Denver Child Model of the Month – Interview with Model and Athlete Ami B

Denver modeling portfolio late last year. Ami (child model) and Sarah (mom) came well prepared to their model portfolio session; Before our shoot, Sarah sent me a link to Ami’s IG feed, so that I could see Ami and start getting ideas on what sort of looks we would do for her portfolio. As you can see, her photos turned out FAB! Check out her photos and her interview:

Denver Child Model Portfolio and Headshots by Natascha Lee StudiosDenver Child Model of the Month – Portfolio and Headshots

First, we’ll hear from Ami’s mom Sarah, and then we’ll hand it over to Ami:
  1. Tell us about yourself, Mom:
My name is Sarah Redd, I’m 33 & I’m from Houston TX. I have 3 children ages 11, 8, and 4. Basically that leaves me with zero free time. When I do find a few moments to my self, I love to cook! Our family is extremely active and we love hiking, snowboarding, climbing 14ers, and trying new restaurants!
  1. Tell us about yourself, Ami: 
My name is Amoris Bigler-Redd (Ami B.) age 11 My  favorite things are distance running in track & field, cross country, and triathlon training! My cross country team is the 2015 USATF XC National Champs! I dream of running a marathon & hope to run the marathon in the Olympics!
  1. Ami what is something about you that surprises people? What do your friends say about you?
People are surprised I want to run so far. Not many kids my age like running any distance. The farther the distance, the better I do. I currently like to run 10k’s the best. I love any sport that requires endurance. I just started training for youth triathlons. My friends don’t get it I guess. They like gymnastics and dance. My sport is other sports’ punishment, but I love it. My friends think I’m funny and good at acting!
  1. Ami, What made your interesting in modeling?  What sort of experience have you had so far?
I’ve always wanted to be a fitness model because I have an eight pack, I’m flexible, and I think I’m pretty! I also love working out! I love working on my core and spin class! I feel comfortable in front of people & I’m not shy. I’ve had a few modeling opportunities but couldn’t do them because it was cross country season. That’s my first priority – my cross country running.
  1. Sarah and Ami, why did you pick Natascha Lee Studios for your Ami’s modeling headshots?
Wilhelmina, one of the world’s top modeling agencies, recommended Natascha Lee Studios because they are the best in town for model headshots!
  1. Ami, was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session?
Not at all – I wasn’t nervous or scared for the photo session. I was very excited!
  1. Ami, how did the actual photo session go? What was your favorite part?
The photo session went great! Natascha and her assistant were very nice and made me feel comfortable. I am a little sensitive to the sun but they explained it’s common for kids with light hair and eyes. They had techniques for me to do when I was posing outside so the sun didn’t affect my eyes as much. My favorite part of the session was when I got to pose. I love posing!!!
  1. Any advice to other models before their photo sessions?
Have confidence yourself. Have fun with it and don’t worry about anything!
  1. How did you feel/what did you think when received your images?
My photos came out amazing – I was so happy. My parents couldn’t have been happier either!
  1. If you could have any superpower, which one would it be and why?
If I had a superpower, it would be to save people. I love to do good things for people because I’m kind and caring! You can contact Ami and see her full portfolio via her modeling agency at: http://profiles.wilhelminadenver.com/model/3060/ami      ]]>

Top 215 Photos of 2015 (Happy New Year)

Happy New Year! 2015 was a great year, and I’m so excited to share the top 215* photos of 2015.

Natascha Lee Studios: Top 215 Portrait Images of 2015 (In 3 Minutes) from N Lee on Vimeo.

*Well, maybe a few extras, it was so hard to cut them down to just 215!

]]>

Modeling Headshots for Teen Models – Interview with Boulder High school Girl Sophia

Sophia----Model-Headshot-Blog-Collage- Modeling Portfolio Headshots Boulder - Natascha Lee StudiosBoulder Model Portfolio & Headshots

Q: Tell us about yourself and your family. My name is Sophia, I am 14 years old, and I like volleyball, French, and my amazing friends. My mother Jennifer is from San Francisco, she loves to paint, and our family likes to travel and spend time together. Q: What do you dream of doing? I have never been to New York or LA,  but I would like to travel the world one day. Q: What surprises people to learn about your mother? It surprises people when they find out that my mom sings in a band and has a mobile spray tanning business. Q: What made you interested in modeling? I always try new things and thought this could be something new that I love doing. Q. Why did you pick Natascha Lee Studios for your modeling headshots? She was recommended by our agency, and the photos we saw on her website were amazing. Q. Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session? Not really; I was very confident about the session even though I had never done it before. Q.  How did the actual photo session go? I was happy when I got there that Natascha was so friendly yet very professional. Q. Any advice to others before their modeling or headshot photo sessions? If I did the photo session over again I would have changed two little things: 1) brought a powder base to cover any oily skin and 2) brought lots of layers or accessories to add variety to the photos (jacket, scarf, hat, etc.) Q. How did you feel/what did you think when saw your final images?  I loved them – They were beautiful and natural. Natascha did an excellent job. Q.  Now our favorite question of all: If you could have any superpower, which one would it be and why? If I could have any super power it would be to freeze time so that I can spend more time doing things I love doing and less on work.   Boulder HIghschool Senior Portraits - Natascha Lee Studios - Modeling Porfolio and Headshots]]>

Modeling Headshots for Teen Girl Models – Interview with Lila and Anna Scott of Cherry Creek, Denver

I love love love the people I get to meet as a professional photographer. I think it’s fascinating to learn people’s story, little snippets that tell you more about them. For example, I have done modeling headshots and portfolios for over 100 child and teen models this year. Crazy, right? And each one of those 100+ families has their own interesting story. Starting today,  I’m so excited to feature a few of my favorite models – not only because they are so photogenic, but because they are such wonderful interesting people. Take this family here;  How many 11 years old dream of riding an elephant, taking a hot air balloon ride, and also dancing in NYC? How many 15 year olds read almost an entire NON-Fiction novel a day? Wow! I barely read a non-fiction novel a year! These girls, Anna Scott and Lila are so interesting. And so is their mother, Liz…..I wish I had a photograph of Liz, the beautiful yogini; when you meet her, she looks like the quintessential yogini – natural, beautiful, strong, graceful, peaceful and happy. See the end for a special illustration I had done of her, as her superhero of choice. Read on to learn more about these lovely ladies: Q: Tell us about Lila: Lila is 15 and loves the arts including playing piano, the guitar, and acting.  Musicals are her favorite, both participating and attending!  She is on the school’s A-team for Mock Trail and is quite good at debate.  Lila also enjoys sports including Field Hockey, skiing, trail running, and tennis.  She is an avid reader, downing almost a novel a day – usually non-fiction! Lila gladly welcomes adventure and likes to see the world.  She is a Harry Potter fan and movie addict. She studies Spanish and would like her next trip to be to Cuba. But her big dream would take her even further; After seeing The Martian, she wants to go to space! Cherry Creek Denver Highschool Teen Girl Model Portfolio Headshots by Natascha Lee Studios Q: Tell us about Anna Scott: Anna Scott is 11.  She loves ballet and the highlight of the season is dancing in the Nutcracker at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.  She is also an avid sports-girl with a passion for Field Hockey, Lacrosse, tennis, and downhill skiing.  She likes to go fast!  She is quite artistic and loves to decorate her room, draw, and create fashions.  Anna Scott has a big sense of adventure and likes to travel, rock climb, and do ropes courses.  She takes French and would like to spend a summer in the country to learn more about the culture.  She wants to ride an elephant, take a ride in a hot air balloon, and dance in NYC. Denver Dancer Tween Teen Girl Model Portfolio and Headshot Images by Natascha Lee Studios Q: What things do you all do together? Guy, my husband, is such a hands-on father and really enjoys his time with the girls. We hike together, including tackling a few 14ers…Anna Scott’s first climb, Mt. Bierstadt, was at the age of 6. We love to ski together and travel and play tennis. We tend to be pretty active and love to explore. With the girls’ interest in acting, we frequently hit the theater for both movies and plays. The Kings speech, Unbroken and the Martian would be our top three picks. Guy is the exclusive parent who plays golf and lacrosse with the girls. He is a patient and responsive coach. Q: Tell us about your yoga practice: My foundational practice is hot-yoga, which is a routine set of 26 postures and allows for a meditative focus during my time on the mat.  I have also been inspired by Para Yoga, Vinyasana, and Ashtanga.  I believe variation in everything is important for overall mental and physical strength. Q: What else do you like to do? I am quite active in volunteer roles in the community and in particular at the girls’s schools.  During my not-so-frequent down time, I enjoy reading, gardening, and doing puzzles like 5 star Suduko, 1000 piece traditional puzzles, etc.  I enjoy giving my brain a workout, which is how I discovered yoga.  I like to get outside my comfort zone each year and learn something new. Going from the business world of consulting to motherhood and yoga was a huge stretch for me.  Now that I am in these roles, I would not change a thing. Q: What are people surprised to learn about you? My friends often tell me they are surprised at my sense of humor, quest for fun, and love of a good prank.  I can come across as efficient, focused, and driven, so when people get to know the mischievous/playfulness side to me, they are taken off guard.  People are also often surprised at the “risks” I take with my girls.  Of course, I never would lead them to activities or places that are unsafe, but I do believe exposure to cultures and communities that are different than their own, pushing them outside their perceived physical barriers, and guiding them to experience levels of sacrifice creates an internal strength, empathy, understanding and compassion. Q: Your children’s interest in modeling has been entirely self-driven. How did it start?  The girls’ interest in modeling was really driven by Lila’s interest in acting.  Lila was at a sleep away summer camp in third grade and landed a lead role in The Music Man.  From there, she started self-advocating and self-enrolling in various children’s theater programs in Denver.  Anna Scott was encouraged to tag along as the little sister, and now has her own self-motivated interest.  Starting with America’s Most Wanted, the girls have thoroughly loved every filming experience despite hours in the cold, hours of retakes, and hours waiting for their 1 minute of screen time.  The auditioning and filming experiences have truly taught my girls the lessons of hard work, how to deal with disappointment, and how to lean on tenacity and perseverance.  They fully appreciate how passion coupled with dedication can lead to open doors. Q. Why did you pick Natascha Lee Studios for your modeling headshots? Natascha’s portfolio reflects an ease with the time behind the camera and captures the understated beauty of her subjects.  Her sets are minimalistic, modern and edgy.  From the onset. Ms. Lee was incredibly accommodating to our girls’s busy sports schedules and exuded a calm in her working style.  Ms. Lee was responsive and personal, making our decision for a photographer quit simple. Q.Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session? Natascha provided a thorough list of clothing items, accessories, and props to support many different looks, and let us know she would have an assistant on hand to help with styling, so we were quite confident in her capability to produce the types of photographs that the entertainment industry expects. Q. How did the actual photo session go? What was your favorite part of your session?  Natascha made the girls feel very welcome, special, and understood the minute we showed up.  She has an artistic eye that brought out the true individual beauty of my girls, nothing was fabricated or false.  Natasha let my girls be themselves.  She let them have input on their looks based on their interests and personality.  Natascha also let me, as a parent, have a say in a picture.  She clearly wants to please her clients while capturing the best of her subjects.  Our favorite part of the session was when she took my daughter up to the roof top of her building for an urban/warehouse shoot.  The colors were amazing and the natural winds and sun enhanced a very unique photo.  My daughter’s expression in that photo matched the cool excitement of the setting. Q.Any advice to other families before their photo sessions? I absolutely recommend following the guidelines and suggestions Ms. Lee provides.  There is no need for extreme make-up hair, etc.  Ms. Lee’s professional camera work and use of setting and light best accents the subject. Also, plan to be a bit early so your child is not nervous or scattered.  Take time to plan out the looks you bring and make sure the looks are those that make your child feel comfortable.  I could see in my daughter’s eyes when I was forcing a dress on her she did not like or that did not fit.  My daughter brought her point shoes that were one size too small, so check the sizes of everything you bring. Beyond that, just have fun. I felt Natascha is a photographer I could trust to really capture my girls’ personalities. Q.How did you feel/what did you think when saw your final images?  We were so pleased with the final pictures and edits, and so were my girls, including my teenager!  The girls posted their pictures to Instagram, printed them out for grandparents, and I am using them for my holiday cards.  Natascha was wonderful about passing on digital files for our personal use and the quality of the digital files is superior. Q. If you could have any superpower, which one would it be and why? I would want to be EarthWoman, with the ability to harness clouds to bring water for children who are thirsty and to their crops that need rain.  As EarthWoman, I would manipulate all of Earth’s resources to take care of all children’s basic needs for shelter, food, water, and safety, carving homes out of mountains for shelter or using lightning-struck trees in the forest to turn in to safe homes.  I would then call in sister superpower EducationGirl to begin that process. Wow. [caption id="attachment_5669" align="aligncenter" width="966"]Superhero Mother Earth from Natascha Lee Studios by Italian Artist Electra I commissioned my favorite Italian Illustrator Electra to draw “EarthWoman” for Liz. Here she is![/caption]]]>

10 Questions with Ana, Stylish Urban Family Portraits – Washington Park in Denver

Denver Family Portraits - Stylish Urban Photos at Washington Park - Client Interview

  1. Ana, tell us a little bit about your family…
We are a mixed bunch! Two teenage daughters, my little baseball player son and hard working husband. We try and make our family time the most important time.
  1. What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session?
We felt this is a perfect time in everyone’s life to celebrate with a family photo shoot, and look back at this time with appreciation via the portraits.
  1. Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session?
It’s always nerve wrecking to be in front of a camera. In the end we found that just being ‘us’ gave the best photographed memories.
  1. How did the actual  photo session go?
It went great. It was a bit of a struggle getting the entire family up at 4:00 am and ready for a golden hour (sunrise) shoot but we made it. Wash Park was a perfect choice, weather couldn’t have better and we had a bit of help in the gardens!
  1. What did you think or feel when you saw your final photos at the viewing session? 
The presentation was amazing and it was so much fun! One of our family members wasn’t able to make it and she missed out on a very special experience.
  1. What made you choose Natascha Lee Studios?
My daughter Lucia was referred by her modeling agency for model portfolio headshots and I loved how Natascha had such lively and patient interactions with her during the first shoot. I was immediately inspired to have her photograph the entire family!
  1. What do you hope your children will say/feel/think years down the road when looking at these images?
How much fun it was, how those years shaped all of our lives.. That they remember the special dynamic of our family and see the love we all have for one another.
  1. Any advice to other families before their photo sessions?
During the initial viewing and picking of the photos it helps to view them as large as possible to identify any issues you want to have edited/Photoshoped before the image is printed. I didn’t realize how just the tiniest things jump out at you and is distracting from such a beautiful photo.
  1. How did you feel/what did you think when received your order/had your products delivered?
I was amazed!!! Shocked and so impressed by the professional presentation, quality of work and care that Natascha goes through to see a smile on everyone’s face. Bravo Natascha! We will definitely be back!

Thanks Ana! I has so much fun getting to know you and your family – I know we are already talking about Spring portraits and I can’t wait! Those kiddos change so quickly! You are wise to capture them regularly!

Wash Park Family Portraits in the Gardens by Natascha Lee Studios

Denver Photographer for Stylish Urban Families

]]>

Denver Community Spotlight Series: Interview with Juliana Vergaray

Denver Therapist Headshots with Personality for Small Business Owners - Juliana Vergaray As a photographer, I have the honor to create amazing images for my clients – families, models, executives, business owners, etc. And I love getting to know them. Recently I did one of my Headshots with Personality(sm) Sessions for a wonderful, kind woman,  Juliana Vergaray. Here is a bit more about her, her business, and what it was like to have her session done by Natascha Lee Studios:

  1. Juliana, tell us about yourself and your business:
I have been practicing social work for 10 years with an emphasis on the children and teen population. My specialty is in trauma (an event that has impacted you on a level where you felt your life was threatened in any shape or form). I decided to focus on that because of the need: There are long waits at clinics and it’s important to provide treatment quickly after trauma. (The earlier you provide treatment, the more coping skills you can give them.) This can increase their resiliency.
  1. What do you love the most about your job?
I love being able to support people. To be a witness for them when they are at their lowest point in life, and then to work with them, seeing them when they are done with treatment and in a healthier place – This is all an honor for me.
  1. What made you decide to get professional photos done now? How will you use the photos?
I’ve reached a point in my career where I wanted photos that accurately represented me and what I offer. Since I am more advanced in my career, I needed professional photos taken by a talented photographer.
  1. What made you select Natascha Lee Studios for your photos?
I started on Google and looked at many different photographers’ websites. There was a realness to Natascha Lee Studio’s photos. I could tell that she brought out the uniqueness in each person, and captured their essence. They were not heavily photoshopped. And while I wasn’t looking for kid portraits, her children’s photography is part of what convinced me – her photos of children capture their angelic essence. I thought, “Well, if she can do that with kids, I’m sure she can get authentic photos of me.” As second aspect was her professionalism – from all the photographers who I contacted, she was one of only two who responded within 24 hours.
  1. Before the session, did you have any concerns?
Not many, but I was wondering what to wear. Natascha helped me with that via our phone conversations. It wasn’t time consuming to follow her lead and prep tips, but it sure was helpful. She gave me enough info that I felt confident coming in that morning. She also helped me think through my vision. Initially I wanted to use some clients as models, and Natascha’s experience and advice helped me avoid certain legal and logistical issues. I was able to make a more informed decision how to use a model. (I ended up using a good friend as a model instead of an actual client.)
  1. During the session, what was your experience like? How did it compare to what you expected?
It was amazing. I just expected to get my photos taken but it was so much more than that. Natascha made me feel felt special and appreciated. In my line of business, I am always the support for others. But this shoot felt like a treat to myself, like I was the one being taken care of and supported. Natascha is full of positive energy, but still very professional in her approach.  It was a self esteem boost in a healthy way. I was surprised as how quick the session lasted (just one hour), but we got a lot done – lots of poses and locations and even three different outfits. Natascha gave directions, but not in a way that made me feel uncomfortable. It felt like she was trying to get my most authentic reactions and smiles.
  1. What did you think when you saw the photos?  If you have already used or shared the photos, what sort of feedback have you received?
I thought “Wow!”  I love them, because they are exactly what I was looking for, something unique and very professional. They are warm and convey my brand well.  I was thrilled; I still am.
  1. What advice would you give to someone else contemplating getting professional headshots done?
I would say look at different websites to find someone whose style matches yours, who has photos that somehow resonate with you. And don’t make your decisions based solely on what you see online. Talk to the photographer to make sure you would be comfortable working with them – look for a connection with them.
Juliana’s private practice, Help Hope and Healing / Ayuda Esperanza Curacion, LLC, is located in Capital Hill within a holistic healing center, she sees client’s as young as 3 to adulthood. You can connect with her via:
phone: 720-443-5701
Twitter: @jvergaraylcsw
]]>