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2024 Studio Holiday Mini-Sessions

it’s time for your holiday mini session at Saltwater Studio!

November 3rd, 16th & 17th 2024

  • Each session lasts 20 minutes.
  • The mini session will include 5 digital images. You select images from an online edited gallery.
  • You can choose to upgrade to 30 images or the full digital collection. All options are available at booking.
  • À la carte digital images, prints and wall products available to purchase from gallery.
  • HOLIDAY CARDS will also be available to purchase from gallery!
  • Sessions are held at Saltwater Studio, located at the north edge of downtown Seattle and lower Queen Anne.
  • $385 session fee due upon booking. (WA state/Seattle tax of 10.35% also applies)
  • If you are unable to make your session time, an attempt to reschedule during another time slot available will be made. Rescheduling cannot be guaranteed.
  • No refunds, but fee can be applied to a full family session at a future date.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q:  How is a mini-session different than a regular session?

A:  It’s not really that different, except it’s shorter! And in the studio, where we don’t have to worry about the cold, rainy weather in Seattle! We will work through as much as we can in the time alloted. Perfect for shorter attention spans, kids and parents alike! 😉

Q:  What happens if we are late? 

A:  We will take as many photos as possible in the time remaining in your time slot.

Q:  What happens if we can’t make the session? 

A:  If you get ill or have an unforseen circumstance, we can attempt to reschedule during another time slot if there are any available during mini-session days. Rescheduling is not guaranteed. Session fee can be applied to a regular family session in 2025.

Q:  Can other people come to the session with us? 

A:  Due to the abbreviated session time, this session is intended for immediate families only. Please contact me if you would like to bring additional people and we can book a regular session!

 

~~~~~  book now!  ~~~~~

photo collage of family dressed in holiday attire. Dad swinging daughter in the air. Little girl twirling in front of her parents. Entire family looking at the camera and smiling. Little legs sticking out from under the sofa. Girl in red sweater playing in sheer drapes. Husband looking over wife's shoulder, with hand on her pregnant stomach.

Tips on how to make your mini-session successful!

  1. Manage expectations.

    Have a quick chat with the family about how the session will go. If you let them know what to expect beforehand, you’ll set them up for success because they’ll anticipate what will happen

  2. Plan your outfits ahead of time. (And steam/iron them!)

    You don’t have to get all new outfits (unless you want to!). Aim for coordinating/complementary colors in your outfits, not matchy-matchy. Don’t forget to wear shoes you won’t mind seeing in photos.

  3. Make sure you set out everything you need the night before your session.

    It’ll help everyone if no one has to run around looking for a shirt that fits, one that isn’t wrinkled, or matching socks.

  4. Moms…get ready before everyone else.

    If you “put on your own oxygen mask” first, you’ll be less stressed about helping everyone else. Get mostly ready, get the kids ready, then finish up with those last touches before you leave.

  5. Adjust nap/snack time accordingly.

    Try to set your little one up for a successful shoot by making sure they are well-fed and have napped early enough for you to get ready and be on time for your shoot. Sometimes a quick (neat) snack on the way ensures that they won’t be hangry during photos.

  6. Be early.

    Allow time for Seattle traffic, and finding parking. If you give yourself a good buffer, then you’ll ensure you get your full session time.

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    Does Your Child’s School Picture Look Like Them?

    Did you just get your Picture Day school photos back?

    Do you actually like them for the quality of the photo or do you like them for their entertainment value? For me, I like to compare them to the photos that I take to see the comedic differences in the kids I see in “big box” school photos versus the ones that I take. My son said “I was bleached in my picture.”

    Do the school photos you have of your kids reflect who they really are?

    No? I can help with that.

    smiling 9 year old boy's school picture

    3 school pictures of cute boy

    When was the last time you had a school photo embody ALL the aspects of your child?

    What words would you use to describe your child? Fun, happy, silly, quiet, thoughtful, boisterous, introverted, talkative, animated… those are all adjectives that I hear people use when then talk about their kids. Sometimes all of those could be used to describe ONE child!

    traditional school pictures vs. fine-art school portraits

    Traditional school photos are taken very quickly, posed, and a smile is often called for by the photographer saying “Say cheese!” or some other silly phrase. I have received photos of my children that barely look like the kids I know. They look uncomfortable or stiff.

    My fine-art school portraits are the opposite of traditional school pictures. My favorite thing is to ask a kid something about themselves to elicit a bit personality from them.

    I’ll ask them to tell me about their favorite animal, subject, or sport. I’ve been known to crack some really bad knock-knock jokes, or tell the “what’s black and white and red all over?” joke. It works really well with preschoolers. Also a favorite for preschool pictures, “Does a chicken say woof-woof?” Sometimes I get a look of disbelief that I don’t know what sound a chicken makes, sometimes I get a huge giggle, and sometimes I get clucking or “cock a doodle doo!”. Teens are pretty fun too. I ask them about how their parents annoy them. Some gleefully answer so mom or dad can hear the answer, others will give me a knowing grin and plead the 5th.

    My point is, through conversation or observation of the more quiet kids, I see who they are because I give them room to breathe and show me who they are.

    If you are a school administrator and want “school pictures” like these, contact me here.  I’d love to talk to you about doing fine-art school portraits at your school!

    If you are a parent and want these at your school, drop me a line and let me know your school info and a good contact to get in touch with there. Or if you want these just for you, ask me when my next in-studio school portrait event is at Saltwater Studio Seattle.

     

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      2023 Studio Holiday Mini-Sessions

      family in holiday wear on a sofa. little girls whispering in their parents' ears

      it’s time for minis at Saltwater Studio!

      November 4th & 5th / November 19th 2023

      • Each session lasts 20 minutes.
      • The mini session will include 5 digital images. You select images from an online gallery.
      • You can choose to upgrade to 30 images or full digital collection.
      • À la carte digital images, prints and wall products available to purchase from gallery.
      • New this year… HOLIDAY CARDS will also be available to purchase from gallery!
      • Sessions are held at Saltwater Studio, located at the north edge of downtown Seattle and lower Queen Anne.
      • $385 session fee due upon booking. (WA state/Seattle tax of 10.25% not included)
      • If you are unable to make your session time, an attempt to reschedule during another time slot available will be made. Rescheduling cannot be guaranteed.
      • No refunds, but fee can be applied to a full family session.
      • This set will be available, but a new set-up will also be available!

       

      FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

      Q:  How is a mini-session different than a regular session?

      A:  It’s not really that different, except it’s shorter! And in the studio, where we don’t have to worry about the cold, rainy weather in Seattle! We will work through as much as we can in the time alloted. Perfect for shorter attention spans, kids and parents alike! 😉

      Q:  What happens if we are late? 

      A:  We will take as many photos as possible in the time remaining in your time slot.

      Q:  What happens if we can’t make the session? 

      A:  If you get ill or have an unforseen circumstance, we can attempt to reschedule during another time slot if there are any available during mini-session days. Rescheduling is not guaranteed. Session fee can be applied to a regular family session.

      Q:  Can other people come to the session with us? 

      A:  Due to the abbreviated session time, this session is intended for immediate families only. Please contact me if you would like to bring additional people and we can book a regular session!

       

      collage of family in photo studio on couch. toddler with short hair and green bow smiling, standing on her own. parents smiling at her

       

      ~~~~~  book now!  ~~~~~

      Tips on how to make your mini-session successful!

      1. Manage expectations.

        Have a quick chat with the family about how the session will go. If you let them know what to expect beforehand, you’ll set them up for success because they’ll anticipate what will happen

      2. Plan your outfits ahead of time. (And steam/iron them!)

        You don’t have to get all new outfits (unless you want to!). Aim for coordinating/complementary colors in your outfits, not matchy-matchy. Don’t forget to wear shoes you won’t mind seeing in photos.

      3. Make sure you set out everything you need the night before your session.

        It’ll help everyone if no one has to run around looking for a shirt that fits, one that isn’t wrinkled, or matching socks.

      4. Moms…get ready before everyone else.

        If you “put on your own oxygen mask” first, you’ll be less stressed about helping everyone else. Get mostly ready, get the kids ready, then finish up with those last touches before you leave.

      5. Adjust nap/snack time accordingly.

        Try to set your little one up for a successful shoot by making sure they are well-fed and have napped early enough for you to get ready and be on time for your shoot. Sometimes a quick (neat) snack on the way ensures that they won’t be hangry during photos.

      6. Be early.

        Allow time for Seattle traffic, and finding parking. If you give yourself a good buffer, then you’ll ensure you get your full session time.

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        Do Your School Pictures Need an Update/Improvement?

         

        school photo portrait session information

        WHAT ARE FINE-ART SCHOOL PORTRAITS?

        Not your average Seattle school pictures!

        I take the time to talk to each child and draw out what makes them unique, so that I can capture glimpses of their personality in their photos. The result is more natural, fun photos of your child! What if you really love an authentic portrait but still like the cheesy school picture grin (because they’re just so funny!)? Don’t worry, we usually get at least one of those in an effort to show the genuine smile you are used to seeing! And if your child doesn’t feel like smiling, I won’t force them to. I promise they’ll still look like the kid you know and love.

        Most of them will be in landscape orientation. While some may be in “traditional” (school) portrait orientation, the majority will be horizontally-oriented.

        portraits with quote "I believe that like a diamond, an individual has so many facets"

        What happens after the photo-session?

        After our session, I review all the photos and select my favorites. After editing these, I will send you a gallery that contains both color and black and white images. The number in each album will vary depending on how comfortable the child is in front of my camera, but there will usually be at least half a dozen images to choose your favorite from.

        A link will be sent to your email and then you login to a password-protected gallery and select your favorites for prints or digital images. You may also order print packages, additional images or the entire collection of digital files at that time. Prices start at $5 for a la carte prints, print packages start at $35 and the full digital collection is $229. You can pre-purchase the full collection for $189. I can also help you with wall-art or albums to send the grandparents!

        collage of B&W school pictures

        What are sibling portrait sessions?

        They are a mini-session where I aim to capture the relationship between your kids. The sweet, the silly, the joy, and sometimes, the tears. (I promise I don’t make the kids cry, but I can’t guarantee they won’t make each other cry!)

        You can read more about why sibling photos are a must-have here.

        Sign-me Up! Book your session online below:

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          What Does Your Headshot or Profile Photo Say About You?

          headshot of woman with colorful necklace, monstera leaf in foreground

           

          When was the last time you updated your headshot?

          Has it been multiple years or multiple hairstyles/colors ago since you updated your online profile photo on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or any other social media app? That small little circle that contains your profile picture is the first thing that people see, and sometimes they’ve never met you in person. In this digital era where your first impression is so often digital, if you have a grainy, blurry, or shadowy selfie photo that you took on your phone or your photo on your social networking app, unless that’s intentional, it’s probably not the best impression you can make to the online world.

          Or if your social media profile photo is the same one that you use for your LinkedIn/business profile, and it’s one of you surfing on your last beach vacation or eating a burger, you might want to consider updating the image. I’m not saying your profile photo shouldn’t be you eating a burger. If you’re a food blogger, that’s probably very appropriate. But is it THE best photo of you eating a burger? Or one that your friend snapped while there are 30 people waiting in line at In-N-Out behind you. If it’s the latter, you can do better than that.

          headshot of woman with colorful necklace

          What do you want people to know about you?

          Perhaps you want business clients to see one side of you, and your friends to see another? We have so many aspects of our personalities, that I wouldn’t be surprised if these identities were quite different. Are you “the boss” at work, but with friends you’re “the goofball”?

          As a Seattle headshot and business branding portrait photographer, I talk to all my clients about “who they are”, and what energy they want to come across in their photos before we start taking photos. I will take a little bit of time to get to know you and what you want to say about yourself.

          A good professional headshot portrait or business branding portrait will help communicate who you are. Whether you are an entrepreneur, consultant, account manager, realtor, attorney, household manager or therapist, we can give your clients a peek into you you are with your headshots.

          Where do we take headshots or business branding photos?

          Short answer:  anywhere. I have a photography studio at the north edge of Belltown / lower Queen Anne in Seattle and we can hold your headshot photo session there. It’s a light, bright and blank versatile canvas for us to use. We can take photos at your business/workplace as well, outdoors, or if you want to rent a different venue like an airBNB, that’s a possibility too.

          Planning is key to a successful photo session!

          If you need help with wardrobe, I can offer tips on what looks good on-camera. If you are interested in make-up or hair, I’ll help you find referrals to get you looking your best!

          At the Session

          During your headshot session I will gently pose you and find the best positions that not only flatter your body, but the ones that will also help convey the persona that you want to project. While we take your photos, we’ll just chat like we’re having coffee and by the end of your session, you just might forget that there’s a camera pointed at you!

          headshot of woman with colorful necklace

          Book now:  regular headshot or branding session

          limited time only:  march 10 & 12th 2023

          book now:  headshot essential session

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            Welcome

            I'm Kellie! I'm so glad you're here.

            I have been toting my camera almost everywhere since I was a little girl… and my family and friends have learned to ignore it. But usually I don’t mind them ignoring me. Why? Because I try to capture life as it happens. I see “moments”, and I want to help you have those treasured memories to look back on.

            (206) 954-7450
            kellie@kelliepecoraro.com
            Seattle, Washington