Announcing the winner of The Lola bag by Epiphanie!

#11 :: Janine Coveney

Congratulations, you are going to love that bag!

Thank you all for taking the time to enter this contest and for sharing your images!  We love seeing people interpret a theme and we will be doing more of that soon.

This contest was a random draw for the winner, but looking through all the links, we found some amazing photographs and we wanted to share just a few of our favorites with everyone.  Please enjoy some of the entries for the “red” theme!

Left                             Right

Jodi Palmer           Tomi Omololu
Charlie Jones        Vanessa
Candice Renee      Corina
Maggie Otharan    Tania
Lisa G                      Kelly West Mars

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

We will be selecting the winner via Random.org in the next day.  Due to the close of the contest falling on Easter here in Australia, please allow for a few extra hours before we post the winner!  We know everyone is excited, but there are some Easter baskets to be filled!

Maile Wilson has donated a red Lola epiphanie camera bag for our latest contest here on Beyond Snapshots!  It is a gorgeous bag and we are excited to have this chance to share with our readers!

This is another photo contest and in honor of the red Lola bag that is up for grabs, we want to see your red themed photos.

Here is what you need to do.  Take a photo (or pull one from your archives) that represents red.  Get creative, the photo does not have to be all red, nothing but red…we are looking for something that means red.  Once you have your photo, you need to post it on your own corner of the internet…your blog is best, but it could be facebook, flickr, just somewhere where we can see it. Make sure you tell everyone about the contest on your post and spread the word about epiphanie bags and beyond snapshots!

Once you have posted your red photo, come back here and click the link that says “you are next” to enter your details. You will need to provide the url of your photo post where it says “blog url” so that we can see it!

You have until April 2nd to enter. The winner will be announced on April 3rd. We’re looking forward to seeing what you have for us!

Want extra chances to win? If you follow us on twitter, join our facebook fan page or retweet our contest tweet, you can come back and leave another entry!

and we are talking about a GORGEOUS epiphanie camera bag! Ours arrived just a few weeks ago and they are even better than we had imagined.  Maile Wilson, the photographer/designer behind these awesome new camera bags generously sent us our choice of her range to review…  Rachel went for the Lola, a bright red funky shoulder bag.  Peta opted for the brown tote, Ginger.  The best part of this, Maile sent an additional one (a Lola just like Rachel’s new bag) for us to give away to one lucky reader!  They both look nothing like any camera bag we have seen! (In a really good way)

First, lets talk camera bags!

Maile has set the style bar high from the very moment you open the box.  The bags arrive in their own branded protective case (wrapped in plastic for the ride) in a color that matches the interior of the bag.  It was a little worrying at this point that the bags might be just nice looking and not strong camera bags, but one zip later when the actual bags were revealed, there was no doubt of their strength and beauty.

The red bag is quite tall.  It fits Rachel’s D3 with a lens (currently the 50mm f/1.4G, but has also been successfully tried with bigger lenses and there were no issues) and an additional lens, wallet, small makeup bag and iPod.  All safe and easy to find in the soft lavender interior.  There is also a zipped pocket that is the perfect size for some extra CF cards and the White Balance cap.  Rachel tucks her keys in one exterior pocket and her BlackBerry in the other.

Peta has less stuff to cart around than Rachel, so the Ginger bag is MORE than enough bag for her Canon 5D with the 24-70mm f/2.8L lens attached, wallet, makeup bag, iPod and more.  This bag has more spots to store things than most carry-on bags, yet it looks almost smaller than Rachel’s red one.  This is a bag for someone who loves to divide and organize with 4 exterior zipped pockets and one on the inside.  It is a lovely chocolatey brown with a bright robin’s egg blue interior.

Both bags come with long, padded, detachable shoulder straps in case you want to wear it slung over the body.  They are made of a rich feeling and looking faux leather and are so well constructed.  Both come with removable velcro dividers so that the interior can be set up to fit the gear you carry.  No detail has been left out with the choice of hardware and even the silver camera bag tag.  I think the thing that struck both Rachel and Peta is the fact that even though the bags are packed with the camera, extra lens and personal stuff…they somehow feel lighter than carrying the camera alone.  Not sure if it is the slight elasticity that the handles seem to have  that allows for this, but it is great and was the surprise bonus of this bag.  Great looking and super comfortable to carry.  These are impressive camera bags and it shows that these are the product of a long and careful design process.  We asked Maile a few questions just to give our readers a bit of back story.

Give us your story in an elevator pitch…the quick and dirty…was there an “a-ha” moment or did this come about in a more fluid way? When did the idea came about and then how long it took for you to get the bags designed and produced? Any major things you learned in the process that made these even better than you imagined they could be?
The idea for a camera-handbag came about when I realized I had so few decent pictures of my own life. As a professional photographer, that felt like a sacrilege. And I knew it was for the simple (albeit lazy) reason that I hated carrying a camera bag. Even though I’m pretty hard on my equipment, it always felt like a gamble to be wrapping up such expensive gear in a hand towel, and then shoving it into my purse.

When I realized there were no camera bags on the market that could truly pass as a hot handbag, I set out to create one. It took a little over two years, and if I’m honest, the process was grueling. I could go on forever with stories about the many times it all seemed impossible. But I really believed in what I was doing. I knew I was creating a product that women photographers needed. So when I got to the road blocks (after a few tantrums), I just moved as much as I could in that moment. Because even an inch gets you that much closer to your goal. And after a while, the inches add up.

How did you name the bags?
I named them because the whole idea of creating stylish camera handbags seemed like an “aha” moment (an epiphany). I had never seen it done before, but the idea in itself is relatively simple. I used the French spelling, mainly because I just thought it looked better in the logo, and wasn’t so literal.

I also really like the concept of “epiphanie” because it plays out in so many ways. It’s my goal to build this business on more than camera bags. But to also have it be a catalyst for people to find inspiration, as well as their own “epiphanies”.

How did you decide on the colors?
I’ve gotten this question a lot. Basically, I love color and I just selected what I would personally use. I don’t think there’s a color in the spectrum which can’t be paired with either turquoise or red. Then again, that’s me.

And we’ve been pretty overwhelmed with requests for a little black Lola. So, of course we’re listening, and she will make her debut sometime around the end of summer.

Will the new styles replace the old ones or will they be in addition to these 3?
The original styles will stay around/expanded on with different colors as long as they’re selling consistently.

Where is the farthest these bags have traveled? That you know of.
Hmm.. Singapore? Australia ? I’m not sure. But it’s definitely been a dream come true to watch them fly out the door, and all over the world.

When will the new styles be coming out, and how many new styles are there?
We are hoping for the end of summer/ beginning of fall. I’m not sure about details right now because we’re still going back and forth with the sample process and a lot can change. But we’re always eager to hear ideas and (constructive) feedback. We read every single suggestion that is sent in, and we’re working really hard to make more products that are as functional as they are fashionable.

What do you want people to know about these bags and yourself?
That’s hard. I guess I’d want people to know that they are labor of love, and a testament that one foot in front of the other can eventually make magical things happen. I’d also want our customers to know that we’re truly grateful for them.

Next post on Beyond Snapshots… Instructions on how to win your own Red Lola Epiphanie Camera Bag here!

You can find Epiphanie bags at their website, blog, facebook and twitter

Congratulations to Elizabeth. We asked her to share a few words about what this image meant to her. Here’s what she had to say:

A massive thank you to everyone that voted! All the kind words on the comment section were lovely to read and filled me with so much joy.  I absolutely loved looking at all the entries.  And seeing everyones faces.

My shot was taken in the morning light on our family bed. My son, Josh, and I were having a jump around on the mattress. Shhhh don’t tell my partner – being a stay at home mum is hard work. Really, it is. While we were jumping around I grabbed my camera. It was just a fun, chaotic moment I wanted to have forever stored on film. Ahem pixels. I want my son to have memories of him and I enjoying life long after I’m gone. I hope this photograph will do exactly that. Mummy loves you Josh.

We were so overwhelmed at all the wonderful images put forward and so was Gabi from My Funky Camera, so she has generously provided a discount code for the readers of Beyond Snapshots. Enter beyond at checkout to receive 10% off your purchase of anything in store. For such beautiful handmade quality they are already so reasonably priced, so this a sweet bonus. We received ours and they are gorgeous with their rich colors, impeccable detail, and they are so comfortable, with the softest black lining. You’ll be seeing ours soon.

It has been such a treat getting to know you all through the images you shared!  Your photos and comments moved us so much.  There were so many great shots, it was hard to pick just 15 finalists. Thank you for all your entries. There are many more fun competitions and giveaways to come, so if you missed out this time, stay tuned for more.  The point is to get you all shooting and learning and with such busy lives, just entering is a win in itself.  We love putting names to faces.

Now, we need your help to pick the winner!

Please vote for your favorite shot from below. Voting closes Thursday night at 5.00PM EST.

One vote per day, but every vote counts, so send the link to all your friends and remind them to vote every day.

Competition now closed – Thanks for all your wonderful entries!

One downfall of being the family photographer is that you will often end up missing out on being IN the shots.  We hear adults say “I hate having my picture taken” so many times on family portrait shoots.  That really is too bad because photography is not as much about vanity as it is about memory.  And if it really is a combination of vanity and memory for you, embrace blur and the healing brush in photoshop.  The point is, remember to be present in your children’s photographic memories of childhood…for them.

To encourage you to stop hiding behind the camera shield and to get a chance to “meet” our readers, we would like to run a contest!

To enter:

1. Take a shot of you and your little one/s.  (No little ones?  Just you will be perfect.)
2. Upload that photo to your corner of the internet (a blog, flickr, twitter, a public facebook page etc)
3. Link back to beyond snapshots (using this url http://www.beyond-snapshots.com/blog) and tag the photo with ‘beyond snapshots’
4. Come back here and let us know about it!  (Leave the link to your photo in the comment section so we can see it.)

At the end of the week we will pick the finalists, and put them all up here on the blog and start the voting. The image with the most votes will win their choice of gorgeous camera strap generously provided by:

To get you inspired, here are some photos of Rachel with her kids. If you have a remote, great. If not, there are a few ways to get the shot. Self timers, shooting into a mirror, or holding the camera out at arms length. Have fun and be creative. We can’t wait to meet you!

Remember:
You have until Saturday evening (US time) to get the shots up for us to see and we will post the finalists next week.

Renee, congratulations, we will be in contact with you soon!

Thank you all for your support as we get this thing going. Don’t worry if you missed out this time, there are some great giveaways coming up, stay tuned!

We are starting with us and will be giving away other really cool things from our sponsors in the future, so bookmark and check back often!

This week’s fun little prize pack is a set of Rachel’s awesome actions, The Basics Set, (which you can find out more about here) And a 16×24″ print of the cause chaos and run amok poster Peta designed, in a color of your choice.

This is a really easy contest, to be in the running to win these goodies, simply link to beyond snapshots from your little corner of the web using this address http://beyond-snapshots.com/blog.  It can be pretty much anywhere, your blog, website, twitter, facebook etc.  For us to know about it and  to get your chance to win the prize pack you need to leave a comment here.  So we know where you have shared the Beyond Snapshots blog, list the place that you linked to us from in the URL field of the comment form.

At the end of the week we will draw a winner with the random number generator from random.org