• PhotoOp

  442 Columbus Ave., nr. 81st St.; 212-362-1911

  Every parent wants button-cute pictures he or she can off send to adoring relatives, but the atmosphere at most professional photo studios�all forced smiles, fuzzy backdrops, and an internal meter ticking off the remaining time�can be agonizing for all involved. PhotoOp, which recently opened on a stroller-clogged stretch of Columbus, makes the process easier�and actually fun. Kids can don costumes and props, pick from a small selection of Crewcuts garb, or just stick with their street clothes. They then get primped in a faux-movie-star dressing room, making each session feel more like a game of dress-up than a choreographed shoot. The young, enthusiastic staff works so quickly that subjects barely have time to get fidgety and bored. The sessions are an investment ($199, with a handful of price options for prints) but the results� relaxed, natural images�pay off.

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