I sometimes like to get a coffee from Dunkin Donuts on my way into work, today was one of those days. Except what I didn’t know was that today is national doughnut day, which means no coffee for me. I couldn’t even squeeze my small car into the drive thru line and forget parking, the small lot was completely full. Regardless, I was happy to hear that there has been a day devoted to one of my favorite treats. Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme have been giving away free doughnuts today but that doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in this tasty sweet from somewhere in else in town. Presti’s has some of the best doughnuts and is local to Cleveland. Right in the heart of Little Italy, Presti’s would be a great place to visit this weekend while strolling through the streets during Little Italy’s tri-annual Art Walk. The Art Walk will begin today and continue through the weekend until Sunday at 6pm. What could be better than some doughnuts, a chance to see and/or purchase some beautiful art and enjoy the sunny (keeping my fingers crossed) weather here in Cleveland?! We hope you have a sweet and possibly sticky weekend!
We have just a few openings for our Friday, April 8th Mini Sessions at the Shaker Square Playmatters, so you might want to pick up the phone and give us a call! As always our Mini Sessions are 10 minutes of picture perfection with Kim and cost only $20!!! On top of the fabulously discounted session fee, Kim will select her favorite photo from the session and give you a FREE 5×7 of it!!!
I’m not one to gossip, but rumor has it that if you com in for our Mini Session event at Shaker Square, you might be able to buy a future on-location or in-studio session with Kim for 1/2 OFF !!! Clearly there are plenty of great reasons to pick up the phone and give us a call… so do it…Operators are standing by!
We can be reached at 216.229.PICS(7427)
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!
Last weekend I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing 4 month old baby M and her parents. What a happy little girl! She was all smiles… well, maybe until the very end. We got some beautiful baby and family portraits!
