A hometown portrait photographer with a worldwide reputation is working around the clock to help young patients at Royal Victoria Hospital.

Diane Wilson, a resident of Stroud, is working with Jill and Janet Munro of Munro’s Furnishings to produce a keepsake album, titled “Our Children of Simcoe County” from February 12-21.

“Our goal is to photograph 500 children from across Simcoe County between the ages of six months to six years old,” Wilson says. “These images will be collaged into a beautiful, glossy yearbook.”

All net proceeds from the yearbook will be donated to RVH.
The owner of the Until Dawn Portrait Studio, Wilson was born in Toronto and moved to Innisfil 30 years ago. She enjoyed a successful career until a little more than 10 years ago.

“I was in corporate sales, but I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999,” she says. “I had it severe – I just couldn’t take the stress any more.”

Photography had always held a keen interest for Wilson, so the next step was logical – and turned out to be a smart career move.

“I had always loved photography and I have a lot of imagination,” she says.
Wilson combined her talent and desire to launch her own studio while gradually developing a burgeoning career as a mentor, coach and trainer to others in her profession.

“I’m inspired by the photographers I’ve met while travelling around the world,” she says.
Frequent ports of call now include Las Vegas for convention work, Tennessee and New York. Approximately one-third of her time is spent on the road. Wilson has also conducted seminars for aspiring photographers from as far afield as Mexico, Chile and even Hong Kong. And she was recently a keynote speaker at the Texas Professional Photographers Association.

“I’m often hired by other photographers to come and teach them how to set up their studios and train their staff.”

Wilson is also well known for the four years she operated a portrait studio at the 400 Flea Market.
“I’ve done thousands of local families,” she says.

Recently, she moved her studio to a spacious second floor location at Munro’s Furnishings on Commerce Park Drive. Wilson estimates she has invested $150,000 in props and costumes at her new studio that opened Jan. 15. Her camera, lenses, lights, computer and accessories are on top of this figure.

For the past couple of months, she has devoted virtually all of her time to the Our Children of Simcoe County project.

One morning last week found her hard at work putting together promotional packages for the event with Janet and Jill Munro.

“At first, we thought we could do this in a few days,” Wilson says. “We know better now.”
“Jill had her baby photographed by Diane. That’s how we met her,” says Janet. “We liked her idea and we wanted to do more to help children. It’s not too often you can donate to a good cause and get something back like this yearbook.”

“We are all affected in some way by RVH,” Wilson agrees. “Right now, I’m totally involved with this project.’

Tickets are $20 each and the women hope to raise between $10,000 and $20,000. Sessions must be pre-booked. The cost of producing the yearbook is being offset by sponsorship from area businesses.

Wilson adds there are numerous prizes to be won, plus a $1,000 RESP that will be drawn on February 23.
For more information, or to make an appointment, call 436-5535, or visit www.OurChildrenOfSimcoeCounty.ca