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Women-owned small business Network in Malta

I started this group “Women-owned small business Network in Malta” last year. I wanted to create a place for women like me, self-employed to connect and network so we don’t feel so alone. 🙂 We do monthly meetings, sometimes we simply meetup for an informal chat and very often we combine the meet up with a talk so we can learn from each other. I feel that everyone has a superpower and sharing knowledge is a great way of giving and receiving. And it is always exciting for me to host the monthly meetings and great talks.

Past monthly meeting speakers

In the past months, we had Nicole Bugeja talked about her superpower “The basics of public speaking”, Amanda Savona talked about “3 Steps to attract more clients”, Raiza Borg Carr talked about “Choosing Your Business name – What Steps to Take When Starting Your Own Brand”, Josephine Gauci talked about “Install Passion In All You Do and Create Success”, Maxine Bristow talked about “The correct Mindset For Getting Fit and How to Achieve it”, Marisabelle Bonnici talked about, “Food and Emotions – how to listen to your body” and Mateusz Podgorski, “A scientific and “Measurable” Approach to change your diet for better health and longevity.” It was the super exciting year 2019 with all the amazing speakers we had.

Our group is strictly for “Women” and “self-employed” in “Malta”. If you are “all that”, you’re very welcome to join our group. 🙂

Thank you again all our past amazing speakers and our group member attendances and support. We are looking forward for more great speakers and great topics in our studio.

Link for the group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/365019934135822/

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Business headshot session with Raiza

Raiza is a lawyer and the co-funder of MyHurryApp. She is a lovely, warm and kind hearted person who I absolutely loved working with. She shares her photo shoot experience:

“What can I say? Working on the photoshoot with Amanda and her make-up artist was a really fun experience. I felt really at ease and comfortable during the shoot (this started from the minute I walked in through the door). I loved the makeup and hair styling they did for me – my features were enhanced but my look remained natural. Amanda helped me out during the shoot itself, by showing me work she had researched so that we can do our own shots, helping me push the boundaries just the right amount! It was a really enjoyable experience and I really felt good about myself. Thank you Cranberry. 🙂 “

Read more about Raiza:

  1. NAME : Raiza Borg Carr
    I am a lawyer by profession, and I will be opening my own law office in Luqa this month! I am also a co-founder of a local platform called MyHurryApp which facilitates the looking up and booking of service providers here in Malta, with my husband. My husband also operates software/website development and printing/merchandise ventures and I assist him with administrative and legal work too. Together with what he does, I use my legal expertise (such as my know-how on trademark legislation in Malta) to offer a one-stop shop to our clients so that he can assist them with developing their website and software, as well as the design, printing, and their merchandise. I am however the door they need to knock first as I am the one who can guide them on making sure the business name chosen is a legal and appropriate one which does not cause them trouble in the future.
  2. HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD YOUR OWN BUSINESS: I have only left my full-time job in early 2018 however I guess I was always meant to do my own thing – running my own businesses is great even though difficult at times. There are certain challenges you can only understand when you are actually doing your own thing. Howvever if you love what you do, you will be extremely happy to go through these challenges as you grow a lot.
    4: WHAT ARE YOIR GOALS & ASPIRATIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS: I hope I continue meeting many people everyday, as that has helped me develop on a personal level. I also aspire for my businesses to grow further so that I can continue doing what I love and being able to help people. As Steve Jobs once said (and my husband constantly repeats), the only way to do great work, is to love what you do.
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Photo Shoot with Anabel

“It was a “me to me” birthday present.” She said.

Love the smile of Anabel and the blue velvet dress she brought to the shoot. In fact, she has great taste, every dress she brought was amazing to shoot. 🙂

She looks absolutely beautiful in the green dress I design. I love designing dress and accessories for my photo sessions, I can be so creative. 🙂

Anabel shares her photo session experience: This photo session was a ‘me to me’ birthday present 🙂 It was really easy to relax, ended up being a long session :)… and very convenient to have hair and make up taken care of in same place. I’m very happy with the outcome! The photo shoot was on my to do list and finally managed to do it – would do it again anytime! 🙂

Stunning look of Anabel, the red dress is also design by me, seeing images with my own design dresses makes my heart sing. 🙂

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The Portrait Masters Awards 2019

Early this year I entered an international portrait award – The Portrait Masters, the photographs were judged by 11 judges who are the master photographers in the world. I’ve entered 4 photographs and 3 of them won Bronze Award, I’m super happy about the result!!! I’m already starting to prepare for the next award entries. 😀 Can’t Wait!!

This is Claire. Thank you so much, Claire, for your trust and your artistic mind.

 

This is Rebecca, thank you so much, Rebecca, for being strong and vulnerable in front of the camera.

 

I entered this image to the Portrait Masters for the Creative Portrait category. It is a super competitive category and I’m so so happy that this image won a Bronze Award. This image is a collaboration with the Notarial Archives. Thank you Notarial Archives and Joan being super supportive and thank you, Jade, for being a great model for this project.

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Beautiful Portrait Prints

I always get a bit emotional when I see my work in prints. I love to have them in my hands, I can touch them, I can see the details, they are so beautiful that they take my breath away. That the moment I feel my work is so meaningful, bring beautiful portraits to people’s life, giving the photo shoot experience to people, document their life, their growth and their journey.
If you haven’t been professionally photographed before and you want to challenge yourself to try new things, please go and take a look at my website, I would love to hear from you.  

🔬🔬🔬 Watch this video on Youtube
https://youtu.be/Y-wszZBY47Q

🔬🔬🔬Follow me on Instagram, I share beautiful portraits 
https://www.instagram.com/amanda.hsu.photographer

🔬🔬🔬Watched this photo shoot behind the scene video in our studio.
https://youtu.be/TSV2n6kHOQA

🔬🔬🔬Like my page on Facebook Page for news and updates
https://www.facebook.com/AmandaHsuPhotography

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Artist Portraits for Art Exhibition Incontri

It was real fun to photograph four artists and all of them utilize different media to express their art. I think artists are the most playful, they were like children in my studio. I photograph babies and young children and babies every week, so I’m well trained.

I often get the compliments, “Amanda, you are very patient.” Yes, I am and I think playing is a way of life, the way we learn new things, the way we live, laugh and have fun.

Here are some “Behind the Scene” photos when we were having the photo shoot.

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Getting their makeup done.

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They were curious about how makeup artist Martina and I work together. We were adjusting the makeup 🙂

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When I photograph another photographer, I often got photos taken also. XD That was Enzo photographing me.

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Discussions with Enzo about photography while shooting.

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The artists managed to find toys in my studio to play with while I was shooting. They were just like children, very playful and fun to be with.

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Photographing Josette, this was the second time I photographed her. She is beautiful as usual. And the guys managed to make her smile all the time.

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Shooting and giving instructions for posing.

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Thanks Enzo for the lovely photos of me shooting.

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Discussing ideas with Josette and Samuele.

 

It was a pleasure to photograph artists. These four artists each everyone has their own unique work.

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Josette Fenech, a Maltese abstract painter, her main media are acrylic and canvas.

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Enzo Giummarra, a Sicilian photographer, using shadows as his main subject in this exhibition.

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Samuele Ventanni, an Italian artist, work on different fabric media.

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Emanuele Ventanni, an Italian artist, painting on wood.

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The four artists’ exhibition, ‘INCONTRI’ is an art exhibition that brings together four unique artistic expressions. It is also a meeting point for local and foreign artists, where art meets science. This Art Exhibition is in collaboration with RIDT in aid of Brain Research, a charity exhibition.

The exhibition in University of Malta Research Trust, Valletta, from 9 April to 22 April.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1170480859652207/

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Presentation at photography workshop in Ragusa Sicily.

Thanks so much for the Associazione fotografi Iblei for inviting me as a special guest photographer in the workshop in Ragusa. I was happy to have the opportunity to share my work with fellow photographers.

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12795488_1668039570112891_4651267249940680203_nI talked about my fine art self-portrait project “Her” and receive many good responses. I talked about how I made the photographs and the stories behind them. They are very generous with applause, I was very encouraged and feeling grateful that people appreciate my work and the concept behind them. I’ve also shown some of my recent fine art works which I haven’t shown to public before.

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I had an interpreter Ric for the translation from English to Italian. He had done a great job.

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The workshop organizer Enzo. 12801508_1668037310113117_2552078870531237073_n

I talked about my exhibition project last year Women in Malta, showing the behind the scene video.

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The photographers came from allover Italy. There were 4 master photographers hosting 4 different workshops. They are wedding photographer Vincenzo Ferraro, reportage photographer Charley Fazio, post production Giuseppe Andretta and wedding videographer Vito D’Agostino.

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The workshop event was covered by television and newspaper. I was interviewed a few time by local medias.

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Photo taken with the master photographers.

Thanks to the organizer Enzo Giummarra and people work for the event, they are so hospitable and friendly, everyone had a great time. Learning and having fun should always go together.

It was a very nice and special experience for me. I had a wonderful time.

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