Capturing Smiles That Say “Look At Me” (NAPSA)—Before you know it, your child will be heading off to kindergarten and—in what seems like a blink of an eye—graduating from college. Capturing some of the remarkable moments in your child’s life through portraits will allow you to hold onto those precious memories forever and cherish the milestones you capture. At the same time, portraits are a great way to build your child’s self esteem and nurture his or her unique personality. Getting the best shots of your child may take some creativity and advance planning. Following are someportrait tips for drawing out your child’s true personality: Take your child’s portrait during his or her “good” time of day, such as after a nap or meal time. * Incorporate personal props, such as costumes, hats or toys to not only show yourchild’s interests, but also make him or her comfortable. * Don’t shy away from capturing a variety of feelings, such as a smirk, a wail, a smile, or a frown. Take portraits of your child in a variety of outfits from play clothes to casualto formal. * Help your child relax by encouraging playtimeprior to por- trait time. Include other people in portraits with your child. You might capture Grandma feeding her baby grandsonorbig sister kissing herlittle sister on the nose. While capturing moments in yourchild’s life is something you'll Frequently capturing your child in photos helps build self esteem and nurture growing personalities. The Picture People’s annual personality contest provides a fun and easy way for parents to capture their kids onfilm. Lillian, age 2, was the 2003 grand prize winner. surely do at home, supplementing informal snapshots with professional portraits is a great way to expandyourcollection and demonstrate to your child how proud you are of him or her. One place parents can go for professional portraits is The Picture People, a national entertainment retailer that brings a fresh look to images by delivering a fun experience and portraits full of personality. In fact, the company holds an annual personality contest across its more than 300 store locations where they search for that special portrait that shows children doing what they do best—being kids. This year’s contest runs from August 1 to September 18. To enter, parents should bring their children, ages 10 and under, into any Picture People studio to have his or her portrait taken. The portrait sitting and contest entry are free, providing you a fun and easy way to build your child’s selfesteem and nurture his or her growingpersonality. Participants could win a family vacation to the Bahamas and be featured in the company’s national advertising. In addition to giving away great prizes, The Picture People is taking this opportunity to give back. The company is the Founding National Sponsor of Room to Grow, a non-profit organization that enriches the lives of babies born into poverty by providing their parents with clothing, books, toys, and other essential items, as well as offering guidance and support throughout the child’s life. During the contest, customers who donate $6 or more to Room To Grow will receive a unique brag book as a special thank you. For more information aboutthe contest and free portrait sitting, visit www.picturepeople.com or call 1800-341-HOURto locate a nearby studio. Remember, capturing your child’s growing personality through both home snapshots and professional portraits is a great way to hold onto your memories as the yearsfly by.
