Join us in celebrating the history of photography!

May is National Photograph Month, and we’re excited to commemorate this celebration that is near and dear to our hearts. With the invention of the photograph, we’ve been able to capture moments and memories that are able to be preserved for lifetimes. Let’s take a brief glimpse through time that makes our art possible today.

The History of the Photograph

It would be impossible to discuss all the inventions and milestones here that have made photography so advanced today, but we thought it would be fitting to talk about a few of the major historic developments in celebration of the month.

The pinhole camera

Although the term “photography” wouldn’t be coined until the 1800s, references to the origins of pinhole cameras started around the year 330 BC. In 1000 AD, Ibn Al-Haytham discovered that he could capture images upside down and this invention was called the pinhole camera.

The first photograph

In 1827, Joseph Nicephore Niepce took the first photograph prototype, called a heliograph. He took a metal plate, covered it in bitumen and let the sun draw the image for him. Although this was an amazing discovery, the picture took eight hours of sunlight exposure to appear and would disappear eventually. In 1939, a Frenchman named Louis Daguerre found a way to reduce the amount of time needed to make an impression and to ensure the picture didn’t fade.

The color photograph

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, the color photograph was introduced to the commercial market. This revolutionized the way people viewed and shared photographs because of their closer likeness to real life.

The instant camera

In 1948, the instant camera, or Polaroid, was invented. Instead of waiting for film to be developed, you could snap a picture and have it instantly appear on photo paper right from your camera.

The digital camera

Cannon invented the first digital camera in 1984, changing the process of photograph development completely.

Without these important discoveries and inventions, we wouldn’t be able to create the art that we love making every day.  Photographs are a way to preserve memories forever. Contact us to book a session with our professional photographers today.

How much is a Photograph Worth?

Some people say that a photograph is worth a thousand words. At Kim Jew Photography, we feel like that’s a gross understatement. To us, a photograph is a fond memory, an emotion and a place in time all wrapped up in one shot, a story that cannot be expressed in words alone. These are heirlooms, meant to be passed down from generation to generation that will last lifetimes. It’s part of your mark on this world and will serve as a remembrance of who you are.

From all of us at Kim Jew Photography, Happy National Photograph Month!

The right outfit will allow your personality to shine.

We get asked the question all the time: what should I wear for my portrait session? At Kim Jew Photography, we believe that your clothing can say a lot about who you are and what you stand for. Choosing the outfit for your portrait session should reflect the part of your personality that you want to shine, and the color you wear may help.

Red? Blue? Purple?

Choosing the right attire to fit your personality is crucial to taking photos that you are proud of and feel comfortable showing off. It’s interesting to understand how other people might view the colors you choose to wear during your session.

Red

This emotionally intense color is known for attracting attention. Wearing this color during a portrait session says that you stand out, are passionate about your beliefs and have a lot of energy.

Black

This color has more than just a slimming effect on the people who wear it. Black is a timeless, classic color that keeps your photo from being dated. If you choose to wear this color during your session, it says that you are constant and traditional, yet stylish.

White

This is the color of purity and innocence and calls to mind feelings of simplicity and cleanliness. Wearing this color signifies pure intentions in your actions and a wholesome personality.

Green

Traditionally, this color was associated most closely with money. Lately, green has come to symbolize more than that, including things like growth, the environment and refreshment. If you wear this color during your session, you are likely to portray yourself as young, responsible and attentive.

Purple

The color of creativity and inspiration, purple is also the choice of royalty. Wearing purple signifies that you are sophisticated, romantic and creative.

Of course, we believe that you are unique, no matter what color you wear to your portrait session. During your session, do what makes you feel best and most comfortable and wear something that you feel reflects who you are as a person. If you haven’t booked your session, contact us today!

You are one-of-a-kind; embrace being unique and we’ll capture that moment.

At Kim Jew Photography, we look at you and see someone who is perfect exactly as you are. We know that it isn’t always easy to look in the mirror and be completely satisfied with the way you appear, but we believe that each portrait we take is an opportunity to show you how truly special you are. Self-appreciation is such an important part of your confidence and we know that something as simple as taking a great portrait can influence the way you feel about yourself.

What Your Portrait Should Say About You

We have made it our life’s work to bring out the very best of your characteristics to give you a portrait that reflects your individual beauty. We aren’t here just to take your picture, we are here to spread messages of positive self-esteem to everyone we have the honor of photographing. When you allow us the privilege of taking your portrait, the final result will:

• Capture your unique essence
• Convey your personality in a natural pose that’s unique to you
• Be a one-of-a-kind portrait that you are proud to share with current and future generations

The way you feel about yourself influences every aspect of your life, including personal relationships and happiness. Knowing that you are unique and beautiful is the first step to empowering yourself to achieve greatness.

Book Your Session Today

At Kim Jew Photography, we don’t just take photos; we are artists who provide you with portraits that truly reflect who you are. Remember, you’re exactly perfect in this moment—and always. We take the trust you have given us for the past 37 years very seriously and we celebrate your individuality! Contact us today to book a session!

We would like to start this off by saying we love Instagram. We are on Instagram, and you can follow us at kimjewphotography. Instagram is amazing because it is fast and simple. It has awesome filters as well as borders. It is fun to follow what your friends and others are doing, and to be able to comment on all of the photos. However, these are not the photos you will love for a lifetime. Not many people actually print their Instagram photos and they are not the photos that your grandchildren will be looking at and cherishing in the years to come. While Instagram has its place, a Kim Jew Photo will be of highest quality and you will love it forever.

You’re more than a smile, so let us capture your spirit!

You’re a senior. You know how important your senior picture is. Not only will it immortalize you in the year book, but it will hang on the family wall with pride…for longer than you think.

Sure. Anyone can take a picture. But not everyone can capture your spirit—your unique essence.

At Kim Jew Photography, we know how important senior portraits are. It was because of our own experience having unflattering portraits taken that we felt motivated to create beautiful portrait photography for others.

Telling Your Story

What makes a Kim Jew Senior Portrait so special is the fact that we’re committed to telling your story through compelling photography that celebrates beautiful, wonderful, glorious you! We don’t push you into some predefined mold or make you hold an awkward pose. We take the time to get to know you…to make you feel comfortable so that we can capture your true spirit.

You see, photography isn’t our job or our hobby. It’s our art. Our way to share beauty with the world and inspire others.

Preserving Your Story

For the rest of February, we’re running a special to make having a good senior portrait more accessible to all high school seniors! We want you to have amazing senior portraits that capture this moment in time and preserve your story for future generations.

During the month of February, enjoy:

• 75% off all high school senior portrait sessions booked for weekdays
• 50% off all high school senior portrait sessions booked for the weekend
• 50% off all high school senior sessions with Kim Jew

Contact the location nearest you to schedule your appointment today! At Kim Jew Photography, we don’t just take pictures, we make art.

In John Maxwell’s latest book, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, Maxwell states that many people don’t reach their full potential because they lack belief in themselves. They don’t see the possibilities that God put in them. Maxwell quotes Nathaniel Branden, psychiatrist and expert on the subject of self-esteem who says, “No factor is more important in people’s psychological development and motivations than the value judgments they make about themselves. Every aspect of their lives is impacted by the way they see themselves.”

Portraits can have an enormous impact on how people see themselves. For owners, Kim and Paul Jew, portraits taken of them as teenagers left indelible scars on them that have forever impacted their views on photography. Kim says, “When I first saw my high school senior portrait, my first thought was how boring I looked. This perception only heightened my feelings of insecurity about being Chinese, left handed and having a round face. A school portrait that Paul had taken as a 10th Grader also had the same effect. Paul says, “When I got my pictures back, I hid them in a drawer. The pictures made me look and feel dorky and ugly. I had very little confidence in myself.” Because of these negative experiences, we have made it our life’s work to create portraits that bolster a person’s positive self esteem as opposed to damaging it.

Creating a portrait that enhances a person’s self esteem involves proper planning, sensitivity, positive interaction, artistry, creativity and skill. It involves being a student of lighting, posing and camera technology. In addition, what we cannot capture in the camera, we have the expertise to enhance portraits through the magic of digital retouching technology. We leave no stone unturned when it comes to creating portraits that will make you feel good about you or your family.

If we have done our jobs well, you should look at the portraits that we create for you and say to yourself, “I like that person. That person is attractive, confident and capable of doing great things.” Our joy comes when we can play a role in contributing to your positive self esteem. We don’t consider ourselves to be in the photography business. We consider ourselves to be in the positive self esteem business. “No factor is more important in people’s psychological development and motivations than the value judgments they make about themselves. Every aspect of their lives is impacted by the way they see themselves.”

-Dr. Nathaniel Branden, Pyschotherapist and Self Esteem

A newborn baby. A new household pet. Hold on to your memories with a family portrait session from Kim Jew Photography. We don’t just take pretty photographs; we create art. We like to find creative ways to bring out every unique side of your personality.

When to Update your Family Portraits

At Kim Jew Photography, we love to help families make memories that will last forever. These portraits will be able to preserve the image of your children just after they were born, your parents on their 50^th anniversary or your graduation from high school. Family portraits can be kept for a lifetime.

Children grow quickly. Family members move away. Because of this, updating your family portraits should be done periodically. Documenting the growth and change in a family is particularly special and should be done at least every other year, if not sooner. Make sure you preserve your most precious memories with the people who mean most to you with Kim Jew Photography.

Contact Kim Jew Photography

We can accommodate many sizes of families, from 2 to 50 in our studio. For larger groups, our photographers are available to travel. Kim Jew Photography has sessions available in January and February, but they are booking fast. Contact us to schedule your family portrait session today!

January senior picture specials at Kim Jew.

At Kim Jew Photography, we believe that every person we photograph is unique and special in their own way. We love creating images that bring out your personality and that make you look good. Our monthly specials allow us to give more people the opportunity to be able to shoot with us. This month, we have great specials for senior portrait sessions.

Senior Portrait Sessions on Sale

Being able to take beautiful senior portraits is important. They’ll be given to people that are close to you as well as relatives that live far away. Weekend sessions are available at 75% off and weekday sessions are available at 90% off. This month, our senior portrait specials break down to:

• The Simple: $10 on weekdays, ONLY $25 on weekends for 45 minutes with camera room time, in studio only
• The Essential: $20 on weekdays, ONLY $50 on weekends minutes camera room time, studio only
• The Ultimate: $30 on weekdays, ONLY $75 on weekends on location within 30 miles
• Kim Jew Himself (50% off only for Kim’s sessions) on sale for $175

Take advantage of these great specials in January and book your session today! You still have time left to have the senior portraits that you have always wanted.