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 allotted. Perfect for shorter attention spans, kids and parents alike! ;)
A: We will take as many photos as possible in the time remaining in your time slot.
A: If you get ill or have an unforeseen 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 2026.
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!
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
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. I'm happy to consult on outfits if you'd like me to. Send me an email or text with pics and I'll give you my opinion.
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.
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.
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.
If you pack your day too tight, you run the risk of people being cranky... and it's anyone's guess if that'll be the little ones, the grown ups, or both.
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. (For mini sessions, it's probably safe to park in the loading zones near the building entrance, but please don't park in the reserved spaces.)
it’s time for your holiday mini session at Saltwater Studio! November 15th, 16th & Dec 7th 2025 Each session lasts 20 minutes. The mini session will include 5 digital images. You select these images from an online edited gallery. There are two upgrade options. 30 images or the full digital collection. All options are available...
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...
You’ve asked and been patient… they’re finally here! It’s Mini-Session time! Fall is busy, I get it! Last-minute planners, have you been waiting for soccer and other fall activities to release their schedules before adding more to your calendar? Me too friends, me too. Now you’re worried about getting photos in time for holiday cards...
Okay, so you live in Seattle. Weather is not exactly the best this time of year. Maybe you missed getting photos for your holiday cards. Do not fear! You can still have family photos taken. No one says you have to take family photos in the fall. If you want to take them outside, I’m...
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...
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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 allotted. Perfect for shorter attention spans, kids and parents alike! 😉
A: We will take as many photos as possible in the time remaining in your time slot.
A: If you get ill or have an unforeseen 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 2026.
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!
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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.
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. I’m happy to consult on outfits if you’d like me to. Send me an email or text with pics and I’ll give you my opinion.
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.
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.
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.
If you pack your day too tight, you run the risk of people being cranky… and it’s anyone’s guess if that’ll be the little ones, the grown ups, or both.
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. (For mini sessions, it’s probably safe to park in the loading zones near the building entrance, but please don’t park in the reserved spaces.)
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.”
No? I can help with that.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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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Last-minute planners, have you been waiting for soccer and other fall activities to release their schedules before adding more to your calendar? Me too friends, me too. Now you’re worried about getting photos in time for holiday cards right? Or maybe you want to capture what the kids look like now before another year goes by? Fret not, I am releasing these dates for mini-sessions so you can check one more thing off your list.
Maybe you’ve already taken photos with me this year, THANK YOU! I know all too well that with the littlest family members, they look and act completely different in half a year. Or maybe you meant to schedule a family session but summer flew by and you don’t know where it went? I’m in the same boat! Summer was TOO short this year! I’m here to help. I get time is a premium in this very full fall season. Let’s get some family photos that reflect who your family is, quickly and painlessly.
Mini-sessions are $325 plus tax. Before the session I’ll send you some tips on what to wear and specifics on where/when to meet. At the session we will get the whole family, a few varying combinations of family members, the kids by themselves, and then before you know it, our time will be up! I’ll edit the photos and put them all up in an online gallery. You will get a gallery of 20+ images to choose your favorite 10 to download. Can’t decide? Not to fear, you can purchase all of the images in the gallery for an additional $100.
If you can’t see the embedded calendars, use these links below:
September 22nd – Morning Mini-Sessions at Discovery Park
October 20th – Evening Mini-Sessions, location TBD
Signing up here will allow you to reserve a slot on my calendar. Once I receive the appointment request, I’ll confirm and send an invoice for you to pay. All mini-sessions are prepaid.
We will take photos unless it is pouring rain. Please try to leave some flexibility in your schedule to allow for time-adjustments for weather, I’ll be in close touch if the forecast looks iffy. Pre-planned make-up dates will be the morning of Sunday, 9/29 for the September minis. October make-up date will be the afternoon/evening of October 26th.
You’re in luck, I also have online scheduling available for full sessions!
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Okay, so you live in Seattle. Weather is not exactly the best this time of year. Maybe you missed getting photos for your holiday cards. Do not fear! You can still have family photos taken. No one says you have to take family photos in the fall. If you want to take them outside, I’m game. Let’s play chicken with the weather, get bundled up and go outside. We might have to reschedule a few times or you might have to be okay with rainy family photos, but it’ll be an adventure! OR we could take in-home family photos.
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In-home documentary photography is at your house (I know, obvious.). Why is it documentary? Because I come to your home and document your family as you are. I capture your home and your family in your element, where you are most comfortable. I may ask you do the things you are already doing closer to the window, but I will direct as little as possible.
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Some children are most comfortable when things are predictable. They like their creature comforts (don’t we all?), and they feel more secure when they are at-home. When I think about my childhood, I remember the saimin (ramen) lunches we had on rainy days, the wagon rides and football tossing we had in the backyard, and the many mornings we spent eating breakfast at the dining table. Our families spend a lot of time at home, why wouldn’t you want to preserve part of your family memories at home?
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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.
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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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(206) 954-7450
kellie@kelliepecoraro.com
Seattle, Washington