Since I started working here, I’ve come to learn the various developmental stages of the different age groups that come through our studio. Some are bundled in their parent’s arms without a peep, some are crawling around our studio floor mumbling their own gibberish, and others, are running non stop up and down the our entry ramp screaming. Their physical and language skills are across the board and yet no matter what stage they’re  at they all are so cute in their own unique way. I came across this video on youtube and it absolutely blew me away. Most 2 year olds form 2-3 word sentences, but this little boy’s language skills are far beyond anything I have ever heard. His memory and expressions are amazing. There is honestly nothing more I can say, so you’ll just have to see for yourself!

Not too long ago Kim made a phone call (can’t remember who it was to). The woman on the other line asked her what her last name was. Kim answered, Ponsky. The woman quickly asked with excitement “like the Polish dougnuts!?” This was a new discovery for Kim. Pączki, pronounced PONSKY are in fact Polish doughnuts! Yummm….I have to say having your last name after a doughnut is pretty sweeeeettt…Next time you’re bored, look up the meaning of your last name. You never know how cool it may be. Oh, and no we have not made them yet, but I’m sure we will and when we do I’ll let you know how they turn out. Until then, here’s a recipe if you would like to take on the task of making your own homemade Pączki!

Ingredients

• 12 egg yolks (or six whole eggs, see note)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/3 cup room temperature butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup rum or brandy
• 1 cup scalded whipping cream
• 1 1/2 cups preserves or cooked prunes or cooked apples or poppy seed filling
• oil (for deep frying, The old-timers used lard, but vegetable oil will work(I use peanut oil.)
• Directions

1. Beat egg yolks with the salt in the small bowl of an electric mixer at high speed until the mixture is thick and piles softly, about 7 minutes.

2. Soften yeast in warm water.

3. Cream butter, add sugar to it gradually, beating until fluffy.

4. Slowly beat in the softened yeast.

5. Stir one fourth of the flour into the yeast mix.

6. Add rum/brandy and half of the cream.

7. Beat in another fourth of the flour.

8. Stir in remaining cream.

9. Beat in half of the remaining flour and then the egg yolk mixture.

10. Beat for 2 minutes.

11. Gradually beat in the remaining flour until the dough blisters.

12. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

13. Set in a warm place to rise.

14. When it has doubled in bulk, punch it down.

15. Cover and let rise again until doubled.

16. Punch it down again.

17. Roll dough on a floured surface to about 3/4 inch thickness.

18. Cut out 3 inch rounds using a cookie cutter or glass.

19. Put 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of half the circles.

20. Brush the edges with water.

21. Top with the remaining rounds.

22. Seal the edges very well.

23. Cover the paczki on a floured surface.

24. Let rise about 20 minutes.

25. Deep fry in the hot fat until they are golden brown on both sides.

26. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with honey.

    

    courtesy of google images

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!

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!

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!