Meet (dad) Dennis and (mom) Kelsey and their family.  This dynamic duo from NYC is getting high marks for successfully reinventing the school portrait with one of the greatest ideas since recess, it’s called Stomping Ground. The gig has officially been underway since last school year though Dennis has been a well-known name in the industry for some time having sharpened his portrait skillz photographing famous acts like The White Stripes, Radiohead, Neko Case, and tons of other artists.. The accolades his work has received are many and though snapping a school portrait may seem like an uncommon tangent, he and Kelsey have identified a unique need and created a very special solution with Stomping Ground. They were kind enough to entertain a Q n A  and even offer Hipsters w/Kids readers a discount at their next Open Studio Day – Read on!

What was the motivation to start Stomping Ground?

KELSEY: It really started as a project with our daughter’s class. And then we did another class. And then another. The portraits were stunning and the parents loved them so we decided to pursue it. Now we have school clients in New York and Los Angeles, and schools from other cities are contacting us as well.

DENNIS: Our daughter’s school photos never came close to capturing her spirit—they were always really stiff shots of her with a forced smile.  Kelsey knew I could do better shots of kids—not just technically better, but better at capturing their personalities.

You two have kids, how does this help with 'tricks' of the Stomping Ground trade?

K: Dennis is such a great dad. He absolutely loves children and has a sensitivity and gentleness that children really respond to.

D:  I couldn’t have done this before I had kids!

Are there methods for getting kids to loosen up in front of the camera and capture them being real?

K: Eye contact and listening. We want them to feel acknowledged and relax.

D: You just have to be open emotionally and mentally and physically get down to their level.

K: I also think that Dennis simply knows when to press the shutter!

 

Any funny stories from kids acting silly/saying funny stuff etc that stick out?

D:  I can’t think of a specific story, but I’ve learned a lot about behavioral patterns of little kids.  If they are feeling bashful or are uncomfortable, their tongues hang out.  They shove their fingers in their mouths.  Boys will generally fall to the floor and won’t get up.

 

What is unique about photographing children?

D:  Little kids are generally guileless.  They don’t have all of the ego issues that adults have.  If they are in the mood, then you can get the most expressive, open, and honest pictures.  Even if they aren’t in the mood, you can still get great shots.  The pictures are just quieter, softer, more reserved.  And it seems obvious and a bit cliché, but kids just seem to radiate from inside out. 

 

K: We’ve gotten feedback from parents that their kids love the pictures. This is really important to us especially with teenagers. We want them to feel good seeing themselves. The pictures aren’t just for the adults. I was on the phone with a parent who said he and his wife didn’t have a  photograph of their son smiling from the last few years. He said they really treasured the photos we took. And its not like his son had a big smile in the shot. It was very subtle. But he was relaxed, his eyes were happy and he was smiling slightly. Honestly it looks like he was trying not to smile but couldn’t help himself.

 

Is Stomping Ground by appt only or do you have open studio days? Do schools hire you the most or individuals?

K: You can hire Dennis for environmental family portraiture that can include studio shots. But we also have Open Studio Day twice a year. This way parents whose schools don’t partner us can still have their child photographed by Dennis.  And if a family wants to be photographed at Open Studio Day that is ok too.

 Our next Open Studio Day is May 22^nd and 23^rd in DUMBO at Rabbit Hole Studio. We picked DUMBO because it’s a great place for families. You can take a water taxi there if you’re coming from Manhattan. The views are amazing as is the architecture. And it’s a very kid-friendly neighborhood:  there’s a great playground, Bubby’s, Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, and Powerhouse Books.

 

The sitting fee is $150 for a half hour session. Packages start at $89. First 3 Hipsters w/Kids readers to make a reservation and mention this post receive $50 off  the sitting fee. If you’re a Hw/Ks reading single parent receive 50% off the sitting fee.

YOU GUYS... THANKS!



Image from Planet Awesome Kid

Image from Planet Awesome Kid

Image from Planet Awesome Kid

Planet Awesome Kid creator Julia Samersova and family I adore the blog Planet Awesome Kid , an exuberant celebration of children's style, and draw inspiration from it daily.  So do a lot of others. The blog has received a ton of well-deserved press and praise for good reason. This interview  with the HIP creator Julia Samersova feels cool and connected, a sense of community even though we've never met face to face! A big timin' casting director for the fashion industry, Julia is using her keen scouting powers to shine attention on all the awesome kids worldwide. Together Team Awesome (including Julia's husband, Andrew, responsible for a lot of the photography) is on a mission documenting children's style and character and simultaneously working to support local and global children-based charities.

Hw/Ks:  You're a busy lady - Casting Director extraordinaire and you and your husband are new parents to a lovely  Ms Violet!  When did Planet Awesome Kid come into the mix and what was the inspiration?  

Julia: Violet is the light and joy of our lives.  She is also our constant inspiration!   I was walking her through the park in Brooklyn one fall afternoon, in October, and BOOM, it just hit me.  There were so many amazingly cool kids all around us, and we had to document it!  My husband is a photographer, so we just went out on the streets of NYC and looked (and found) the most awesome kids!

Hw/Ks: Global Action for Children, an amazing organization, is the newest partner for Planet Awesome Kid. How do you 'find' partners, or how do they find you?  

Julia: A lot of the events occurring around Planet Awesome Kid have been incredibly serendipitous.   Global Action for Children actually found us and contacted us!  My partner Christiana Tran and I were looking for the right charity to link up with and just as we were doing the research GAC contacted us!   One of the young ladies who works at GAC is a street-style hound, and found us on the internet and thought we would be a great match!   They came to NYC from D.C. to meet us, and it just CLICKED.  We are very excited about the benefit we are throwing for GAC in March in NYC.  It will be awesome and 100% of the proceeds we raise will go directly to GAC!

Hw/Ks: Planet Awesome Kid has been described at the Sartorialist of children's fashion, this is très cool but I feel like you have a such unique ingredient, spirit! How do you spot your subjects, what makes them stand out?

Julia: Being an "Awesome Kid"  can literally mean anything.  A child who just shines in a crowd, a child with a unique look, or a cool hobby.  Its not only about fashion to me. It is about the SPIRIT and ENERGY of a child.  A smile, a cool skateboard, a way a child thrown together a rad outfit, a talent.  It could be anything.  It goes without saying that I feel ALL CHILDREN are awesome. 

Hw/Ks: What’s your take on top designers doing collaborations and/or in-house lines for kids wear? (Stella, Comme, Marc...)  

Julia: GIVE US MORE, but please, can it be a bit more affordable? I think it speaks to the strength of the children's market.  In the midst of a great recession, the children's market remained extremely strong.  I think this is a very smart move for a designer to incorporate a kid's line.    I know that for me, personally, even though we had a bit of a rough year financially, I still could not resist buying my daughter items that truly stole my heart.

 

HwKs: Can you reccomend.....

A neighborhood - Windsor Terrace is a gem.  Its on the Southwest side of Prospect Park in Brooklyn, and we love it!

A restaurant or cafe -  Miriam's in Park Slope for brunch!   HEAVEN!  

Music you might not listen to around kids-  Biggie Smalls, Tupac, and Lady Gaga

A favorite shop- Zakka in Dumbo  

A website -  Stroller Traffic, Mamaista, Weelicious, Cool Mom Picks, and everything that is blog rolled on Planet Awesome Kid.  

A book - Happiest Toddler on The Block......GENIUS!  

A recreational activity (w/or w/o kids) -  We live in NYC, so museums, zoos, parks, restaurants, beach, trips! We go everywhere with Violet!  I believe strongly in exposing your children to EVERYTHING.  

A publication - Vogue Paris is my style bible.  I worship Carine Roitfeld.

A toy - We love books.  For the 1st year we could not live without the Whoozit.

Something that every parent should own - Baby Bjorn Soft Plastic Bib and Beaba BabyCook

 

JULIA THANK YOU!

Meet Jen (middle), May and Finley.  

 

Jen O'Neill is the designer and founder of My Tree & Me, a cool company that designs and customizes modern genealogy charts. She and her husband (not pictured) are both artists and when they had their first child, Jen felt compelled to apply her aesthetically interpret the family's history. Launching the website and online store this April it's been a whirlwind, with two kidlets both under the age of 5 to add to the craziness, I was very excited to catch up with Jen over a few post bedtime e-mails and get a brief lesson on the roots of My Tree & Me and some recommends for nurturing one's inner artist. 

 

Such. a. great. idea. When did you launch and what did you do prior to My Tree & Me? 

I guess the site launched in April of this year but I've been working on it for at least a year prior to that during naptimes and after bedtimes. oy. Prior to this I was working full time raising my babies, prior to that I worked in the fashion industry in L.A. 

 

What kind(s) of design and/or designers influence you the most? 

I'm pretty influenced by textile design because of my fashion background. I really love flat, bright prints - Vera, Marimekko, I have a huge collection of vintage scarves, clothing and fabric scraps that I'm always drawing inspiration from in some way. 

 

My favorite design is the Slice of Life, is there a 'most popular' design?

It's a tie between the Proud as a Peacock group and Birds of a Feather.  

 

Is My Tree & Me available in stores? 

Right now we are in Wing & Clover in Rhinebeck NY. They are being so amazing and supportive as we figure out this wholesale thing. I'm hoping to develop more DIY designs to wholesale in the New Year and expand to more stores. My husband is an artist too and we have all sorts of big plans to silkscreen them. You know, after the kids are in bed - ha! 

 

I feel you would like this blog http://myparentswereawesome.tumblr.com/ , what do you feel is important about learning one's heritage/lineage? 

Wow that blog is great - thanks for passing it on. 

I think it's important to learn about because it's a way of honoring all the individual's lives who came before you. Sort of like the aim of that site - to show how awesome all those people were who had a hand in creating you. Each had a story just like we all have a story that we are creating now. I look at my chart all the time and think stuff like "what did great great great grandma do when her kids were squabbling?" or "damn, life must have been even more exhausting than I am now when you had to work on the farm and raise 5 kids without a dishwasher". For me, taking a moment to consider this keeps your heritage alive a little bit.

 

How far back have you been able to date your family history? Was anyone else an artist? 

I have one line on my dad's side that goes back to 1657 even listing the ship my ancestor came over on. I sort of got lucky there in that I have a woman in my family who was a certified genealogy researcher.

 

Can you recommend  ....

a neighborhood - The Mission in San Francisco

a coffee shop - On the Rise Bakery in Richmond, VT - It has a has a huge garden out front, locally produced food, great coffee and a playground across the lawn. Kid/Mommy paradise.

a grocery store and/or farmers market - It's kind of a zoo but I love the Santa Monica Farmer's Market in CA. My sister knew an avocado farmer there who would make us fresh avocado diced in the skin with salt and fresh lime juice. Then we'd walk around and shop eating them. Heaven! 

music you might not listen to around the kids - Bright Eyes, Wilco, Feist, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, M. Ward, Flaming Lips.

music you listen to around the kids - I actually listen to the classical radio station all day. It gives me something calming to focus on when the kids are going berserk! 

a website - I just learned about Kideos.com which I think is genius and I love Pandora so much I should work in their PR department.

a book/ mag publication - Domino may it rest in peace. I'm a fan of the first issue of Lonny too - seems like it's going to be full of similarly amazing content.

a recreational activity - Biking with the kids in the Burley to the beach. We have great bike trails here in Burlington right along Lake Champlain. I go at least once a week in the summer hauling lunch, towels, sand toys, etc. I think pro bikers should borrow our overstuffed beach bound bike trailer to train with.

a toy - the dress up box. Our kids are something new every 10 minutes I swear. Right now my son is a pirate and my daughter is a ballerina pirate. 

something that every parent should own  - a phone with the pizza delivery place programmed in. 

Meet Demetre and Julian

These dudes gel. They listen to The Beatles together and hunt for parks with swing sets. Julian has got dad Demetre in the healthy habit of eating plain Cheerios and Demetre sets a fatherly fashionable example hoping to pass on his love for cardigans. When they're not hanging out as a fam (wife/mom not pictured) Demetre puts in brain power as Creative Director for an interactive agency. A solid source  for what's hip, Demetre is a busy guy, donating his pro-rated hourly rate plus an extra $0.02, I got lucky to score some staple recommends for fellow parental units including Bauhaus for coffee, Ballard Farmers Market for fresh eats, all things kid at playgrounder.com. 

 

 

 

Meet Bambi, Toby (the dog), Jude, and Brent.

These people are seriously cool. We're a degree away from strangers (Bambi and I met at her work where she is a hair stylist, her husband Brent and lady-killer Jude I've yet to meet) but when asked to share a photo and some insider info on domestic hipsterdom the fam was game to spill the scoop.

"Sometimes you start to think that you are the only one with a kid and people think you are uncool for it, and then someone wants to do a blog about!" Bambi started out our e-interview expressing her delight and we continued on a positive note.

How many kids do you have?
-We have one kid, Jude Oliver, who is a year and a half old.

Jude is adorable. He looks kinda small in the photo ....
-The picture I sent was our Christmas card last year. It is super old but I don't have any good, current pictures of the family. That reminds me. I need to take more pictures!

Have things changed since then? I mean since Jude was born, not since last Christmas...
-Almost everything has changed since we had Jude! The other day my husband was talking about selling his ampeg bass amp.  

No! That's a big deal, you and Brent are both musicians right?
- Brent and I used to play in bands. His last band was called Post Stardom Depression. My last was called Rotten Apples. We both play bass.Both bands are planning "reunion" shows

What kind of music does Jude like to listen to?
-When Jude was a tiny baby, The Ramones up loud would ALWAYS make him stop crying. Also, the vent hood about the stove worked pretty well. He is not too picky about his music. He pretty much likes it all. YMCA by The Village People seems to get him dancing. He doesn't like Slayer all that much to my husbands disliking...

Slayer is an aquired taste. There's still hope. Aside from dance parties what other activities do you enjoy doing as a family?
-We live close to the Woodland Park Zoo where we have a membership. They have an indoor play area called the 'Zoomazium' which is a good place to go when it is raining.

Do you like the neighborhood you're in?
-I love Greenwood/Phinney [Seattle, WA neighborhood]. I live and work there. I didn't realize it when we bought our house but living a block and a half away from Greenwood park is f*!king awesome. They are going to expand it too!

That's good news! Do you follow any community blogs or have any website recommends for staying connected?
-Facebook is my most favorite website. It is the only way I can stay in touch with friends and feel "connected". Also, the yahoo group "ballardmoms" is pretty large and helpful.

Maybe I should start a yahoo group. Any one-off tips for fellow hipsters with kids?   -My favorite place to buy kids clothes is H&M in Southcenter mall. Cheap and CUTE.


Perfect! Thank you!