Every year we have dozens and dozens of beautiful and handsome entrants to the Star Kids Modeling Contest. Thankfully for us, Images Model and Talent Agency takes on themselves the hard job of selecting the winners. The overall winner of the Star Kids contest is then offered a full scholarship to Images children's classes to get some professional modeling and acting experience. Some of the winners from years past have gone on to pursue further performance venues. We caught up Alena, mom to 2009 winner Gianna, and she gave us a wonderful update on how her little winner was doing. So, here's what Gianna has been up to and how winner the Star Kids Contest affected some of those decisions!
The Star Kids Modeling Competition was a wonderful experience for Gianna. Of course, her favorite part of the entire experience was the photo shoot in the Portrait Shoppe Studio. From the dressing room, the costumes, and the personal attention provided by the staff, Gianna felt like a star even before being selected as the winner. The pictures turned out so beautifully, we had a hard time choosing a favorite to enter in the contest!
When we entered the Star Kids contest, our main priority was to great some great photographs capturing this magical youthful time in our child's life. However, winning the contest greatly improved Gianna's confidence. She went on to win Little Miss Madison County and represent the county at the state fair pageant. She also really enjoyed the classes at Images, especially memorizing scripts and practicing on the runway. Since completing the course at Images, Gianna has participated in several local fashion shows including pageant store Jack N Jill, and is also featured in the current ad campaign for Posh Tots Boutique in Richmond.
Whatever Gianna does, she likes to do it with an abundance of style and fanfare. Gianna is currently training with the Level 3 team at Excel gymnastics in Richmond, where her coach often refers to her as Little Miss America. She also just completed her 4th recital with Bluegrass Dance Center, where she studies tap, ballet, creative dance, and hip-hop. Next week, Gianna will graduate from Kindergarten and looks forward to a summer vacation filled with swimming, reading, play and (probably) mischief. While acting and modeling were never our original plan, Gianna will also attend theater camp to decide if she would like to further pursue acting.
Thanks so much Alena for providing us this awesome "snapshot" of Gianna's life and success! We wish her well.
Interested in getting your own child in to become a Star Kids winner? Make sure you check out the details of Star Kids in 2010 (below), then call the Portrait Shoppe at 859.277.6671 to make an appointment or even just ask questions, or go to the web and contact us that way.
Portrait Shoppe is proud to produce STAR KIDS: Lexington's Annual Children's Modeling Competition.
For 7 years the Portrait Shoppe has been running the Star Kids Modeling Competition, an informal portrait competition that benefits UK Children's Hospital. It is judged by the wonderfully talented people at Images Model Agency. It has always been a success, and this year is going to be no different! And for the first time in7 years, we've made some positive changes to the contest! Here's what you need to know about getting your child into Star Kids. When is Star Kids? Star Kids begins May 1st and run through most of the summer. 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!*
What are the age restriction? Anybody ages 0-12 is eligible to enter (that's your age as of May 1st, the beginning of the contest).
How is Star Kids judged? Star Kids is broken down into Age, Gender, and Style Categories, so there are lots of opportunities for your child to win! The age categories are: 0-11 months, 12-23 months, 2-3 years, 4-5 years, 6-7 years, 8-10 years, 11-12 years. Within each age category there are 2 boy winners and 2 girl winners: one Reality winner, and one Imagination winner. There are also two overall winners: one from 0-3 years, one from 4-12 years. All the judging is done by Images Model and Talent Agency - we (the photographers) get too attached to your children to make fair, objective judgments!)
How do I enter? All entries will be chosen from photographs taken at the Portrait Shoppe during the eligible months. All you have to do is make an appointment at the Portrait Shoppe. You may call the studio (859.277.6671) or you can make an appointment online (click here). But don't wait too long to make your appointment, or you might not be able to get a spot!
Does it cost anything to enter? The entrance fee to the Star Kids Modeling Competition is $99. This covers your session fee, your registration for Star Kids, the donation for UK Children's Hospital, and $50 towards whatever order you place.
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. You may submit multiple children per family and/or a child into more than one category, but there will be an individual entrance fee for each.
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. (See our post about How To Win A Modeling Competition for some suggestions on this.)
What does my child get if he/she wins? Every participant, winner or not, will get a 4×6 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!
Why do Star Kids at all? Before it is anything else, Star Kids is a benefit for the UK Children's Hospital. The Star Kids Modeling Contest has been donating to them for 7 years, and has raised thousands of dollars! This year we're making an extra effort: we are doubling our donation from all previous years! In addition to that we are also donating a percent of the total sales from the contest to the UK Children's Hospital. So the 2010 donation is expected to be significantly larger than any we've made yet. But also (and not unimportantly), Star Kids is FUN! It's fun for you, for your child, for us...it's just a good time all around. So come and be part of the fun! We look forward to seeing your Star Kid and helping them to shine!
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!
We're right in the middle of our Paw-traits Modeling Contest. For those of you who don't know much about it, it's Lexington's 2nd Annual Dog Modeling Contest, all to raise funds for the National Canine Cancer Foundation. It is hosted by ourselves and PetSuites of Lexington and it runs all the way through March 31st! To learn more about it Watch This Video, Read This, and call us at 859.277.6671.
Well, as we've been photographing all these dogs, we've noticed a few things that may help when you want to snap a great photo of your own furry friend.
1. Save the play for after the photos.
Your dog likes you...I mean, really likes you! And he wants nothing more than to be in your lap. And if you engage this highly loving creature in some physical play before you try and get pictures chances are you wont get him to stay still long enough to snap the photo. So muster up your own self-control and save the rough housing until after your photo session is done.
2. Keep treats handy.
Dogs respond incredibly well to extrinsic motivation (a.k.a. bribery). So keep a handful of treats available to bribe your dog with - chances are she'll stay still if she knows she's getting something for it. The thing you have to remember then is, make sure you actually reward your dog for her good behavior! If you don't she won't have any reason to keep sitting. WARNING! If you keep treats in your pocket so your dog won't see them, just make sure she doesn't smell them out, or you're done for! And whatever you do, DO NOT bring out her favorite ball or toy!!! (See trick #1)
3. Play with camera angles.
Dogs don't photograph the same way as people; they look great from some really funny angles and terrible from others. Use a variety of angles and focal lengths when photographing your furry friend and see what works and what doesn't. Keep in mind that the most classic dog images from the art world are often with the dog looking off to one side.
4. Pay extra special attention to the background!
It's ALWAYS crucial to watch your backgrounds in portrait photography, but with dogs you should take extra care because their fur will blend in to the background if it's similar in color. Try and choose a background with vibrant color that isn't found in the dogs fur, or against the opposite light/dark background from your dog's fur (e.g. if your dog is black, try a white or light colored background - NOT black!)
Above all else, have FUN! And make sure your dog has fun too! After all - they're worth it! Enjoy your adventures!
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 ---------------------->
Let us introduce you to Nellie, one of our first entrants for the 2010 Paw-traits Contest
Isn't she adorable? These are the kind of photographs that come out of the Paw-traits Contest, and we're hoping to see a lot more just like this! Nellie's family has helped make a difference for Canine Cancer Research by being a part of Paw-traits...you can do the same. Just give us a call at 859.277.6671 and make an appointment for your furry friend, and you can have images just like Nellie's!
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!
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!).
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!
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 thought that Portrait Shoppe only does photography for individuals and families, well broaden your horizons!
Once in a while we actually have the opportunity to do photo shoots for other business or events. We have done dance studios and animal hospitals, but one of our favorites is the cover shoot for Lexington Family Magazine. They are an awesome, free publication here in central Kentucky. They are an incredible resource for families of all types and address all kinds of issues. (Oh, by the way, it's FREE for you to pick up a copy). And, in our opinion, they have some of the most educated, well researched, on target editorial material out there - did we mention that it's free? You should check them out at www.lexingtonfamily.com
Alright, commercial over - Over the past few months we at the Portrait Shoppe have had the privilege of doing the photo shoot for many of their recent covers! It's really cool for us because we enjoy all the adorable kids, and Laurie (Event Coordinator at Lexington Family) always comes to make the experience particularly enlivening! So, next time you pick up your FREE copy of the magazine, flip open the front cover and look to see if the photo was taken by the Portrait Shoppe (all the ones on the left here have been).
Think your kid is cute enough to make it onto the cover of the Magazine?
Well, come and find out! Every year, in April, Lexington Family Magazine hosts a Summer Camps & Activities Fair. One of the events is the cover model search. Yes, anybody can enter their child into the search by sitting for a quick head shot, taken by yours truly - the Portrait Shoppe! Last year we took head shots of over 325 kids (thank goodness we don't have to narrow them down - we certainly don't envy that job)! It's free (like the magazine itself) and fun for everyone!
Date: April 11th, 2009 from 10am to 2pm
Location: Lexington Christian Academy
(for more details, see their website - particularly this page)
So, enjoy the cover shoots! And we'll see you at the camp fair to take portraits of your own cover model!
Introducing the first ever Portrait Shoppe Pet Modeling Contest! We have teamed up with Pet Suites www.petsuitesofamerica.com/location_lexington.asp) and put together a modeling contest for the furriest children of your family. For the entire month of February bring your dog into the Portrait Shoppe for his or her very own photo session, and we'll enter a portrait of your choice into our modeling contest: the winner gets their portrait on the cover of Bluegrass Dog Magazine! All participants receive a free portrait and a doggie bag filled with goodies. Proceeds go to benefit the National Canine Cancer Foundation. (www.wearethecure.org)
What about getting a family portrait that includes the dog, or incorporating your human children into the portraits? Yes! We want this to be a fun and memorable experience for your whole family, and look forward to including everybody in the portraits. Call the Portrait Shoppe at 859.277.6671 for more info or to make an appointment, or check out the website to learn more. See you in February!
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