Portrait Shoppe is teaming up with Pet Suites and The Barkery to host Lexington's 2nd annual Paw-Traits Modeling Contest. Now is your chance to celebrate the furriest member of your family and have loads of fun! Two contestants will be selected from our small, medium and large breeds categories. Participate in either fantasy or traditional styles and take a shot at winning some great gift baskets....(if Fido's stocking just wasn't enough) :)
Who knows...maybe your pretty lil' pup could be our next grand finalist!
Curious about the competition? Check out last year's...
If you have never read it before, please take a minute and read this awesome story! Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.
Santa Claus will be here at the portraits shoppe all this weekend and next, Dec. 4th and 5th - just call us up or make an appointment on the web to get your children's portraits made with him!
Christmas is for love. It is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for reuniting with family and friends, for tinsel and brightly decorated packages. But mostly, Christmas is for love. I had not believed this until a small elf-like student with wide-eyed innocent eyes and soft rosy cheeks gave me a wondrous gift one Christmas.
Mark was an 11 year old orphan who lived with his aunt, a bitter middle aged woman greatly annoyed with the burden of caring for her dead sister's son. She never failed to remind young Mark, if it hadn't been for her generosity, he would be a vagrant, homeless waif. Still, with all the scolding and chilliness at home, he was a sweet and gentle child.
I had not noticed Mark particularly until he began staying after class each day (at the risk of arousing his aunt's anger, I later found) to help me straighten up the room. We did this quietly and comfortably, not speaking much, but enjoying the solitude of that hour of the day. When we did talk, Mark spoke mostly of his mother. Though he was quite small when she died, he remembered a kind, gentle, loving woman, who always spent much time with him.
As Christmas drew near however, Mark failed to stay after school each day. I looked forward to his coming, and when the days passed and he continued to scamper hurriedly from the room after class, I stopped him one afternoon and asked why he no longer helped me in the room. I told him how I had missed him, and his large gray eyes lit up eagerly as he replied, "Did you really miss me?"
I explained how he had been my best helper. "I was making you a surprise," he whispered confidentially. "It's for Christmas." With that, he became embarrassed and dashed from the room. He didn't stay after school any more after that.
Finally came the last school day before Christmas. Mark crept slowly into the room late that afternoon with his hands concealing something behind his back. "I have your present," he said timidly when I looked up. "I hope you like it." He held out his hands, and there lying in his small palms was a tiny wooden box.
"Its beautiful, Mark. Is there something in it?" I asked opening the top to look inside. "
"Oh you can't see what's in it," He replied, "and you can't touch it, or taste it or feel it, but mother always said it makes you feel good all the time, warm on cold nights, and safe when you're all alone."
I gazed into the empty box. "What is it Mark," I asked gently, "that will make me feel so good?" "It's love," he whispered softly, "and mother always said it's best when you give it away." And he turned and quietly left the room.
So now I keep a small box crudely made of scraps of wood on the piano in my living room and only smile as inquiring friends raise quizzical eyebrows when I explain to them that there is love in it.
Yes, Christmas is for gaiety, mirth and song, for good and wondrous gifts. But mostly, Christmas is for love.
We specialize in photographing kids. But something we’ve grown into in the last couple of years is taking portraits of the furriest children…that’s right, pets! Last year the Portrait Shoppe introduced its first annual Paw-traits modeling contest: a chance for your dog (or dogs) to come to the Portrait Shoppe and show off their goods with the chance to win some cool prizes. Well, it was such a hit last year that we can hardly wait to start that up again and see more of those adorable canines! Here are some of the basics about the contest:
1) You must be a dog to enter.
2) Your owner must think you’re cute (or pretty, beautiful, handsome, dashing, etc.)
3) You must come to the Portrait Shoppe to have your portrait taken for the contest.
4) One image per session will be chosen and entered into the contest.
5) You may chose to enter into either the Reality or Imagination category, or you may enter both and give yourself double the chance to win!
6) Winners are chosen based on size (small breed, medium breed, large breed) and category, so there are six category winners!
7) All judging will be by PetSuites of Lexington.
8) Contest begins Jan. 1, 2010!
If you have questions, please call us and ask (yes, we speak “woof”). Pets truly are simply furry children, we can’t wait to celebrate them this season! We’ll see you soon!
Christmas '09 is shaping up to be AWESOME here at the Portrait Shoppe! We've got Santa coming back right after Thanksgiving, we've got a brand new background, and even some staff changes from last year!
Be sure to be on the lookout for a Christmas Postcard in the mail from us with all the details on how to book your Christmas Session. Keep in mind: Call us early to get the day and time that's best for your family! The later it gets the busier it gets, so call now and get it scheduled while you can.
Also, in the meantime, keep reading our blog and looking for updates on Facebook and Twitter! Thanks so much for following us there - we've really enjoyed it! See you on the web and in the studio!
We had a BLAST on Halloween! We had a few great sessions, and all in costume, baby! Check out these awesome images from one session with 3 little angels, courtesy of their mom.
The 3rd little angel isn't in these shots because she's only 2, and she wasn't quite up for playing with us. The portraits turned out great, and (as you can plainly see) we had an awesome time! Thanks to Jill for providing us with the pictures from her own camera!
So it's Saturday evening, your kid's all dressed in full Halloween garb and about to hit up all your neighbors for sweets and holiday goodness, and you want to commemorate this oh-so-adorable event with a few pictures. Here are 9 tips from the photographers at the Portrait Shoppe that may help you capture the mood and feeling of All Hallow's Eve in your portraits:
1. Know what your subject is
There will be no end to the things you can shoot at Halloween: from jack-o-lanterns to scary decorations to kids in costume. Figuring out exactly what it is you want to photograph will make your photographs much more pleasing to look at and easier to understand. Halloween is a time of color, emotion, and its full of all sorts of interesting subjects - take them one at a time , pick one to be your main focus in each shot, that way each one will stand out boldly.
2. Find interesting details to focus on
All good images have something in them that holds the attention of their viewers. Rather than taking all wide shots from 5 feet up, find the details that make the moment memorable. For example, instead of having the kid hold the pillow case of candy up by his head, have him reach in a grab as much as he can and hold it up by his face. That is a much more emotional and exciting photograph! Find the little details about her costume that really make it special and use those as your focal points. Everything you'll see on Halloween will be full of detail - like the point about picking your subject, don't try and focus on too much at once.
3. Fill the frame to increase drama
Zoom in! (But please, whatever you do, DON'T use the "digital zoom" on your camera!) Get in close and fill the frame with your subject. This helps to crowd out unwanted distractions in the background and it heightens the drama of the portrait. Whether its people or objects, getting in close will usually at a good punch to your shot.
4. Experiment with fresh camera angles
It's probably the case that the day after Halloween, photo sharing websites will be filled with images of pumpkins and ghosts with winter coats on that all look very much the same. Make your images stand out by finding fresh angles to shoot from. Try getting super low or super high and see what difference it makes. And if you really feel bold, angle your camera a little bit. The key is to experiment; some angles will be absolutely terrible, some will be a breath of fresh air - play around and see what you like.
5. Pay attention to the background and surroundings
A great picture of your child in costume can be totally ruined by the TV on in the background, or the dishes in the sink peaking out from behind her head. Remember, even though you may only be focused on how cute she may look, your camera is picking up everything in its field of view. Move your subjects in front of a simple background, or one that doesn't have a lot of distractions in it. If you can, remove everything from the scene that doesn't belong in the "period" of the costume: for example, there were no wristwatches in the medieval period, nor were there bookshelves in neverland. One other thing to consider in your surroundings and background is color - something too similar to the costume may blend in to your subjects, but something too different may clash. A little attention to these things ahead of time will result in images that really pop.
6. Turn off your flash (if you can)
No holiday is more dramatic, edgy, and dark than Halloween. Photographing your little ghouls under bright lights or the flash of your camera will severely dampen the effect of this mood that characterizes the holiday. If you can, photograph them in natural light - sunset lighting is AMAZING for these pictures! Make use of interesting light, such as candles, to add a really cool mood to your pictures. Just remember to tell your subjects to keep still while you get the shot!
For those who have cameras with the capability: 1) increase your ISO - the larger your number the more sensitive your image sensor is to light and the darker conditions you can shoot in without having to slow down shutter speed. 2) slow down shutter speed – choosing a longer shutter speed lets more light into your camera. On the downside you’ll see any movement in your shots blur (which might add to the spookiness of the image but could also ruin it). Consider using a tripod if you lengthen your shutter speed. 3) use a larger Aperture – this widens the hole in your lens and lets more available light in. It will also lessen the depth of field in your shots.
7. Jack-0-lanterns
A special note about photographing Jack-o-lanterns: it is particularly tricky to get the full effect of the eerie glowing inside. Instead of just the one candle you keep in there normally, it's probably a good idea to use 2 or 3 for added light. Then set your camera down on a tripod or something sturdy (table, chair, etc.). Don't forget to keep your flash off!
8. All about the attitude
"Hey, look here and smile!" Come on, how many superheroes want to pose like a little kid? Do you really think that a witch is going to try and look pretty for you? This may be your kid's one big chance in the year to bring out their inner actor - let them perform! Ask them to go overboard with attitude...trust me, you're kid knows how to ham it up! Encourage this by addressing them and interacting with them as though they really were Spiderman, or Peter Pan, or Aurora the princess. Kids LOVE this stuff - let them be completely enveloped by their character, and make sure your shots capture the energy they give!
9. Tell the story
Finally, don't just take random photos throughout the night - chronolog the event through your images. Take the before shots of the kids getting into costume; take the after shots of the kid asleep at the Halloween party. Try to get some candid moments of the trick-or-treating and please don't forget to catch the excitement in their faces when they get their first piece of Halloween candy! Photograph the moments, not just the stuff - your images will stand out from the crowd!
We are starting something really cool - we are going to Spotlight the most important part of the Portrait Shoppe: YOU! Well, your kids, probably...but don't worry, they're the cute ones anyway! This Spotlight feature is going to be a regular section of our Portrait Shoppe Blog, so make sure you check back often to see the latest and greatest coming out of our studio!
Today, we get to feature something 3 times as fun - TRIPLETS!!! We had an adorable triad of 9-month-olds come in together, and all in UK Blue - too cute! Check it out!
Now you can come by and sign your name up on our wall...no, not our Facebook wall, our REAL wall...you know, hard? Made of Sheetrock? Usually covered in paint and/or wall paper? Yeah, that kind of wall! The next time you come by our studio, definitely stop by and have your kids put their John Hancock on our front wall (don't worry...if your child doesn't know how to write yet, scribbling is just fine with us!). Seriously - try it! Check it out:
[caption id="attachment_168" align="aligncenter" width="475" caption="Michael christening our new wall"][/caption]
We bought this awesome paint that turned our wall into a chalkboard! We got it at Lowes for $12, and it works great! I may try this in my house - just think: now you can be glad that you're children are writing on the wall! If you like the idea for your kids' rooms, you can find the same paint HERE.
So, really, come by and have your kids write on our wall - anything they want! BTW - you can post on our Facebook wall too...just follow this link!
Hey everybody! I'd like you to meet the newest member of our family: Micah Paige!
He was born at 5:51 am Tuesday morning, Oct. 6. Mom (Aura) is doing great, and his 3 older siblings are all very excited that he has finally arrived. We're all a little exhausted, but we couldn't be happier!
So now I'm a daddy of 4...wow! That's almost hard to believe! As the t-shirt says, "Life is Good!"
I'll keep you updated as I have opportunity - but keep checking back for more family updates from us at the Portrait Shoppe!
Boy this has been a crazy month! We danced and dressed up in all kinds of funky costumes. We gave away a Wall Portrait and even made some honorary Portrait Shoppe staff out of your children. Why? Well...sometimes it's nice to celebrate just to celebrate. And that's what September was about for all of us - fun for its own sake!
I wanted to share with you the last of our crazy outfits from this month - it was Superhero Week! Those of you who watched the results of the Wall Portrait giveaway will have already had a preview of Shelly's and my outfit. But, for your viewing pleasure, here are the Superheroes of the Portrait Shoppe, immortalized forever on this blog!
All in all, we had a BLAST!!! Thanks so much for coming by and "playing" along with us.
BTW, if you want to get your children photographed in their Halloween outfits, we'll be offering a $29.99 special! It also comes with a free family portrait session, so make sure you book enough time for that as well.
We're sorry to see September go, but we had so much fun...maybe we'll just have to do that again sometime soon! Thanks again for making it worthwhile!
P.S. And for those of you who think that all we did all month was play and did no work, here's proof otherwise:
Today is a very special day! We are giving away a free wall portrait to one of our lucky UKC (that's Unique Kids Club) members who had a photo session during the month of September. Once in a while we get to do something really cool for our UKC's, and this is definitely one of the coolest! So, without further ado: the winner is..........
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Thanks so much to everybody who did come and "play" with us during this craziness! We have had a BLAST! Don't forget to check back here at the end of the week for some updated hero photos (yes, you will most certainly want to see Batman - Adam West style!).
September is still goin' strong, and we've been rockin' to the music of the 1950's all this week! Check out our own version of the Greasers from that era:
Come on down and rock and roll with us. We'd love to know: What's your favorite song from the 1950's? Tell us, and we'll have Shelly dance to it... seriously- check this out.
Now, come on - who WOULDN'T want these two tearing up the dance floor to your favorite hit from the 50's!
Set your jukebox back a few decades, and jitterbug away - the Portrait Shoppe is continuing it's Crazy September with 50's week! Currently, our favorite song is "Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis, a classic rockabilly hit!
Stop by the Portrait Shoppe this week to see some our own versions of the Greasers and Pink Ladies! And who knows...maybe the Fonz will even make an appearance...or Elvis - we'll take either.
We'll be posting pics of our outfits later in the week - keep an eye out!
THIS JUST IN: One of the pirates, a dangerous looking bloke who, as best we can tell, is called "The Dread Pirate Ryan," seems to have recently recruited a first-mate. This new buckaneer looks to be even more dread than Ryan himself. Our advice: stay in your house! Lock your doors! If these pirates continue their rampage at the Portrait Shoppe there's no telling what could become of all our children!
As a famous king of England once said in a movie, "Run Away! RUN AWAY!"
I don't know what's worse - the fact that there are pirates running amok in Lexington, or that they're taking photos of one another!
Pirates are attacking! Pirates are attacking! A confirmed visual has been recorded in Lexington, KY of Pirates run amok among a local strip mall. See for yourselves:
Don't take our word for it, come see it yourself - actual, real-life pirates have attacked the Plaza at Fayette Mall!
September is underway - and so is our crazy dress up plan for the month! If you didn't stop by last week you missed what was sure to be the most natural and comfortable of all of our theme weeks - Pajama week! We all got to hang out in our sweat pants and bath robes at work. Here's a snapshot of us that one of our kids took (not OUR kids, of course, one of our Client's kids). Anyway, she caught us as we really were last week!
[caption id="attachment_116" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="The PJs of the Portrait Shoppe"][/caption]
So, if you missed it, fret not! You can come in your pajamas anytime you want! (You'd be surprised how many people will stop by and do just that) Plus, this week is even more exciting! Seriously - stop by and check it out!
(Hint: if ye bring yer wee buckaneers o'er t' th' Portrait Shoppe this here week, we'll make them an official swashbuckler with a lit'l piece o' eight. Arrrgh!)
Alright, so the other a client of ours came in to look at her daughter's portraits that we had taken about a week before. She arrived with all 3 girls in tow (all three of whom have been lovely subjects at the Portrait Shoppe before). Her oldest, Erika, just began kindergaten this fall and I haven't seen her since her birthday shoot back in the spring. Well, she comes in with a loose tooth - one of the front ones, too. So I make the bad joke of knocking it out for her. Well, lo and behold, as I pretend to knock her tooth out (I didn't touch her, I SWEAR - you can ask her mom), Erika puts her hand to her mouth and spits out...her TOOTH! Right in front of us! Plenty of kids have come in with loose or missing teeth before, but this was our very first time that a tooth was lost here in the Portrait Shoppe!
[caption id="attachment_111" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="Erika with her newly missing tooth (it's in the envelope)"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_112" align="aligncenter" width="302" caption="Erika and her sister Madelyn"][/caption]
Here's the tooth itself...yeah, the image is blurry...and it was taken by me: a photographer! How embarrassing ;-)
Way to go Erika! I hope the tooth fairy was good to you! What's her going rate now, $1? $2? $5? I got a quarter when my teeth fell out - what did you use to get?
5. Pay attention to the background and surroundings
Thanks Ladies! We had a GREAT time, and your portraits are 
[/caption]
[/caption]
[/caption]
[/caption]
He was born at 5:51 am Tuesday morning, Oct. 6. Mom (Aura) is doing great, and his 3 older siblings are all very excited that he has finally arrived. We're all a little exhausted, but we couldn't be happier!
So now I'm a daddy of 4...wow! That's almost hard to believe! As the t-shirt says, "Life is Good!"
[/caption]
[/caption]
[/caption]
[/caption]
Posts
