Meet Feuza Reis . . .

Feuza Reis

"Be yourself, everyone else is taken"

Location: South River, NJ

DOB: 11/29

Children: 2 boys, Lucas who is 5 and Joshua who is 3

Husband: Maxwel Tomaz

Name of Business: Feuza Reis Photography

Website: http://www.feuzareis.com/

Blog:  www.feuzareis.com/blog

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/feuza

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/feuza

Email: feuza@feuzareis.com

What's in your bag? (if you are building your bag, what do you desire for your bag?)

Right now my bag consists of:

Nikon D300 S

Nikon D80

50 mm 1.8

18-135 3.5

SB 600 Flash

SB 400 Flash

and for weddings I usually rent the 24-70 and the 70-200

would love to have a prime 85 1.8 too

What's your favorite editing software?

Lightroom all the way!

Favorite Food: Italian and love salads

Favorite Color: brown

A few of your favorite things:

laughter, a good sense of humor, brazil, my family, traveling, star lit sky, playing with my hair, social media, branding

What or who inspires you?

Jasmine Star, Fast Track Photographers, Dane Sanders, Sarah Rhodes and amazing moms

Name something you just have to have everyday: Joy!

Tell us all about your journey into the world of photography. When did you realize that this is what you wanted to do and why.

Kind of a long story, well first experience with photography was sophomore class in highs chool and I loved the class but became lazy and actually cheated on my last assignment but confessed I used some one else's film ( sorry Mr. Murphy) then during my senior year, my first job ever in life was as a photographer at J.C Penny photography Studio, crying babies and no pee breaks, was out of there in 6 months, fast forward 12 years later, I had been trying to get into wedding business, tried gift baskets then invitations, but I had been doing slideshows for my church for 2 years already and some folks who were hiring me for invites and slideshows started saying, well I do not have a good picture, can you take one for me, and I took some with regular point and shoot and was like hum, I like this, I can do this, why not get paid for this? But the real magic came when a recent friend who had just started her party decorating business had a client and she called me and said, you could photograph this client and I did not even have a camera, so I looked on line on how to price it, sort of, spoke to client, sent prices and nothing, I did not think she would call back, I bought my first DSLR on the way to my shoot and have not stopped shooting ever since. I did a lot of Maternity, Family, Kids, Events at first and have plunged into weddings the last 6 months. It took me almost 30 years to finally find out what I wanted to be when I grew up.

If you already have a photography business please tell us about it, type of photography you do, how long you have been doing it, etc...

Answered a bit up top, right now trying to focus more on wedding photography and some life style portrait, would love to have a seniors brand, perhaps in future.

Who is your favorite photographer that you follow and why?

I have a few, I love Jasmine Star because of her sharp colorful images and amazing way of writing the couples story.  I also am a big fan of Justin and Mary from CT and Gray Photographers from Nashville, these are all genuine people who give back, share and have amazing photography. I recently found

Nick Onken who has some amazing work and understand branding, my favorite topic quite well. Some others who have inspired me include Paula Leme, Brazilian photographer and Sarah Rhodes stuff is so cool too!

Besides photography, what else do you do , i.e. work, domestic engineer, volunteer?


Full-time Super Hero Mom, also assist in husband's tile installation business, and I have done childrens' ministry at my church for many years.

What are some of your other hobbies and/or things that you like to do besides photography?


Love topics on branding, love to travel, love to plan things, love to watch funny movies, love to talkkkkk!

Do you have any other businesses that you are incorporating and/or combining in your photography business or that is separate other than photography?

I was trying to do a videography business for my husband, but realized it is two completely different businesses, so I do not think we will go that route.  I do, however, plan to offer some fusion options as I play with the mix of still motion and live.

If there is one thing in the world that you would like to change, what would that be and why?

Poverty, because it leads to violence, crime, deaths, ignorance.

Name three things you would like to do before you die?

Have an established wedding photography business

Travel Europe with Hubster

Rebuild my grandmas old house

List three goals you would like to accomplish in 2010:

Do one more destination wedding

Do a speaking event

Second shoot 10 weddings

Please tell us about the photos you are submitting and why they are your favorites.



Hannah Joys picture- this was a month to month baby I did for an year and this was my favorite session especially since her name has Joy in it and as I said Joy is so important to me, God's Joy that I have in my life.

This one is from a destination wedding I did last year.  This was one of my first weddings and has opened up many doors including getting feautured on bridal crate magazine.

This has been my favorite E session and recently used many pictures of it for my website launch and this has been a favorite of many folks.

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Thank you Feuza for participating in the spotlight!  It was a pleasure getting to know you better and I wish you well in your journey!  I love DW too, so maybe someday we can do one together. 

Best wishes for continued success!

Meet Natalia Dotto . . .

Natalia Dotto

Whatever you are be a good one. ~Abraham Lincoln

“I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" -- Piglet.

It's better to fight for something than against something. ~Author Unknown

Location: Seattle, WA

Birthday: October 4th

Children: I have three. Two teenage girls and a sweet, rambunctious red-headed 3 year old.

Husband: an amazing architect, Steve

Animals: Scout, a tri-colored Australian Shepherd, who is much bigger than he should be. And apparently we also have a mouse.

Contact Info:

Name of Business: Natalia Dotto Photography

Website: working on it.

Blog: I started one … but haven’t updated it much. I’m not a great blogger apparently.

Twitter: nataliadotto … but I’m not sure I quite understand twitter yet.

Email: macdotto@comcast.net

What's in your bag? (if you are building your bag, what do you desire for your bag?)

I am still building my bag. I am updating soon… really soon, but currently I shoot with a Nikon D70, 50mm 1.8, a couple of crap kit lenses, Nikon Speedlight SB600, various flash cards, battery charger, tripod. I am fortunate to have a generous friend who allows me to use his Nikkor 17-55mm 2.8 and Nikkor 70-200mm 2.8 –sweet.

What's your favorite editing software?

I love Lightroom right now. I would really like to find a relatively inexpensive workshop to learn all the ins and outs.

Favorite Food? Indian, Thai, and Cornish Pasties … chocolate and red wine

Favorite Color? Blues/greens … but nothing too light.

A few of your favorite things?

Give me some good bread, cheese, a nice bottle of red wine and good conversation with someone who has a wicked sense of humor.

What or who inspires you?

It sounds cheesy but my husband and my children inspire me. My children inspire me to be a better person, a more patient person (it doesn’t always work out that way though).

I met my husband when we were 21 at the University of Florida (go GATORS). He really is a forward thinker when it comes to sustainable architecture and green building. Sometimes he has these wacky ideas and, despite my better judgment, I often find myself standing right beside him as we blunder forth. We are constantly in a housing renovation or project… and I’m waiting for the day when he decides he wants to live off the land and completely off the grid. I, however, am waiting for the day we can move to a villa in Tuscany. A fixer upper of course.

Name something you just have to have everyday:

Several cups of coffee, smiles, hugs and kisses from my children. Afternoon cups of tea and a good laugh are also daily requirements.

Tell us all about your journey into the world of photography. When did you realize that this is what you wanted to do and why.

I fell in love with photography in high school. Processing film and spending time in the dark room was magical. I truly wanted to work for National Geographic. After going through the “J” school at the University of Florida I ended up going into television news instead as a news producer. But I have never lost my love of photography and I’ve always, always been the one behind the camera. I never even thought I could have my own photography business until I got laid off and different things started falling into place. Friends kept encouraging me. Then I heard Me Ra Koh speak last year at a Mama’s with Cameras meeting here in Seattle. And then came SOAR. I still have so much to learn, but that’s what’s making it exciting.

Who is your favorite photographer that you follow and why?
I can’t say I have a favorite. There are so many I admire. So many different styles.

Phil Borges is a Seattle area photographer  who has taken stunning photographs of indigenous peoples. His books are beautiful and he has a nonprofit organization that works uses digital storytelling to connect school children around the world. http://www.bridgesweb.org/

Lynette Huffman Johnson took my maternity photographs when I was pregnant with Owen and I admire what she has done with her Soulumination organization.
And of course Me Ra … who has been so generous with her time, knowledge, talent and her heart. I’m always following her work… along with many of our talented SOAR sisters.

Besides photography, what else do you do , i.e. work, domestic engineer, volunteer?

I was a television news producer up until about two and a half years ago. I worked as a line producer, which meant I produced daily newscasts, but then I had the awesome job of a special projects producer and was able to tell human interest and community interest stories. I loved doing that. I also did a short stint in media relations at a public affairs firm for about a year. But for the last year and a half I have been a stay at home mum. Now I’m seriously looking for more freelance projects in order to finance this biz.

I volunteer with and I am on the communications board of an organization called Teens In Public Service… an orgnization that gives teenagers a paid internship with other nonprofits in the greater Puget Sound area over the summers. The organization teaches kids to be leaders in their community … and teaches the importance of community service.

What are some of your other hobbies and/or things that you like to do besides photography?

I spend quite a bit of time driving to soccer practices and soccer games every week since my girls play a lot of soccer. So even though I do not drive a minivan I guess I have become a typical soccer mum.

The three year old and I hang out at the park, library, zoo or where ever we can go to run off some of his energy.

I love to read, drink wine and I watch LOST.

If there is one thing in the world that you would like to change, what would that be and why?


Goodness that’s a tough one. There are so many issues out there that people struggle with on a daily basis… hunger, poverty, homelessness to fighting awful diseases. But I would love to see an end to discrimination of all types and a world that is more tolerant of others.

Name three things you would like to do before you die?


1.  Make sure that my children grow up to become responsible, caring, considerate citizens of the world who will make a contribution. That they appreciate all that they have and the responsibility that comes with it and that they learn to speak out.

2.  I would love to travel extensively on every continent with camera in hand (okay, maybe just a short stay in Antarctica)

3.  Get photographs published in National Geographic … or dinner with George Clooney … I can’t decide.

List three goals you would like to accomplish in 2010:

1.  Get a paying photography client.
2.  Get back on my bicycle and ride, ride, ride.
3.  Start writing that children’s book that is rattling around in my head.

Please tell us about the photos you are submitting and why they are your favorites.

I have a really hard time choosing favorites of anything if you haven’t noticed…but here goes…

 This is a photo I took is of my second daughter when she is 9 holding our son when he is only a few days old. It’s not the best photograph, but I think it shows such a tender moment.

 This is our house almost three years ago. I love how it’s tilting to get

around light poles and branches.

 My nephews. They were awfully hard to photograph … they didn’t stop moving and

I didn’t have a very good lens when I took this, but its a sweet few seconds between

the two of them when they did slow down.

This is a recent photograph of my oldest daughter.

I hadn’t planned on taking her photograph that afternoon,

but we happened to walk past these beautiful old trees and the light was lovely.

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Thank you Nataila for participating in the spotlight!  I wish you well in your photography adventure this year!  I love your photos and know you are going to do well!