Marlene Hielema - ImageMaven

I create photographs for companies to use on web sites, blogs, newsletters and magazines, and I teach people how to take better pictures.

About you

You need photographs of yourself, your business, your people, your artwork, your gadget, your products, or some stock photos to liven up your web site, your newsletter, your brochure, your magazine, your advertisement, your blog, or to hang on your wall.

OR . . .

You wish to understand your digital camera better, so that you can start taking your own photos for personal or business use.

Maybe you even fit into both of these categories.

This is how I can help you

I Take Pictures. I create photographs for you to use on your website, blog, newsletter, magazine, or to enjoy hanging on your wall. I even take the occasional family portrait.

I Teach People. I do both formal institution-based teaching, corporate workshops, customized bootcamps, and one-on-one consulting on digital photography, post processing, working with RAW files, Photoshop, the Internet, and blogs.

If you are new to digital photography, I can help you! I have a deep specific knowledge in my subject areas and a big picture sense of the interconnectivity of digital technology in photography, printing, publishing and Web 2.0. I have taught children, teens, post secondary, adults and seniors. I have taught artists, crafts people, designers, medical doctors, educators, seasoned photographers, writers, editors, oil & gas workers, and hobbyists.

I understand what happens after your photos are created whether by me or yourself. At some point you'll want to do something with your images besides looking at them on your camera or computer. I can help you with that. Maybe it's just getting your photos on your web site or blog, or getting great photographs printed for your walls.

Something new in the works for me is online education. I'm currently building course material for a members-only online photography school. Expect to see new developments in this area in the first half of 2010. In the meantime, you can get in the loop by getting on my list and receive some free content before the courses start. To sign up, use the form above.

Samples

If you'd like some samples of the sorts of things I do, have a look at my education page, my photo portfolio, my teaching blog, and my stock photography archive. I have several free presentations and papers to share with you. All of the presentations have been used in my training sessions, so are a good review for my students and clients as well.

My network

Although I would love to help solve the world's digital dilemmas and photograph every great assignment, I can't help everyone. If that is the case in your situation, I will either research an alternative solution for you, or find someone else more suitable for the job. I have a network of people who work in design, writing, editing, high-end commercial photography, and web programming, who would be happy for a referral from me.

Having said that, I had one client ask me to help her design and build a web site. As a non-designer I said I wasn't the best person for the job, but she wanted to work with me anyway because she liked me and had faith that I could help her. In our initial conversation I realized that she would be better served by establishing a blog or a CMS site, as she is a very prolific writer. It was also best, and more cost effective, if she did her own updates. Her son recommended WordPress but he lived out of town and couldn't be hands-on to help her set it up. WordPress was a new thing for me. I worked with her only a few hours and found that she had a great aptitude for the blogging platform. She also had lots of content, she just needed me to fill in a few blanks to get her started. I think I got more out of working with her than she did, as she inspired me and encouraged me to keep working on my photography, and my own writing and educational presentations. Oh, did I mention that she is 72 years old?

So with that experience in mind, I will consider every project, even ones that don't seem to fit me at first. Let's start a conversation about what you need and go from there.

How can I help you?

What do you wish to see on this site? Your feedback is always welcome either on my blog or via email. I will strive to answer your email within a few days. info@imagemaven(dot)com

Thank you for stopping by! If you'd like to become part of my community of online friends and partners, fill in the form at the top of this page and I'll be in touch soon.

A little more specific info about me. A popular educator, I like to research and openly share my knowledge. I am an imaging and Internet technology expert. I am a natural troubleshooter. I like to solve problems as they relate to technology. Introverted by nature, I generally like to work alone and have been self-employed on a full- or part-time basis since 1998. I am not a 9 to 5er, because of other commitments in my life. I can usually do 9 to 3 and 6 to 11 and weekends. I am not looking for a job, but I am always looking for projects.

Education wise, I have a Bachelor of Applied Arts from Ryerson University (1990) where I gained a formal education in photography, and a Master of Communications Studies degree from the University of Calgary (2004) where I researched the effects of the Internet and digital technologies on commercial photographers. I am self taught in computer imaging technology, but have taken formal classes in HTML, magazine writing, and filmmaking, and I have attended many Adobe software seminars over the years. I am a voracious reader of magazines, books, and blogs on the technical, social and design aspects of technology.

I have current H2S and WHMIS safety certification for oil field work, and I am a member of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP).

What I don't do

I am not a designer, though I wish I was! I have learned a great deal about design from teaching photography to Alberta College of Art+Design (ACAD) design students for 5 years, and I research this area constantly. I use the basic principles of design to teach photographic composition.

I don't shoot film, nor will I engage in the film vs. digital debate. There's nothing wrong with shooting film, it's just not for me anymore. It just doesn't fit into my business plan. Oh, and I don't do weddings either, but I know several talented wedding photographers in western Canada, most of them former photography students of mine at the Alberta College of Art+Design.

 

 

Self-serve Royalty-Free Stock Photography
For your newsletters, web sites, presentations

Great gift ideas here.

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TEACHING INFO: The next SAIT PHOT-200 classes that I teach start: Feb. 25, and April 13, 2010. This class is offered four nights a week, so if you can't get into my section, you may be able to find space on another night.

PHOT-200 Basic Film and Digital Photography - Basic Film and Digital is a core photography course. Students will develop a working knowledge of their adjustable (SLR) film or digital camera including: exposure control, composition, lenses, flash photography, filters, camera care and night photography. Students must supply their own Digital or Film SLR camera.

NEW!! I'm teaching PHOT 222 Photoshop for Photographers again at SAIT - starting Wed. Feb. 24, 2010.

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Books I Recommend!

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