Kellie Pecoraro Photography » Kellie Pecoraro - Seattle family photographer, child photographer, newborn photographer & maternity photographer

A late spring 1st Birthday ~ 1 year old birthday Seattle photographer

It’s amazing how many people I’ve met through Cross Fit. Kim and Matt are two of those many people that I’ve met in the decade that I have been doing Cross Fit. I met them a number of years ago in class, and Kim’s gorgeous smile and sweet demeanor always come to mind when I think of her. We didn’t see each other for a few years as they moved cross-country for Matt to go to law school. When they moved back, I saw them again at a social event celebrating one of our former Cross Fit trainers. Miss Josephine was just an infant then, I think only about a month old. When I heard from Kim that Josephine was turning 1, it reinforced the age old saying “time flies…”. I was excited that she asked me to help them commemorate the 1st year milestone with photos.

1st birthday milestone photo session at Volunteer Park

Kim told me that Josephine was a “stoic” girl and that Matt would do best “unposed”. I told her not to worry, the candid stuff is my favorite part and the part that makes dads shine. They showed up to their session at Volunteer Park looking effortlessly styled and coordinated just the perfect amount. (I had no doubt they would look impeccable, Kim works at Nordstrom and is always fashionable!) When we got started, Josephine had her serious gaze going while she looked at me with my camera, and Matt was more comfortable wrangling Abby their dog than looking anywhere near my camera. But then we got to our perfect little pocket of color and light that I had found before they got there and settled in. Matt eased into adoring dad and loving husband and forgot all about me. With Kim and Matt as my assistants, even Josephine flashed us a few smiles and held on just long enough for us to take a few photos in her “one” outfit.

We had a lovely morning at Volunteer Park, and the spring colors were perfect!

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Tired Big Brother ~ Ballard in-home newborn session

In-home newborn sessions are becoming a favorite for me. They are relaxed, slow paced, and everyone is at ease because they are in comfortable surroundings. Snacks, lovies, and favorite toys are nearby when distractions or change of pace is needed. This session was the quintessential in-home photo shoot.

I met the Alex family in the fall of 2015. They were first time parents and Levi was not even a year old. I have since seen them right before their second was born for a maternity/holiday family session, and then again in their home for Jacob’s newborn photos. Minh-Hai and Ben are relaxed, calm people and Levi is clearly the product of very stable, consistent parenting. He is a little tentative at first, but warms into a fun-loving, expressive toddler. Maybe it was all the excitement but on the morning I spent with them, Levi was uncharacteristically tired. He had slept in later than normal and yet was still running low on energy. He was subdued and spent lots of time laying on the floor. After a little while he asked to take a nap.

We moved from the living room upstairs to Levi’s room. They played a little, read a storybook, and then he was off to la-la-land. After that, I got to spend some moments with Minh-Hai and Ben where they could savor the time with undivided attention on Jacob. I remember when my youngest was a newborn, it always seemed extra sweet when my oldest was at school or sleeping and I got to give my baby my full energy. I remember exchanging looks with my husband or just sitting and watching him sleep. I think with the second child, you learn to appreciate the smallest moments even more because you realize how fleeting they are. Also, you are constantly spreading energy in multiple places, so to just focus on one child is extra special.

And a bonus slideshow!

Alex Family – February 2017 from Kellie Pecoraro Photography on Vimeo.

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Why I love summer family photo sessions

Summer is finally in full swing in Seattle. I swear we were the last ones in the country still in school! We have only had a week out of school, and all of us are enjoying the luxury of not having to wake up early and a less structured schedule (which means less running around for us, and less chauffeur services for me!)

I personally love summer and here are a few reasons why:

I don’t have to layer (and I love tank tops, shorts & sandals).
Berries are so, so sweet and yummy!
I love sitting in the warm sun, basking in the warmth.
We can eat dinner outside in the yard.
We can go to the beach, and I can pretend I’m at the Pacific Ocean instead of Puget Sound. (And it almost works except for the rocky beaches and freezing cold water!)
I can keep the kids up late with less guilt.

Summer also means I get busier with family photo sessions. I love summer sessions for so many reasons. Here are my top 3 reasons I love doing family photo sessions during the summer:

1) The weather is so much more predictable than the fall.

It’s also much warmer, and my nose isn’t running because of the cold. It’s just stuffy from allergies, haha!
In the fall, setting a date for a photo session is like Russian Roulette. It is so beautiful, but sometimes you don’t know whether or not photos will actually happen until a few hours before your scheduled time because of rain, hail or windstorms.

2) Relaxed vibe of Seattle in the summer.

Seattle is at its best during the summer, and that ripple effect carries over to everyone.
Seattleites seem to be happier and more relaxed. If my families are more relaxed, they have more fun and that comes across in photos.

3) Sunsets (and sunrises) are THE BEST in the Pacific Northwest!

Their game is on-point during the summer!
Yes, you have to get up early or stay up late to catch them, but I promise it is so worth it.
Every sunset is unique, what will the one you keep the kids up late for look like? (You don’t have to worry about school the next day either!)

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Watching A Family Grow ~ Seattle Downtown Waterfront Photographer

I have had the pleasure of photographing this family many, many times. We met at preschool when I was taking Fine Art School Photos and Tatum was just a wee thing. She captured my heart then, and every time she is in front of my camera, she is a joy to photograph. Tatum has always had amazing glasses. I think the first time I met her, she had these awesome blue glasses that happened to match her blue dress. She’s since had many different pairs, each one perfectly suited for her. Tatum calls me Miss Kellie and though I never use the word “cheese” and try to tell the parents of my families to not coach the kids to say cheese, kids still do, and she is one of them. However, a second after she says it, she goes back to being herself, and she will gaze into my lens with bare curiosity. She’s become a muse of sorts for me, because I love the innocence and pureness she exudes. Her little sister is quite the opposite. This happened to be a session to commemorate Kensie’s 2nd birthday. It seems like just yesterday that I was taking maternity photos and her newborn photos! Kensie is always on the go, and she had me running back and forth across the Bell Harbor Conference Center overpass and all around the waterfront near the Great Wheel. I was working hard to get candid shots of her. It’s not unusual for me to “chase” kids around just following their lead, and some of my favorite photos are the result of me running around after kids.

Misty and Justin are also fun to photograph. They have learned to “ignore me” and just play with the girls (as opposed to just looking at the camera). They’re so used to me, Justin was even watching a Cubs game on his phone at one of our sessions when he wasn’t in front of the camera. Since it was a playoff or World Series game, we ended up incorporating that into the session, with both of them checking the score on his phone. This particular session we were up against a few factors, super bright sun, Justin feeling under-the-weather, and an unpredictable 2 year old in a busy place. After playing a bit at the Bell Harbor Conference center steps and exploring that area, we stopped at Starbucks for a little refueling, and then took a few final shots at the waterfront near the aquarium and Great Wheel. I think the session felt a little crazy to Misty since she was managing the girls a bit more than normal since Justin didn’t feel great, but we still ended up with awesome shots.

I am so thankful when my families come back for more photos. I love building relationships and becoming friends with them, and watching their little ones grow before my eyes!

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Long time, no blogs!

It’s been a long while since there’s been any blog action here. Partly because it hasn’t been a priority and there have been a million other things to be done, and partly because I’ve been wanting to re-do my website since before my youngest was born. There was always something that I needed to do whether it was editing a family session, laundry, cooking, volunteering at kids’ schools or actually spending time with my husband. Even if that meant sitting and watching our favorite shows together. I finally got honest with myself and admitted that if I was going to re-do it on my own, it would take a lot of extra late nights and it would keep getting put off. So when I had the chance to work with Kate Densmore on a rebrand and website overhaul, I jumped at the chance.

Kate is widely known for her documentary family photography and she has been an instructor and mentor to hundreds of photographers.I took an online workshop with her in 2016, and then an in-person workshop at the beginning of this year, so I knew I would work well with her. I have also been participating in a collaborative photo blog called The Art of an Ordinary Day. When she spread the word that she was now doing design work, I got really excited!

I’m so thrilled with the outcome of working with Kate. She has been a source of guidance, inspiration, and support in getting work done, and I couldn’t have done this better myself. From a perfectionist, that’s saying a lot! I am planning on this to be a place for me to share photos of the families I have the privilege to work with, and to also share some of the people nearest and dearest to me, my family.

Photography has been a journey for me and I know there is so much more to explore. I hope you come along for the ride! Here are the images I’ve contributed to the collaborative blog so far! And a bonus one that I missed getting in for June’s edition. Oops.

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