Summer is turning the corner into Fall, and with the changing seasons came the end of our 8th annual Star Kids Modeling Contest.We raised an awesome donation for the UK Children’s Hospital through the contest, thanks to all of our participants and generous sponsors.
We are beyond excited for this year’s group of winners:there were 21 category winners and two overall winners for each age group (0-3yr olds, and 4-14 yr olds).Our Star Kids Winners joined us at Kids Place last Tuesday night where we revealed the winners, handed out prizes and goody bags, and celebrated the money raised for charity!
Here are this year’s grand prize winners (drum roll please….)
Last week, my wonderful little boy turned one!It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything about Wells on the blog & I couldn’t resist updating all of our reader’s on his latest milestone.
A few weeks before his big day,
July 25th, Wells took his first step and almost immediately became a pro at walking.He’s so inquisitive now! He attempts to get into everything- cabinets, magazines, drawers & basically anything else within his reach.
His vocabulary now consists of DaDa, MaMa, NaNa & light (which he pronounces “ight”)I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anything other baby having “light” as one of their first words, but then again, he isn’t just any other baby : )
He’s funny, adorable, stubborn, smart & spoiled rotten, & I wouldn’t change a single thing about him for the world.
We discovered little Miss Lilly earlier this week when she visited Portrait Shoppe for professional head-shots. From my office, I heard Lilly telling Michael and Karyl she would be trying out for the musical Annie in a few weeks.After hearing about her upcoming audition, of course Michael had to hear her sing.
Next thing you know I hear this amazing voice coming from the lobby- this little girl could sing!If you only hear her voice, you would never believe she is only nine years old.In fact, her Annie audition is on her upcoming 10th birthday!
Good Luck Lilly! We’ll be rooting for you here at Portrait Shoppe : )
They say, “Good things come to those who wait…” and that’s exactly how our search for a new photographer went here at Portrait Shoppe.
After months of waiting for the perfect candidate to fill Ryan’s outrageously large shoes back in December, we were beyond thrilled when Karyl walked through our doors with her contagious smile and sweet personality!We wanted to get to know a little bit more about the newbie around here so I did an exclusive, spotlight interview with the fabulous Karyl Mullins! Enjoy…
Where are you from originally? I was born and raised near Pikeville, and lived there until I was 18.After living in North Carolina for a few years, I moved to Lexington in 2001 and have been here ever since.I love living here in the horse capital of the world, and the home of the Kentucky Wildcats!
Tell us about your family! I have been blessed with an amazing family.I married my high school sweetheart.We have been together for 17 years, married for 14.We have two beautiful children.Our daughter is 13 years old and loves skating (especially ice skating) and reading, and our 10-year old son loves to play football, soccer, and video games.
Do you have any hobbies (Besides photography of course!)? Amimals!!!I help foster animals whenever possible.I will share my home with them if they are sick or homeless, and enjoy finding them a ‘forever’ home.Our latest addition is a 4 week old kitten that we found abandoned at Beaumont Centre when it was less than 2 weeks old.We have been bottle-feeding her and watching her grow!
What’s your favorite book? Anything by Jonathon Kellerman.I haven’t read all of his books, but Monster is easily my favorite of his books.
What’s your favorite movie? Dirty Dancing has been my favorite movie since the 4th grade.I was Swayze Crazy!I introduced the movie to my daughter a couple of years ago, and we have watched it together at least a dozen times since.
Have you been anywhere out of the country? Does Canada count?Other than Canada, the closest I have come to being in another country isOktoberfest in Disney World!
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? Germany : ) To visit my brother and his family.My family is planning a vacation there sometime within the next year.
Are you a dog person or more of a cat person? I am definitely a dog person.Dogs are loving, faithful companions.I have two dogs (Lola, a pug and Ellie, a Yorkie-Poo).They greet me at the door each day and are like my shadow whenever I am home.
If you could pick one color to describe you, what would it be? Yellow.I try to be a happy and positive person.
What’s your favorite or most inspirational quote?
"Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." (Mother Teresa)
What’s your favorite ice cream flavor? Chocolate
Do you go by any nicknames? The normal…mommy, sissy, honey…
What are you most excited about as the newest PS photographer? Other than working with an amazing group, I’m excited because it gives me the opportunity to be uniquely creative with the people I photograph.I am very happy to be part of the Portrait Shoppe family.
Feel free to swing by and meet Karyl! We are so excited to have her!
I don’t know about all of you readers, but I’m tired of waking up to rainy days! The bluegrass has been full of rain, tornadoes and flooding for weeks now, but there is sunshine in our studios!
How, you may ask…
Well, our STAR KIDS modeling competition is finally here! Being as I just started at Portrait Shoppe in October, I have yet to experience our Star Kids Modeling so I have been anxious for this time of the year to roll around!
We have worked alongside Images Modeling Agency for eight years now raising money for the University of Kentucky Children’s hospital through our Star Kids competition. We are bound and determined to make 2011 our most successful year yet!
The overall winner will receive a full scholarship to Images Modeling Agency and all participants and category winners will receive goody bags and other prizes donated by participants in our community!
Last year's 0-3yr old winner!
So, do you have an aspiring model at home? Or, simply need a good excuse to bring the kids in for portraits? Call the studio and schedule your appointment, or sign up online!
Now that Paw-Traits 2011 has come to an end, it’s time to announce the winners! The Paw-Traits Party earlier this week was a success and PetSuites and Portrait Shoppe are proud to announce we donated over $1,250 to the Canine Caner Foundation.
The Paw-Traits contestants enjoyed doggy pizza and dessert from the Barkery and strutted there stuff down the red-carpet while at PetSuites during their party. The winners were revealed and pretty much the rest of the party consisted of doggy play-time!
Now, what we've all been waiting for! Here are the winners … (drum roll please…)
Teddy: Overall Winner, Large Breed, and Fan Favorite
Ralph: Medium Breed Imagination
Romeo: Large Breed
Jake: Medium Breed Reality
Josee: Small Breed Imagination
Red: Small Breed Reality
Thank you to all of our participants!
~Kallie
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Hello Again Everyone!
I have learned quickly, through the hustle and bustle of parenthood, it’s easy to get wrapped up in simply maintaining a daily schedule, opposed to living (and truly ENJOYING) each day.It’s important to relax, sit back and laugh along the way.
It may be easier said than done, but it’s something I am personally working on in my own life, and I thought I would share it with you readers. : )
So how will we laugh today?
I found this article via a friend’s Facebook page. These, “Parenting Tips” took me on a stroll down memory lane, and reminded me of the silly things people told me before the baby, when he was a newborn, and even now that he’s an 8 month old. Enjoy!
It was just a normal day at the Portrait Shoppe when a sweet lady walked in while I was typing away at the front desk. She mentioned needing headshots taken to go on brochures for a conference she would be speaking at next week. I scheduled her portrait session and asked for a number we could reach her at, etc., when she just ever so modestly handed me her business card that read, "WORLD OLYMPIAN ASSOCIATION," ...
Hmm... I thought, "there's no way," but, sure enough, she was a real-life Olympian! (actually, a two-time Olympian...)
She told me a little bit about herself and answered all of the questions I had for her at the time- after all, I had never met an Olympian before.. let alone a GOLD MEDALIST. She has an amazing Olympic story! She is such an inspirational woman and we truly feel honored she visited us here at Portrait Shoppe. Thanks Micki : )
Micki King with her Gold Medal: 1972
Micki King visiting Portrait Shoppe: 2011
Here's a tiny snapshot of Micki King's Olymipic story, courtesy of her personal bio...
Micki King, is the 1972 Springboard Diving Olympic Gold Medalist. King, a retired US Air Force Colonel, served 26 years on active duty.Her second career was Assistant Athletic at the University of Kentucky where she served 14 years.
The gold medal she won in Munich is one of the Olympic Games’ most exciting comeback stories.In the 1968 Olympics at Mexico City, King was leading the competition going into the final three dives.On the second of her remaining dives, a miscalculation caused King to hit the board breaking her left arm.Despite the mishap she gallantly tried her last dive, but dropped from first to fourth.No medal.
During the four long years between the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games, she did double duty with her Air Force job and her intensive training program. She earned 10 national US diving titles on the way to her second Olympics. It was in Munich, where Micki King captured her gold medal doing the same dive she did with a broken arm four years earlier.
We also had the privilege of interviewing Micki exclusively for you blog readers...
Where did you grow up?
I was born in Pontiac, Michigan and lived there until I left for the University of Michigan where I studied Journalism and Physical Education.
Through out your travels, what is your favorite city?
I’ve been around the world several times over and it’s easier to name places I don’t like, than to pick a single city I like “best.”However, a place that remains special to me over time includes Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the first Olympic Games.This inspiring, historic city is a passionate experience for all visitors, but for Olympians, all of whom are truly connected to the deep history this site holds, it is especially touching.
On the other side of the world, I fell in love with Sydney, Australia during the 2000 Olympic Games. Then there is Shanghai, China (wow) and, I’ll never forget visiting the Principality of Monaco where I met Princess Grace and was invited to a “pool” party in the Royal Garden.
Still, all said, Munich, Germany, where I won my Olympic Gold Medal will always be most special in my heart.
Do you still dive and swim today?
I love a dip in the pool on a hot summer day, but I don’t swim serious laps or dive from a board for fun any more.I’ve discovered it’s easier to remember the good ole days than try to re-live them.
What is your favorite book?
I do love to read, but admit reading takes a back seat when I’m running crazy with several projects at once.However, I’ve discovered audio books and now I “read” more than ever!My all time favorite book is “Hunt for Red October.”I’ve read it, listened to it, and seen the movie many times over.
What is your favorite color?
Chartreuse
What are your hobbies?
I play tennis three or four times a week.
What is your favorite Olympic memory?
Each Olympic medal at the Munich Olympics was engraved on the thin ledge with the winner’s name.I quickly checked this out.My Gold medal was engraved “Nicki” King.They spelled my name wrong!I was escorted to the engraver who spoke very little English.So, I slowly explained … my name is “MIC-ki but my medal says “NIC-ki” and could he change it??
He was clearly upset by his mistake.After a long moment, he lifted his eyes to mine and said in broken English, “much easier for you to change name, than to change medal.” And, it reads Nicki King to this day.
What words of advice do you have for others?
I live by the motto “Make it better for those that follow.”This philosophy has guided me for a long time and it applies to everything I do – big or small – rangingall the way from lobbying Congress for women’s sports and Title IX, to pushing a stray shopping cart from the parking lot back to the store.Opportunities are there everyday for every one of us to simply “…make it better …………”
Thanks again Micki! We can't wait to see you again soon.
Can you believe it’s almost March?!? Wells is turning the corner on SEVEN months old this weekend.Even saying that out loud sounds crazy… time is really flying by! Last week I brought him into Portrait Shoppe for new portraits. He did awesome (mainly because Shelly was playing peek-a-boo with him from behind the camera- he loves that game!)
Being the typical Mom that I am, I had to share the finished product with everyone! And as you can see, he can sit up very well on his own now. (Go Wells!) Oh-yeah, and any day now he should be crawling so things should be getting interesting… enjoy the portraits!
Who’s ready to actually learn how to use their camera at home? I know I am! I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of not capturing those special moments at home with my own camera because the pictures don’t turn out how I’d hoped.
Thankfully our senior photographer, Shelly, will be giving us all some tips that will have us well on our way to sprucing up our photography skills!Join us for our Photography Training Class here at the Portrait Shoppe! Here are the specifics….
·When:Saturday, February 26th from 11-1
·Where: The Portrait Shoppe of course!
·Who: Anyone and Everyone! (Don’t worry all you beginners out there- all skill levels are welcome!)
·Cost: FREE for UKC members and $49 for anyone else that would like to join us!Don’t forget, this includes a catered lunch as well as our photographer’s awesome class.
·How: Just call us at the Portrait Shoppe, (859)277-6671, and we will sign you up today!Or click here to register via email!
I know we all wish Shelly could come over and personally photograph all of our kid’s milestones/holidays/birthdays/etc., (well, at least I know I do!), but since that can’t happen, the next best thing is for her to teach us how she gets those awesome portraits of our children.
Sample month was a HUGE success!We are in the process of creating tons of new samples for our galleries, and we met some awesome kids during their portrait sessions with Shelly!
We will be featuring all of our models in our advertisements, on our website, Facebook and of course some will be featured here on Portrait Shoppe’s blog!
Our first model we would like to present is Taelor! She did such a great job during her shoot, and she is also an aspiring model.With her curls and adorable smile (and a sweet personality to match!) this 12-year-old is well on her way to success.
So, here are some of the portraits from Taelor’s session for you reader’s to enjoy- we sure did!
Thanks again for participating Taelor!And all you modeling scouts out there better hurry up because this girl is one of a kind! : )
I’m an avid blog reader. I love finding new and interesting blogs to read whenever I have downtime, even if that equals only ten minutes before I go to bed at night. Usually, I like to read blogs by moms- it’s nice to relate to other women out there!
Aside from Mom blogs, I like to find inspirational blogs as well. It’s so easy to have such a hectic schedule that you forget about everything in the world except for your own little sticky note of things to do. The other day I came across a blog that truly made me take a double-take and I wanted to share it with the rest of you mom’s out there!
What I found was the Day Zero Project. It’s basically a giant to-do list: 101 goals to accomplish in 1001 days. I haven’t started my list of 101 things yet, (keep in mind I’m in the presence of a 6 month old all day- I’m not superwoman or anything lol) but I plan to start this weekend!
Well, I hope you may also be inspired to start writing your list! I also recommend checking out the Day Zero Project Blog!
Now that my son, Wells, is almost six months old we have ventured into the world of baby food!We started him on baby cereal at about five months and he did like it, but I found the cereal to be VERY messy. Baby food is much easier to feed him without getting it all over the place!
So far, he has seemed to like every kind he has tried, but I guess anything with flavor would be exciting to try for the first time.You can’t feed it to him fast enough though- it’s the funniest thing.As soon as he swallows a spoonful he will let a big whine and give you the, “what’s taking so long MOM?” face.
Looking back at his portraits I posted on the blog in November, I can’t believe he has already grown so much in only three months!Now I am starting to understand why parents always say to cherish these moments while he is so tiny and lovable.
We are so excited! Our phone has been ringing off the hook at the studio about our Sample Month! I figured since a lot of you mom’s out there seem interested in the chance for your kid’s to model for Portrait Shoppe’s galleries I would go ahead and post some of the information for you.
So let’s get down to the point here….
·We have five openings for each of our three galleries: Sleepytime, Reality and Imagination.
·Each model will receive a FREE session, FREE digital image, and a FREE slideshow of their images!
·You must schedule your appointment during January.
·You will have the chance to also purchase your child’s images if you would like.
Spots are filling up fast, so if you’re little one is destined to be a model (or if they simply want to have fun being a sample at the Portrait Shoppe) be sure to call us ASAP! Or, if you're like me and your little one enables majority of your contact with the real world outside of the internet, click here to schedule your appointment online. : )
As we all anxiously wait for the New Year, our furry friends are anxious about something else…
Lexington’s 3rd annual PAW-TRAITS of course!So here are a few more details about Portrait Shoppe and Pet Suites’ Paw-traits contest for Fido, Sparky, Gizmo and all the other pups out there that just can’t wait any longer!
There are three different judging categories:small, medium and large breed.
Portrait sessions can be anytime from January 1- Feruary 28th.
The judges will pick two winners from each category along with one overall winner.
A party for the participants will take place at Pet Suites in March and the winners will be announced!
There are awesome doggy prizes including a wall portrait from Portrait Shoppe, a $250 gift certificate to Pet Suites, goody baskets from the Barkery and much more!
We are so excited for this years contest!Feel free to call the Portrait Shoppe @277-6671 if you have any questions or want to set up your pet’s portrait session!
Having a five month old baby boy, I often think to myself, “You know, he really needs a friend.”Not another sibling, but a puppy!Every time I get this sporadic notion, my boyfriend reminds me of how we can’t exactly fit a puppy in our tiny apartment.
I just remember being about six years old and my parents surprising us with a puppy on Christmas that year.My brother’s and sister and I had to share him of course, but it still was the best Christmas present I can remember.Dexter was a long- haired Golden Retriever with the playfulness of a child and a truly big heart.He was a people person to say the least.
When I was in college, I distinctly remember receiving a phone call from my Mom that made my heart just sink into my stomach.Dexter had a tumor in his mouth, and he was too old to be put under for surgery.It was growing bigger everyday, but luckily, Dexter felt no pain.
After about six months Dexter passed away from the tumor, but he will always have a special place in my heart- as I’m sure everyone’s first puppy does!
When I started working at Portrait Shoppe I was very excited to hear that our Paw-Traits contest benefits the National Canine Cancer Foundation.Canine Cancer is becoming increasingly common so I’m glad we contribute to such an amazing cause!!
2010 was an awesome year for our Paw-Traits competition! I just wanted to give all of you readers a glimpse of last year’s competitors! There were two winners for each category (small, medium and large breed) and one overall winner (Kalu, the Great Dane in the bigger picture!) If you have a dog, you don’t want to miss this!
It’s tons of fun and the best part about Paw-Traits is it raises money for the Canine Cancer Foundation.
We can’t wait to meet this year’s furry contenders!Remember to schedule your pet’s appointment sometime in January or February to participate!
Christmas is the favorite time of year for so many people, but it is unfortunately one of the least-well photographed holidays. Want to really make this Christmas memorable? Here are some of our very own tips (from the pros at Portrait Shoppe) that will help make your Christmas photos stand out!
1. Make a list...Check it twice!
At this time of year you are busy with so many things (gifts, cards, wrapping, travel plan, etc.) that it's easy to overlook the camera. Make it a point this year to prepare for photo taking: charge your battery before Christmas day, have a fresh memory card (or 2, or 3...), you might even set up your tripod the night before so it's ready to go in the morning!
If you're traveling for Christmas, pack your camera bag and all the accessories the night before (you won't want to have to try and think of all those details in the morning), and please--whatever else you do--remember to bring your camera with you!
2. Add Light
Indoor photos are notoriously dark, so you'll probably have to add some light to get the exposure correct. But don't use your on camera flash - it ruins the "mood" of the photo! Find a way to bounce the flash off the ceiling or the wall, or add light from another source: a window, a bright lamp - anything you can find to brighten the room.
3. White Balanced Christmas
Many Christmas photos are taken inside, under many differently colored artificial lights. White balancing your camera is a must if you're going to have natural colors in your photos (and especially if you are taking Tip #2 seriously).
4. Take Befores and Afters
The best presentation of any Christmas morning is NOT photos of your kids opening every single gift, but rather a "before" and "after" photo of the tree. You could also do a "before" where the kids are holding their stockings, and and "after" with the candy strewn about them on the floor. Think of other creative ways to capture the Before/After dynamic of Christmas day!
5. Gift Opening: Continuous Shooting Mode
Set your camera to continuous shooting mode for gift opening, so that as your kids are tearing into their gifts you can simply press and hold the shutter button. This will help you capture the perfect expression on your child's face as he/she is seeing what Santa brought them. (then please see Tip # 9!)
6. Avoid Clutter...in your photos, that is
The biggest error of most Christmas photos is the busy-ness. There is so much stuff decorating the houses during this season as it is; then you add gifts, wrapping paper, and lots of people, and it quickly become a visual mess! Try your best to lessen the clutter in your photographs:
• Every photograph should have only ONE subject: decide what it's going to be for each and every shot, then shoot only for that
• Find your focusing point (highlighting your subject) then blur the rest of the photo by getting in close and using a shallow depth of field
• Fill your frame, cropping out the other stuff in the room that is not your subject
• Set up your camera in a spot where there's not a lot of complicated scenery in the background
• Especially avoid any light emitting electronic devices!
7. Go Macro
Get close up on the gifts, ornaments, lights, nativity sets, and food. Christmas is full of little treasures, go on a hunt for them and get up close to them for maximum effect.
8. At least one GREAT Group Photo
Every Christmas needs at least one photo of the whole family together. Instead of waiting until right before everyone leaves (and is exhausted from the day!), take the group shot early in the day when everyone's fresh and still excited. And put them all really close together (closer than they want to be), and make use of different levels and heights (have some people sit, kneel, bend, etc.)
9. Edit Like Mad!
When the day of shooting is over, you might have a couple hundred photos from the day...you do not need every one of them! Nobody (not even you) needs to endure having to look at photographs of every single Christmas gift being opened. So really go through your photos carefully and pick only the ones that really capture the joy and spirit of the season, or exclaim the personality of the person. Toss the ones of everybody just sitting around looking dull, the one of your husband you snapped while he was in the middle of a sentence, and ALL the blurry ones! Everybody (and you most of all) will appreciate it!
10. Tis the Season for Sharing
Want to be the hero of the season? After you've distilled your photos down to the best couple dozen (use Tip #9), make that last extra push to get them up on Facebook or another photo sharing site before the day is over. Why not wait? Because there's something really special about Christmas day that makes people feel warm and fuzzy, and the sooner they see photographs the more they appreciate them and the more they remember just how wonderful it really was.
Hopefully you can put these to use this Christmas season and really "WOW" your family with your photograph skills this year!
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