Happy Mother's Day, Moms!

Happy Mother’s Day, moms! 

Another year has gone and another year to be thankful to you for all of your love, support and inspiration. I hope you enjoy your littles more and do less of your regular duties today. Really!

In fact, I want you to STOP what you are doing now and to play a fun game. I know you have a keen eye and you can definitely pin point the right couple in no time.  I have picked four Yellowhale newborns and their moms (See the pictures below). I want you to match each baby and which belly (s)he came from. Here is how you play. All rules must be followed to be able to enter. 

1. FOLLOW our instagram (@yellowhaleportraits) 
2. LIKE the contest post
3. COMMENT your answer as mom's initials in the order of babies (Preston, Noshi, Eleanor, and Milla).
    So the answer may look like QXYZ! 
4. TAG your friend to increase your chance to win!

Entries are accepted by Midnight Tuesday 5/15.
The winner will be announced on Wednesday 5/16 10AM through Instagram post.

PRIZE*: one free family portrait session and a 8x10 print ($550 value) at Yellowhale Portrait Studio

Once you're done playing this game, relax and enjoy your special day! Good Luck and happy mother's day to you!!!!

xoxo,
Kyung

* FINE PRINT: The prize session is a weekday family session at the studio for 30 min, one outfit, 5-10 images presented to choose from at the selection meeting (at the studio) in one week from the session. The winner must be local to receive the prize. No on line gallery available. This session includes one print (up to 8x10) of choice. No digital files are included. The session must be booked by June 10th and must take place at the studio and be completed by September 30th. Session is good for a direct family of up to five people. One time only. Can not be transferred and does not have any cash value. Cannot be combined with any other offer.  A $99 retainer is required at the time of booking to hold your session date and time.  This retainer will be refunded after the session is complete. One gift print up to 8x10 is included.  No purchase required, but other products are available to add on. Once the session date is set, can not be rescheduled. The session can be upgraded to a full lifestyle experience at $150.   

10th ANNIVERSARY PORTRAIT SPECIAL

This MAY marks our 10th year Anniversary in DC area. We've started Yellowhale Photography in 2004 in Boston and moved down to Potomac, MD in 2008. (Yes, 10 years ago!!! Time flies...)

Since I opened our Maryland door in May 2008, we've served hundreds of families around Washington DC area and beyond - capturing their life-changing events, welcoming new babies, traveling with you, making memories, sharing laughter and tears... 

Below family was my first DC client, Mandy and Paul. I still remember this day vividly (it was drizzling, but we did not care...^^). I just moved to the area (from Boston) and Mandy shared her beautiful family with me like a snap. Thank you Mandy for trusting Yellowhale! These little cuties are now in Highschools and that baby is in middle school. 

Lemar family 2008

Lemar kids 2008

Every single family I photographed, I remember not only their faces, but also the locations, and the reasons why they chose Yellowhale. These beautiful families are the reasons why I do what I do. Many of them are returning for annual family portraits. There are tons more families who came to our studio. I would not be the photographer I am today without your support. I am forever grateful and honored to be your family photographer. 

To celebrate our meaningful anniversary and show our thanks for YWP families, we promote MAY to be our Family Appreciation Month at Yellowhale Portrait Studio, and we invite you to be a part of YWP family members!!

We are delighted to offer you the 10th Anniversary Portrait Special this season!

Book your family portraits by May 31st 2018, you’ll enjoy the exclusive benefits including:

A Special Session Offer— a $99 session on weekday studio family sessions* now through August 31st 2018. ($300 value)

A Free Gift — receive a free metal print in 8x10 with any purchase now through August 31st 2018. ($299 value)

Double Discount on Holiday items — 25% off your holiday cards and gift prints with a coffee table book purchase now through August 31st 2018.

** Call 202.870.6773 to schedule your FREE consultation today!

*Must book your family session by May 31, 2018. The session must take place now through August 31st 2018. Offer for Family members benefit is valid for Monday-Friday studio sessions only. Offer can not be combined with any other offer or discount. All sessions subject to availability and additional blackout dates may apply. There are no refunds, exchanges, or adjustments to previous orders. Normal service charges apply to orders placed after August 31st, 2018. Offer may be revoked at any time.

My turn

Frankly, I had never used my big camera to take my boys' pictures until very recently. I had done it few times when they had big events at school - I would take my long lens and big camera to photograph the event.

When they were young, they hated when Mom took her big camera out because that meant it was time for her to leave and go to work. And for many years, they showed no interest in being photographed by their mom. It was also hard for me to pick up the camera and “work” with my own children because the time I have with them is limited to when I am not supposed to work. I also never take the big camera when we travel because I want to live in the moment instead of capturing what I see through a lens. Luckily, my phone comes in handy dandy to capture those precious memories.

We have done family portraits by wonderful photographers for last ten years, so the documentation of our family has been well kept. But it was this year, when they went from playing with Legos and watching the Magic School Bus to finding their passion for their instruments when I realized I needed to capture an image of them myself.

As a mother, watching your kids doing something that they love is so rewarding. As a musician (I play piano^^), listening to your children playing their instruments is pure joy. As a photographer, capturing their passion and love is the undeniable mission.

Last summer, when they auditioned for youth orchestra, I made up my mind to finally pick up my camera to work with them. So one evening, I brought my boys to the studio, and we had a blast playing music and taking pictures. I wanted to share the result with the world. Now I feel that motherly pride first hand –it was one of the most rewarding "WORKS" I have ever done.

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Slow down, Smile, and Enjoy more~!

Yellowhale painting by nanacnese

It is such a special day today.. not only because I am a mom myself, but also I have a mom who is one of the strongest women I know. She had her mom but lost her when she was eight years old during Korean War. My mother grew up raising her little brother and herself in a little town in Pusan, Korea. Once she told me the one wish she had as a child was to call someone "mom". I can not even imagine how one could grow without a mom. As I raise my boys, many moments reminded me of my childhood and how amazing my mom was to me. I wonder how she learned to be that outstanding mother she was who she never had in her life. She promised me that she would be there for me when I am down or disappointed and she kept her promise. Until this day, she is my best friend, my counselor, and my biggest fan!

My mom would convince me to wear the dirty shirt one more day to save a load of laundry by saying I looked really cute in the yellow (pic on the left), and I was confused as you can see in my sad face. ^^ The other two pictures are about my mom's leather jacket. I (pic on the right) am wearing the very jacket that she wore (center pic)  when I graduated from Kindergarten (ha! - we had that graduation back then!). Can you tell that there is 40 years gap in between those pictures? These pictures and this beautiful now vintage leather jacket are so special to me and I will cherish them forever. The little girl on the left had a big dream and my mother taught, brought up, nurtured, and gave everything she could to support that little girl to become the woman on the right who still has a big dream. There were endless ups and downs, we shared laughs and tears, we celebrated every little things and prayed so many nights together. I had the best mother that I could ever hope... 

I know every one of you must have something even more special that remind you of your beautiful and wonderful mom. Tell her how much you appreciate her and what she had done for you and the family. And also love and enjoy your littles even more as they will remember every bit of your love dearly. Let's celebrate it today!

me (2) in dirty yellow shirt

with mom (kindergarten)

me wearing her jacket

On this special day, I hope that you will slow down, smile, and enjoy more

- xoxo, Kyung

Provided to YouTube by Sony Music Entertainment Yellowhale · Kwak Yoon Chan / 곽윤찬 Yellowhale ℗ 2014 Blueshrimp Released on: 2014-07-31 Producer: Blueshrimp Auto-generated by YouTube.

p.s. I would love to share one more story with you today. Right is what "Yellowhale" sounds like. Try it, it is really amazing. Yellowhale is written and played by the fabulous blue note Jazz pianist Kwak Yoon Chan who found and fell in love with my Yellowhale Story and gave this beautiful song to Yellowhale. There is an amazing story behind how he and I met, but will tell you more next time.

What it is like to Experience Yellowhale Portrait

Every family has its own story. As a family portrait photographer - I get to enjoy the most beautiful and real family stories from how the couple fell in love, thirty-hour long labor, to first birthday, and so many other episodes. I love being part of the family stories. More over, I want to CREATE unforgettable memories for them to cherish. 

Today, my client, Jennifer and Sung visited the studio for the Big Reveal presentation of their family portraits photographed three weeks ago. We had planned this special celebration since January, selecting the style, color, location, what to wear. Jennifer and I share so much in common (like all other moms out there! ^^) how much we love our children and what the family means to us. So the designing her photo session was quite similar to what I would have done for my own family. Their children are pre teens and it is the stage where they start to feel uncomfortable smiling at the camera or hugging or kissing their mom and feel a little shy about being in front of the camera.  As I understood, her main focus of the photo session was to capture the children's natural smile (not posed or forced) and show the love of the family.  I had planned to play a little game with them to relax and have fun during the session. The session took place at the studio to create a modern, yet formal look that will go really well with her living room decor. I loved how everything we planned came together at the session and the result turned out exactly how she wanted!

Below is a short video clip that I was able to capture during the REVEAL presentation and I so wanted to share it with you all. I took this video with my iphone with their permission. ^^

After she left the studio, I received a little note from her saying...

“Thank you Kyung!

You have far exceeded my expectations!! And I had high expectations too.. haha! You have captured the love in my family... the great love and joy we have for each other and from each other. You have captured them all in your images. You are so gifted! And a special thank you for capturing my son Nathan. Your images display what I see when I look at him. When I asked Nathan “Do you recognize yourself?”, he said “no” and I told him “This handsome young man is you my Nathan! This is exactly what you look like in real life!”. Your pictures are treasures that we will cherish forever. From beginning to end the whole experience was a wonderful one and the results speak for themselves. Thank you so much!

”

— Jennifer

I am so so so happy to be able to give the family the most beautiful images to cherish and see what their love and happiness is like. Below is some of my favorite images from their portrait experience.

Jen and Sung, thank you so much for letting me be part of your life journey. Being there to document what is already beautiful was my privilege and I am grateful for that. When this image is magnificently installed over your mantle, not only your children but also everyone who visits your lovely home will be reminded of love and joy shines through the portrait. - Kyung

I can not believe it is already MAY (one third of the year 2017 has passed already!).

If you are interested in reserving your family portraits this spring, I still have our $99 Portrait Special sessions available for June. It is an amazing value and would be a perfect gift for the MOM you love for Mother's Day (May 14th!). You know mothers like Jennifer and myself, we would die to receive our children's portraits as a gift than anything...  CALL 202.870.6773 to schedule your session and click HERE  for more information.