Photographic Visibility & Promotion in the Unexpected Spotlight

In photography, becoming a public speaker or educator is not a likely goal for most. This is especially true for those people who tend to be more introverted or for minorities. We love to produce our art and may not realize that the creative process is only a small part of the work at first. But, being able to share a message, knowledge, or skill can be an important and fulfilling part of your journey and an inspiration to others.

During this presentation, Evelyn Drake will host a discussion with Monika Deviat and Viktoria Haack on why they have pushed themselves out of their comfort zones to show up for public speaking engagements. They will share why it’s important to be visible, their fears and methods to overcome them, and how they prepare, and the importance of diversity and female voices in the roles of speakers and educators.

With one of the primary facets of connecting to the photographic community being public speaking in multiple forms (presentations, interviews, podcasts, youtube, etc.) this presentation will also serve as a live demonstration.
As a photographer, Monika Deviat is best known for her distinctive and award-winning nightscapes and landscape images. She is driven to capture unique scenes under the night sky and inspire a sense of wonder, especially in those who cannot see the stars where they live. Monika’s photography does not fit into a single niche, though. She is also a concert, portrait, and commercial photographer, a dynamic workshop leader, speaker, and writer based in Alberta.
Monika’s start in photography began with her love of heavy metal. She has had the opportunity to photograph many of her favourite bands, from local shows to many festivals across North America and even to international waters on the world’s largest heavy metal cruise. While travelling in 2014, Monika had the chance to try photographing the Milky Way, and in 2015, night photography had hooked her in. This passion for night photography led her to the outdoors, and she has become an avid mountain explorer in the Canadian Rockies.
Viktoria Haack is originally from the UK and a resident of BC, Canada since 2007. She is heavily influenced by the beautiful environment that surrounds her.
She has a background in fine art and anthropology. This combined with her love for the natural world, brings a unique perspective to her photography. Her ethos is to tread lightly; observe and document the subtle visual story within whichever photographic genre she is working.
Viktoria’s work covers the fields of landscape, portrait, wedding, event, promotion, editorial, stock and photography education. The diversity of her work allows cross pollination of skills and experiences between these different photographic genres and allows her to stay creative and excited about the projects she undertakes. She loves nothing more than sharing her passion for photography in an educational role – whether that is over a cup of coffee and a chat or on a multi-day back country workshop.
Viktoria is proud to be a Nikon Canada Ambassador and Global Ambassador for Lowepro Bags. She has been published by numerous media outlets around the globe, both online and in print and is a regular contributor to Photo News Magazine.