I'll bet he or she does! There isn't a single child we've ever photographed that has not been beautiful and worthy of being called so. Winning a modeling contest isn't so much about perfect looks and flawless skin as it is about showing off and capitalizing on your child's particular beauty. Here are a few tips on preparing for, picking out, and producing a photography session that will send your child's image right to the top of the list!
1. Style Matters
There are two distinct styles for Star Kids Modeling Contest: Reality and Imagination. It matters not only because they are judged separately, but because you want to choose the style that best suits your child's look and personality. Is your son a real dreamer who likes to play pretend and perform for you at home? Then the Imagination style will allow us to capture him in his best moments. Is your daughter down to earth with a quiet smile and a tendency to talk rather than play? Then the Reality style will present her in a much more suitable way. When deciding think less about what you want to see, and more about what's going to best showcase your child.
2. Planning Ahead Makes A BIG Difference
This might be common sense, but don't go into your portrait session completely unprepared. You'll want to make sure that your child's outfit fits the background/set you doing. Talk with the photographer (call the studio and ask who your photographer is going to be) and discuss the session with them - that helps a LOT! Get your son or daughter plenty of rest the night before his/her session (trust me, this one is huge!). For all these details, check out our video learning center (choose the "preparing for the shoot" video).
3. Act the Part...
Regardless of which style you choose, it's important that your child is really fitting that style to make it really work. This is beyond the personality and outfit we've already mentioned, this is about having your child pose and act appropriate to the scene. For Reality images, this means more traditional poses, less big goofy smiles and more soft natural faces, and strong eye contact with the camera. For Imagination images acting the part is extra important - let your child's imagination really run wild! If she's a mermaid, do your best to encourage her to imagine herself as one and discover the ocean world; if he's a cowboy, we're looking for rugged poses and snarls. The very best thing you can do is to really let the photographer set the pace of the session and to encourage your child in the same way.
4. ...but Be Natural
As important as it is to "act the part," what you must be wary of is the tendency to be fake. One of the most destructive thing a parent can do for a child's portrait session is to tell them, "now make sure you smile really big!" Kids stick out there chins and give us a great big "CHEEEEEEESE!" ... which is cute, but it's not going to win a modeling contest. Likewise, if your child is being forced to behave a certain way he or she is more likely to freeze up and not look right at all. You have to let kids be themselves; if they are goofy let them be so, if they are shy that's okay - the important thing is to let them be them. All kids are beautiful, but not all in the same way - you want to let your child's individuality really come through in the portraits.
5. Show Off Your Child's Best Features
Like we just said, it's very important to showcase your child for who he/she naturally is. To bring out their natural beauty, we want to highlight their best features. Not every 18 month old is doe-eyed; if yours is, then we'll make sure we spotlight some close ups, but if not then pick whatever distinguishing features your child does have and highlight those instead. This is where picking the right pose comes in to play: the photographer will photograph your child in a number of different poses, from a number of different angles; it's ultimately your job to pick the pose that gets submitted to the contest. You'll want to pick the one that really spotlights your child's best features.
6. Uniqueness vs. Perfection
As far as picking a pose goes, your photographer will help you and give you suggestions as to which he/she thinks is the best pose, and often that's enough. But you'll have to make a judgment between a more candid, personality filled image and a more posed, traditional looking image. I hate to tell you this, but there is no "right" answer, it's a judgment call - and the winning portraits will often have both. Typically, however, you need to have the perfection in place before you have the uniqueness. What I mean is, you may see a shot that "is just so your child!" but it may not be a great pose, or may show his/her face in a less than ideally flattering way. Well, as much as you love that shot, don't submit it to the contest - buy it for yourself at home. Look for the poses that are primarily good poses/looks, and secondarily have a unique flair about them.
Another word about uniqueness: many times the modeling contest will result in a number of people in the same few poses...because they work. A pose that isn't often seen, though, will stand out in a judges mind. Anything you can do to have the judges remember your child or look at his/her image for a few extra seconds is an advantage. So, if there is a pose that you haven't seen much before and it's got the markings of perfection (mentioned above), then it might be a good one to choose.
7. For Goodness Sake--Have Fun!
This may seem trivial (after all, it's a competition, right? We want to WIN!), but you have got to have a good time! There's nothing good that comes from a portrait session with a miserable child. So if they're not having fun it's essentially a bust. Did you watch that video on our learning center yet? No? Okay, watch it now by clicking here. One of the most important points is to relax and tell your child that this is a fun thing, NOT a big serious deal...because it's not. Star Kids is a casual, relaxed event that is intended to raise money for UK Children's Hospital - it's not pageantry. Though there are some substantial prizes, it's more about fun. So, relax and have fun, and let your child have the time of their life doing it!
This past weekend we had a baby lamb as our guest - he was born on Wednesday, and we began shooting portraits on Thursday! Wow! What a special opportunity to be holding and photographing a newborn animal. He slept A LOT...babies usually do. But he was beautiful, and the kids loved him! We were completely booked with lamb portraits on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and this week has been full with selection and purchase appointments! Whew! We can't wait to show you some of the images, so make sure you check back here soon - the next post will be lamb portraits from 2010!
They are so CUTE!!! They're just babies, only a few months old. They just came today, and they'll be here for another 3 weeks! You can use them in your children's Easter portraits on any background you like! To get an idea of what the Easter images look like, check out our seasonal gallery. Bunny appointments will be available from now through April 3rd!
And, of course, next weekend is our lamb portraits!
Sorry we can't show you a picture of the lamb, but it's probably just been born and we don't know what it looks like yet - but it's always adorable! Lamb portraits are some of the most elegant we take all year, so don't miss them!
There are only 6 more appointments left open for the lamb portraits! Hurry and call us at 859.277.6671 to get your appointment reserved!
Spring has Sprung, the snow is gone, and Easter season has arrived!!!
Check out this video to see how much fun we always have at the Portrait Shoppe around Easter! Then hippity-hop to the Portrait Shoppe to get your own children in Easter portraits with live Lambs and Bunnies!
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/9888442 w=500%h=281]
Live bunnies will be here from March 12th-April 3; the lamb will only be here March 18th-20th! Don't forget to book your appointment EARLY!!! Easter portraits are very popular and fill up fast. So call us up at 859.277.6671 or make your appointment online today!
Portrait Shoppe is proud to introduce the models from the 2010 Sample Month!
Last month we had Sample Month: All month we were looking for models to help us build and update our images collection. Well, here's a selection of what we got...
So you're going to be seeing these faces (and others) around the Portrait Shoppe in the upcoming months (and maybe years!) Be sure to regularly check out this blog, our Facebook page, our website, and our studio to see your favorite models!
Originally the deadline to enter was Feb. 28th - that has just been extended all the way to March 31st! So PLEASE get your furry friend in here to help us raise money for the National Canine Cancer Foundation (wearethecure.org). It's a great cause!
Like this video? See it in HQ on Facebook! Click Here...or over there ---------------------->
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...
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!
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!
It was a great summer, and we had a blast with all of your kids!
Thank you to Images Modeling Agency for doing all the judging of the contest...we don't envy your position and are grateful for your partnership.
A Big Thank You to all of our sponsors! Your donations really make this contest something special. Those who donated to SK this year are: Beef O' Bradys, BHG, Boyd Orchards, Champs Roller Skate, Chick-fil-a, Chuck E. Cheese's, Cinemark, Collins Bowling Lane, Cookie Cutter's, Corky's, Fitness 19, Friday's, Kids Directory, Kids Place, KY Horse Park, LA Boxing, Lexington Legends, Life Way, Logan's Roadhouse, Maggie Moo's, Moe's, Panera, Pet Butler, Scholtzsky's Deli. When you redeem your prizes, please make sure you pass on a thank you for helping and let our sponsors know they are appreciated!
And to all of you who participated this year, THANK YOU!!! You have once again made Star Kids a success! The UK Children's Hospital is very grateful for the donation you helped to provide. We look forward to seeing you all in the near future!
Beautiful, aren't they? Well, those are all the winners from last years Star Kids Modeling Contest!
Every summer the Portrait Shoppe puts on our very own modeling contest: Star Kids! This is the 6th Annual Star Kids Modeling Competition, and it's going to be awesome! Once again Images modeling agency is going to be doing our judging, and as always a portion of the proceeds from Star Kids every year goes to benefit UK Children's Hospital. Here are the basics you need to know to get you child or children entered into Star Kids:
Dates: May 1st -August 1st - Your portrait session needs to be done within this time period. *Suggestion: get it done early, because the end of July is crazy busy with people trying to cram it in!*)
Ages: 0-12 - We've added an 11 and 12 year old category this year, so you can even bring your older children in!
Categories: 0-11 mo., 12-23 mo., 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-1, 11-12. Within each age category there are 2 boy winners and 2 girl winners: one reality (traditional) winner, and one imagination (fantasy) winner.
2 Overall winners: one 0verall winner from ages 0-3, and one overall winner from ages 4-12.
How do I get started? Just make an appointment at the Portrait Shoppe - call 859-277-6671 or schedule an appointment online.
What about scenes and outfits? For Star Kids, there are NO RESTRICTIONS! You can wear anything and use any of our scenes - but we have to have individual images, group shots won't work.
How do you choose which image to use? We don't - YOU do. We'll help you of course, and give you suggestions, but the final decision is yours as to which image you want to submit.
What does my child get if he/she wins? Every participant, winner or not, will get a 4x6 of the image they choose and a goodie bag full of prizes, coupons, and discounts at all participating businesses in Lexington. Typically those gift bags are worth somewhere in the vicinity of $100. The category winners will get more substantial prizes: gift certificates, dinners, etc. And the overall winners? Free registration and classes at Images Modeling Agency!
All you have to do to get started is call up the Portrait Shoppe and schedule a photo session before the end of Saturday, August 1st. 859-277-6671. But don't wait too long, or you might not be able to get a spot.
We look forward to meeting your Star Kids, and seeing them shine right here!
We had an AWESOME time this past Easter! The kids all had such a great time playing with the bunnies and the lamb this year, and they all looked super-cute!
Every session was special, each child brought something unique and wonderful to the images. You can see from the few we have here that they were all so different, and so special.
Our Lamb was named Joey (we're not sure how we picked Joey, but it worked) - he was only 1 week old during the portraits! What a trooper - he lasted through every single portrait session (and the kids thought they had a hard time!). Normally we get 2 lambs, but because Easter was a little later this year, the lambing season was almost over and we were lucky to get this little guy. We were definitely sad to see him go after that weekend.
We had two bunnies this year also. Their names were Siegfried (Ziggy) and Smidge. Smidge was appropriately named because he was only a dwarf. Once during a session with him, one of our clients asked, "he's not going to get much bigger, is he?" And Shelly responded, "maybe just a smidge." Thus, the birth of the name Smidge - most of the time he rode around in the pocket of Shelly's sweatshirt! We got to enjoy them for a couple of weeks. All the kids loved them too!
The kids were amazing this year - they were well behaved, fun, energetic...just overall it was a great group of little people!
Thank you so much for making this a spectacular Easter! We would love to see you all back again next season!
We were given a special treat this particular Easter - Brian's mom Erin took a picture of the photographers with Joey the lamb! This is a picture of Brian (isn't he just adorable?!), his mom Erin, Shelly and Ryan (the two Portrait Shoppe Photographers), and Joey the star of the weekend! Thanks Brian and Erin for this cool gift!
Back in the month of February, Portrait Shoppe teamed up with Pet Suites of Lexington to host the 1st annual Paw-trait Modeling Contest. Having never done a dog modeling contest before we we're sure what to expect or how well it would be received by Lexington.
Well, we are happy to report that it was a huge success! Not only did we enjoy ourselves thoroughly, but we had a great turnout: over 20 entrants! Lots of the owners were thrilled that we did this because for some the dogs were their children, and this gave them an opportunity to celebrate the furriest members of their family. But the best part was that we all pitched in together to make a significant donation to the National Canine Cancer Foundation. Thank you for helping out!
2009 Paw-trait Winners
THANK YOU to everybody who participated in this event! We had a blast - we hope you did too. We look forward to seeing all of you next year, and we anticipate that this Paw-trait Modeling Contest will grow and grow, getting bigger, better, and furrier each year.
If you have been into the UK Children's Hospital recently, chances are you've seen our work (and maybe not even known it). We were honored to be able to put up a display of our photographic artwork in their wing over the summer of '08. Well, just in a recent publication of theirs we found this page talking about that very thing!
It is a privilege for us to help out this area in our community. We are also pleased to be able to donate proceeds to the Children's Hospital every year from our big summer project: the annual StarKids Modeling Contest. To learn more about StarKids modeling contest, visit our website! (Hint: the link is over there, on your right...a little farther...down...there you go! Now - CLICK!)
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!"
Posts
