howe APP M.Photog I - Baby Isaac and Macey Every family starts off with a puppy, it's your first baby realistically before you graduate to a human one. Baby Macey was Rob and Mel’s first ‘baby’ after their wedding. I also had the honour of capturing their beautiful wedding, so when they called to say they were expecting, it was a natural progression for me to capture another milestone. With baby Macey being the apple of Mel’s eye, that soon was going to change as a human baby took over all the attention. I wanted to show this through imagery, placing Isaac in the centre, the centre of attention, while Macy although still very much loved by her human parents, was no longer the centre of their universe, was placed, just outside.
Natalie Howe APP M.Photog I - Baby in hanging basket To be honest, this was a ‘omg I need a last photo for my entry’ type of shot. I had taken the image approximately 6 months prior and I knew I loved it. I saved it in my ‘potentials’ folder and when I realised it suited the look and theme of my portolio I gave it the thumps up. There was no real hidden meaning behind this image. It makes me smile, and when an image makes you smile it has to be shared.
Natalie Howe APP M.Photog I - Noughts & Crosses This image is my most proudest newborn image to date. There are so many meanings that can be taken from it, and I have found that those that look at it, take away something different. It seems to affect people differently. For me it represented a specific client of mine. It’s not even her baby that is in the image, but another clients. But the day of this session, I received devasting news that she had lost her 5th child. It affected me quite profoundly, but I had a newborn session I was setting up for so had to get ‘into the mood’. When my client arrived, I asked her if I could shoot a concept after her session and explained what had happened. She was more than happy to oblige. This image is to pay homage to all those who have ever struggled to conceive, whether it be their first or their 5th. Sometimes one of the most natural things to do as a woman, doesn’t come so naturally to some and this image represents those struggles.