STEPHENVILLE Two young women are hoping to reap the benefits of a photography business by going through the Youth Ventures program this summer.
The previously established business of Gejigow Photos will be in full swing starting in late June when Minal Hoddinott returns home from university in Nova Scotia. She thinks it’s going to be a hit season for the business, which just recently added Kristen Hamel as a partner.
The family business was originally started back in 2004 by her and her parents Terry and Georgian Hoddinott but Minal took it over on her own in 2006. Now she and Hamel have joined Youth Ventures and will be going into it big time this summer.
“Last year I was involved in Youth Ventures a little but this year it will be a lot heavier,” Hoddinoott said.
The business is offering services to minor sports, family portraits, graduations, weddings, baby photos and scenic shots of Newfoundland.
Both of these young photographers are self-taught and have been taking photos for years and are now both equipped with Canon T-3 SLR digital cameras and a variety of lenses. While they don’t have a website, Gejigow Photos does have a Facebook group and can be found at www.facebook.com/groups/gejigowphotos.
Hamel is looking forward to getting outdoors this summer and doing lots of scenic photography. The company has two weddings already lined up and is hoping to get some work with reunions.
She first started out with hand-me-down film cameras from her parents and gradually moved up to the digital cameras.
“I always enjoyed picking up a camera and playing with it. I learned by eye, feel and how to use the lens,” she said.
Megan Elliott, the southwest coast regional co-ordinator for Youth Ventures — which are sponsored by the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Community Business Development Corporation, will be traveling to schools on the southwest coast during the next few weeks to talk to students about entrepreneurship.
She’s encouraging those between the ages of 12 and 29 to contact her of they’re interested in starting their own businesses.
In addition to helping young people come up with ideas, Elliott can help with business plans and promotional materials. She can be reached at (709) 643-1231 or longrange@youthventuresnl.com.
Contact info
Stephenville/Bay St. George
Co-ordinator: Megan Elliott
CBDC Long Range
Phone: (709) 643-1231
Email: longrange@youthventuresnl.com
Deer Lake and Area
Co-ordinator: Melanie Bingle
Grand Lake Centre for Economic Development
Phone: (709) 635-3861
Email: grandlake@youthventuresnl.com
Corner Brook/Bay of Islands
Co-ordinator: Sheri Bombick
CBDC Humber
Phone: (709) 639-7758
Email: humber@youthventuresnl.com
