about me
my journey
Natalie Napoleon, Photographer, Mentor, Artist
A special thank you to my 20-year-old for suffering through the task of working with me to capture the images of me on this website.

I’ve had a passion for photography for as long as I can remember. 


My dad had a subscription to National Geographic Magazine and I loved laying his collection out on the living room floor and looking through each issue page by page to study the composition and lighting of the photographs. 


I was particularly intrigued by the February 1986 cover featuring a Ndebele woman with ring upon metal ring encircling her neck, from her collar bone to her chin. I must’ve looked through that issue hundreds of times while envisioning my life as a photojournalist traveling the world to document all of the beautiful cultures that exist on this planet. 


Little did I know that I’d be working in the lab at National Geographic just a little over a decade later. 


A few years into my time at Nat Geo, I was expecting my first son and made the conscious choice to forgo a career in photojournalism because I wanted to actively raise him.


And so I traded my Nat Geo magazines for issues of the now defunct Shutterbug magazine, The Photo Review, PDN, PPA Mag, the Knot Magazine, what was then Brides Magazine, and embarked upon a career as a wedding photographer with a photojournalistic style.


About 10 years into my wedding photography career, I decided to begin shifting my focus to marketing and advertising photography, which I am so proud to say, I was able to fully accomplish in under 3 years.


Now 21 years after I made the decision to open my own studio, I again find myself at an intersection in my life and my career and have decided to choose the path that will lead me towards becoming a teacher.


I will never put the camera down and will continue to work with very select clients, but my primary focus now is building a school that teaches professional photographers how to build profitable and sustainable photo businesses.


Change is frightening but also exhilarating. I’m sure I’ll stumble along the way but the encouragement of my family, my friends, my mentors, my clients, and my students fuels my passion for life and art.


Here’s to the future!

podcast

Where photographers go to learn how to ethically

market and authentically grow a thriving photo biz.

01
the best way to overcome a time famine so that you can get more done
As a Creative, the pressure of wearing several different hats in your business can create the illusion of a lack of time. In this episode, I share my secret to creating more time in the day.
02
THE ONE ORGANIZATION YOU SHOULD JOIN NO MATTER WHICH STATE OR CITY YOU LIVE IN
I get that networking can feel like a popularity contest but it's really what you make of it. In this episode, I tell you why I chose to join my local Chamber of Commerce and how I was able to build a six-figure business in 3 years on the solid foundation of the real relationships I made with the heavyweights of Bucks County.
03
HOW TO SAY NO TO FREE WORK
People love to perpetuate the myth of the Starving Artist and in fact, feel like they're doing you a huge favor by offering you the opportunity to mingle with attendees at their function or refer you all of their friends in exchange for in-kind services. In this episode, I'll give you examples of when to say yes and when and how to say no.
04
4 WAYS TO MAKE MONEY IN THE MIDST OF THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
The World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. Huge money-making organizations are shutting down. Broadway, The Met, The Smithsonian, Disneyland, the MLB, the NBA, and the NCAA, just to name a few and the effects are trickling down to Creative Entrepreneurs. In this episode, I share the 5 things I'm doing to keep making money during the distancing measure the country is taking on all levels.
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