a morning filled with grace.

For those of you who don't know, I teach ballet to little ones and feel lucky to have Grace as one of my ballet students. Needless to say, I was very excited to not only teach her plié and tendu, but also have the opportunity to photograph her! We had a lovely Saturday morning full of sunshine, bubbles, balloons, and a little bit of ballet thrown in there for good measure. Hope you enjoy.
(Click on the photos to view larger. I think they look nicer that way). 

and the winner is...

Thank you again to all of you who entered the giveaway. There were 26 wonderful individuals who entered, and because it would be impossible for me to choose a winner, I decided on the random method. Without further ado, congratulations to Elysweet who made the 11th comment!

This was difficult as I'd love for everyone to win! So, to show my appreciation, I am offering 20% off any portrait session booked before March 15, 2010. (Note: the session may take place after this date, but it must be booked by March 15). Elysweet, please email me at hello@kimikolbaphoto.com and we can figure out all of the details! Congratulations! Thank you again to everyone for their encouraging comments and participation!

closed.

 

The giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all of you who entered and for your lovely, generous and kind comments. I am flattered, and I loved hearing about what makes you smile. Since I asked you to share one of your favorite things, I found it only fitting that I share one of mine - the little bits of Spring unfolding that I see on my walks around one of my other favorite things, Mt. Tabor.  I will happily announce the winner on Friday so check back then!

giveaway!

Because I get by with a little help from my friends...

Win a FREE PHOTO SHOOT!

How to enter: Leave a comment on this post. That's it!
Share one of your favorite things (like Spring's arrival) or words of wisdom. Please leave your comment by February 16th, 2010 by 5 p.m. PST. The winner will be randomly selected and announced Friday, February 19th. The portrait session* can be of just you, your family or your friends, and is good for the Portland and Seattle area only. Sorry folks - if I could fly to faraway places, I would in a heartbeat. Trust me! With that said, if you live outside of the area, you can always give away your portrait session as a gift to a local. Tell your friends! I wouldn't be here without the support of my pals, so thank you for spreading the word!   
* Session includes 1-2 hour shoot and selection of high resolution edited images on Archival DVD.  
  (Sorry Charlie - family not eligible).

happy birthday dad.

 

happy birthday dad. 

love you. 

(photo credit: jasmine photography)

loving: billy + lulu

A little romance for your week...

These darlings make up the most dapper, charming couple I have ever met. I admire their philosophy on love and life, which is one of the reasons why we asked Billy to marry us.
Needless to say, I hold these two dear. I am delighted that I could photograph them on a rainy, grainy night in Portland.

coffee + kolaches

Simply put, a kolache is a bun filled with sweet or savory goodness. This is true, yet to me, it holds a few more meanings. It is the Czech Stop in West, Texas. It is me and my siblings as kids piling into my dad's station wagon. It is a road trip from my hometown of Fort Worth to Austin, never complete without a pit stop for kolaches. My favorite was the plain cream cheese; I am a little more adventurous these days. (As you can see above, Isabella enjoys the Nutella the best). Imagine my sheer delight when I discovered a kolache shop - a tiny sliver of Texas in my new town of Portland. The adorable and creative owners, Mary and Danny, moved from Texas and opened up this sweet little cafe, Happy Sparrow, after falling in love with Portland during a previous visit. They not only have delicious kolaches and coffee, but will greet you with a warm smile and a welcome the size of Texas. It's a little reminder of home and this place is full of happiness and sunshine, despite any Oregon rains.
(Click on the photos to view larger. I think they look nicer that way).

hello february.

Hello February. After the gray days of January, Portland has received a much-needed break in the clouds, curing winter blues with the remedy of sunshine. I have seen fresh growth around the city - an early and thrilling sign of spring. Keeping up the spirit of the new (and since this blog is partly about me trying new things) I welcomed the challenge to photograph something more intimate for February's arrival. I feel incredibly grateful to work part-time at a gallery, and thus be surrounded by gorgeous imagery. From paintings to photographs, I am constantly intrigued and inspired, and carry that influence with me to fuse into my own work. Moved by the classic and contemporary, and in my own way, I wanted to honor those influences and focus on simple beauty for this month's collaboration.
(Click on the photos to view larger. I think they look nicer that way).