Kim Ponsky Photography » Cleveland Children’s Photos

Star Spangled Sprinkles

Kim — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 01:00:14 +0000

Ok, so just as a side note, I, Michelle, have written the last couple of posts. So just to be clear, I am the one who loves Randy our UPS guy, not Kim. Kim is still very much in love with her fiance :)

But back to what we’re really here to talk about…sprinkles! There’s really no better time to talk about them than July 4th weekend or…my birthday :) (but that’s a long time from now). I’ve always loved sweets and anything small and colorful, making sprinkles the perfect decorative and delicious addition to the small treat. They’re perfect to use as small bursts of color on your holiday desserts.

I woke up this morning at 8am and the first thing that came to my mind were cupcakes. I had the biggest craving for them. So I couldn’t help going to Giant Eagle and getting a half dozen vanilla cupcakes with RED, WHITE, and BLUE sprinkles. Not to mention a tall non fat peppermint mocha with no whip :) Who could ask for a better start to a Friday morning. Oh and it was bright and sunny. Not to often we start days like that in Cleveland. As the day went on and I had my fill of sugar, I came to find out that I wasn’t the only one that loved cupcakes, so did little J who by the why isn’t even 1 yet! We hope you have a fun and safe holiday weekend! And don’t forget the SPRINKLES!

Photo Mini Sessions

Kim — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:11:58 +0000

It’s that time of year again…Playmatters Mini Sessions. For those of you who are familiar with our 10 minute photo shoots at Playmatters Toys, we are now finding that they are actually working out better here in our studio. We are giving mini sessions a “shot” here in our studio this Summer and hope that we can continue to have them here in the Fall and Spring. We have found that there is much more space and less distractions here at our Little Italy location, which makes it much easier for us and less stressful for the parents. We have set-up this special event for several years now and would love to see you guys continue to participate as well as all you newbies out there! For those of you who are unfamiliar with out mini sessions…well they’re pretty much the coolest thing ever :) 1. Call and sign up for a 10 minute slot (1 slot for each child or a group photo) on a day that we hold the event. Each session is $30 and you receive a FREE 5×7 print of Kim’s choice. 2. Come in at the time of your session and 3. Just put that smile on your face…it’s that easy (and if you don’t think its that easy for your child/children like the camera, don’t worry Kim ALWAYS has a way to capture that great shot). What a deal?! Right? And if you want to see or buy additional images don’t worry, we post them all online for you to share with family and friends! With a deal like this you can come in a couple times a year and capture your children as they grow. Call us today and see what days we have available for the Summer of 2010!

So Much Fun in the Sun

Kim — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:46:31 +0000

Little E is one of our favorite guys… He’s always smiling, and has verbal skills that put me to shame… such a cute little man! We had such a fun time taking pictures at Horseshoe Lake the other day, and got some great shots. As we’re getting more and more warm days, it gives us the opportunity to take outdoor pictures, and visit all sorts of fun locations. Horseshoe lake is one of my favorites for toddlers– so much for them to explore!

Almost Two Cute Two Shoot!

Kim — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:43:47 +0000

No, I didn’t become a photographer because I failed my grammar tests in school…!
It’s been said “It’s double the giggles and double the grins, and double the trouble if you’re blessed with twins.” Well, that may be true, unless you’re a photographer tasked with editing photos of adorable identical twins like Mr. N and Mr. B! During the twins’ photo shoot in our studio, some creative strategy had to be enacted to get those nearly two-year-olds to stay in the studio, let alone in the vicinity of one another– Elmo singing on my iPhone, held between my knees while I held the camera, & sea shells I brought back from a vacation last winter both did the trick! That was the easy part… then came editing the photos. I had to make sure I didn’t give their mom pictures of only one little guy (but come on… would she really know the difference?? :-) just kidding!!) In the group photos of the brothers together, there was no problem telling them apart… Mr. B is a bit bigger! But in their individual portraits?? Oh, good luck! All of us in the office gathered around the computer for what felt like hours until we found what we were looking for… A little bruise on Mr. N’s forehead, and a tiny little blemish next to Mr. B’s right eye– thank goodness!! They’re not so identical after all! All I know is that those little guys had us laughing long after the photo shoot was over– they were so adorable, so expressive, and just so cute!! Two-year-olds can definitely run the show, but they are so much fun! Hopefully Mr. B and Mr. N will come visit us again soon!

Two Much of a Good Thing!

Photographing Toddlers

Kim — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:07:22 +0000

I love photographing kids! People ask me how I can do it all day, every day, but I love it! Kids are unpredictable, funny, expressive, and just fun… what’s not to enjoy about capturing all of that?!? Over the five years I’ve been a child photographer in Cleveland and DC, I’ve developed a style that seems to work for me, the kids, and the parents. For me, photographing kids, especially toddlers, is as much about my interactions with the kids, as it is about my photographic technique… After all, if the kid doesn’t like me, he/she is not going to relax and let their guard down enough to enable me to capture portraits that truly represent who they are. That’s my goal… to produce a photograph that captures the essence of the subject. If he is serious, then let’s see that. If she’s a performer, I want to show that… Pensive, thoughtful, sweet, coy, mischievous, goofy… whatever the personality is, I want to show it! So how do I go about doing that…?
First of all, I want the kids to not feel intimidated by the large camera I’m holding. I want them to be interacting with me during our photo session. I begin by allowing them to warm up to me, and getting to know them. Are they shy? Do they like peek-a-boo? Will they start crying if I make a scary face? Once I get a feel for what makes them tick, we can start taking the pictures. If we’re in the studio, I need to work with them to keep them where the lights will reach… Playing games, distracting them, sometimes (often) making a fool of myself!! When we’re outside for a natural light, on-location session, the photo shoot has a whole different feel. This is my favorite type of shoot for toddlers because they can go where they want! I follow them wherever they go, and they feel free to explore, climb, play and have fun. Outside, we can get the most variety and the most natural expressions in the portraits, and often with the least amount of hesitation from the kids. The at-home photo session is another great option for toddlers– they are most comfortable in their own environment, and often have so much fun showing off all of their toys, blankies, and favorite places.
Wherever we take the pictures, one thing always stays the same… that is my approach. I always want to make sure the kids have fun. Having photos taken should not be like going to the dentist for a kid! They should have a great experience so they’re excited next year when it’s time for their anual portraits. I work to become their friend. To learn about who they are. I litterally get down on their level (mentally and physically). Doing this not only yields better images, but allows the kids to feel comfortable, which to me makes all the difference.

Toddlers are so much fun!