I am thrilled to introduce you all to my new associate photographer, Starr Samuelson!
Starr has over 25 years experience working as a professional photographer and has a simple, laid back approached to photographing kids and families and I think you are going to love her!
Sessions with Starr are just $325! She works on Tuesdays and Sundays. Follow this link to get on her schedule and book an appointment!
Check out some of her gorgeous work below!
I am thrilled to introduce you all to our new associate photographer, Stephanie White!
We are so lucky to have Stephanie White join the team, and once you have a look at her images, you’ll understand why.
She has a simple, laid back approached to working with kids and families and we can’t get enough of her clean, minimalistic style!
Stephanie is a life long photographer, but has been a working professional 2015. She is a single mom to two beautiful boys and lives just outside of Salt Lake City Utah, which means she’ll be flying in to see clients on specific dates. (Fancy right?!)
Her schedule is limited!! But trust us, she is well work the wait!
Follow this link to get on Stephanie’s schedule. And check out her beautiful work below!
Click on the images to scroll
Hello everyone! My name is Stephanie and I'm a family photographer based in Salt Lake City, Utah. I have the opportunity to work with Sandra and can't wait to meet all of you and get to know the amazing families of Seattle!
For me photography is the door to so many things. It's the door to meeting new people on a regular basis and a way to see this beautiful state I live in, Utah. I have learned so much about myself and I have learned what I am capable of.
I have been a photographer for 7+ years. Because Utah is stunning and has beautiful locations all year round, I started mainly doing outdoor/on location sessions. I fell in love with studio work after finding Sandra's work about 3 years ago and have been learning all I can ever since!
So excited to meet and work with all of you!
I was really hoping that as more and more people in our community got vaccinated and boosted, risk of Covid-19 infections would go down! But sadly, here we are in the middle of another scary surge thanks to Omicron!
I take safety VERY seriously. And am doing everything I can to keep myself, my family and my clients (especially those who are too young to be vaccinated) safe. Let me tell you how.
For starters, I am fully vaccinated (and boosted) and I require all adults who visit my studio be as well.
Getting vaccinated does not guarantee that you will not get the virus, but studies show that it DOES significantly reduce your risk of serious infection and will most likely keep you out of the hospital if you do get sick. Why does that matter? Because we need to keep valuable ICU beds free for people who need them!
I tragically lost my father over the summer to a gall blockage that led to Sepsis due to lack of immediate care. You see, he was told at the ER he needed emergency surgery but there were no ICU beds available. So he waited. And developed a deadly infection in the process. Myself and my entire family are devastated, and this is one of the reasons why I take vaccination as seriously as I do.
Also, I work with newborns, babies and small children who are too young to be vaccinated. Providing a safe environment for them to be in is paramount! So please bring proof of vaccination to your sitting.
I’m not a healthcare provider and I’m not a scientist so I’m listening to the experts and following the guidelines put out by the CDC.
They recommend maintaining a safe social distance, and so I do, as often as possible.
When working with older kids and adults, I give direction and guidance on posing while keeping a safe 6 foot separation.
With babies and newborns, I ask the parents to assist as much as possible and only place babies in natural positions that do not require excessive posing or props.
Fun fact… this has always been how I photograph babies. Another reason to love my minimal approach to posing, it’s Covid-19 friendly!
The CDC also recommends wearing a mask (it’s also currently a State mandate), so I wear a mask at all times and ask that my adult clients do the same until it’s their turn for pictures.
I keep a box of disposable masks at the studio for clients who forget theirs (nobody has so far… but they are still nice to have on hand, just in case.).
Cleanliness has always been a high priority for me, but now I’m EXTRA cautious about keeping the studio in tip-top shape.
My routine includes, disinfecting ALL surfaces (doorknobs, cameras, sinks, toys, pens…. anything a client may touch).
The entire space gets a good wipe down (with Clorox wipes) before and after every session.
I also wash all fabric items on the warmest setting (blankets, pillows, teddy bears.etc) between each and every session.
I wash my hands frequently and keep hand sanitizer next to where I’m working for both me and my clients to use.
As crazy as all of this is, we ARE living through history. Think of the stories you’ll be able to tell your kids and grandkids when you share the photos we create today with them some day!
It’s that time of year again, friends!
Cozy sweaters, foggy mornings, changing leaves. Oh how I love Fall in Seattle. What better way to jump into the season than to schedule your holiday mini session? Scroll down to learn more and to reserve your spot before they’re gone!
The price of a mini session is $175: A non-refundable deposit of $50 saves your session date/time and $125 is due at the session! Digital files, albums, and gift prints can be added to your package at the time of the session.
Follow this link to sign up for Nov.13th. Follow this link to sign up for Nov. 14th.
I’m asking that all participating adults be vaccinated. A please arrive to your session wearing your masks!
I’ve invested in a HEPA filtration system for the studio.
If anyone in your party is sick, please let me know so we can re-schedule your session.
Figuring out what to wear to your family photo session can be hard, and I’ll often have clients show up to the studio with armfuls of outfit choices!
While there is no right or wrong answer to the question of what to wear, there are certain choices that I find look really nice in studio portraits. I’ll share them with you here today and hopefully save you some time when planning for your photoshoot.
One of the things I love about studio portraits is the minimalist style of the surroundings keeps the focus of the pictures on you, your children and your family, not on the location. The same thing can be said for your clothing choice. Keeping your outfits simple helps create images that are about you and your family, not what you’re wearing. Simple clothing choices also help create classic and timeless images. Staying away from logos and patterns can help achieve this look.
One way to keep the look of your outfits simple is by choosing neutral tones that go well together. Having similar tones in your outfits will help balance the image. I prefer grays, whites and blacks, but I also think it’s nice to have a pop of color now and then, especially around the holidays! So don’t shy away from dressing the baby in a bright red onesie or something fun like that! If you do want to add some color, just remember that the color will pull attention in the photo. Because of this, I think dressing the kids in the colorful outfits and keeping the parents in neutrals works best.
At the end of the day remember that these are YOUR photos, so it really only matters what you like! If you are a family that loves bright colors and loud patterns, then by all means, wear that!! Being comfortable and looking like yourself is one of the best ways to get great photos that you’ll cherish forever!
Studio photography used to be the industry standard. If you wanted a family photo, you went into a photo studio and had a portrait made.
That was how it was done—for years.
But styles change, and after a while, it became much more common for a family to meet their photographer in a park or in their own home.
When I started in the 1990s, the most popular style among family photographers was photojournalism, a move away from the traditional studio portrait.
That then gave way to lifestyle, which has since remained the norm. I however, have always LOVE the look of studio photography, and strive to provide my clients with something modern, but also classic.
I think for many, the idea of studio photography recalls the days of over lit, over posed, department store photos.
That is NOT what you’ll get at my studio.
My approach to studio photography is much more modern.
I will never use props or pose your baby in an unnatural way. Instead, I aim to capture them as they are. I want their personality to shine through! And I feel that the simple look of studio portraits helps me do that!
When in the studio, your baby and your family are the focus…. not the location or the background.
My goal is to create images that will stand the test of time.
A modern twist on a classic look!
Happy Father’s Day to all of you amazing dads out there! You make our lives better and we are lucky to have you!
Here we have an 8x12 album with a tundra linen cover, a 6x9 album with a blush leather cover and an accordion book album.
I am a BIG believer in being able to hold your photos. Call me old fashioned, but I think there’s something so special about being able to hold moments and memories in the palm of your hand. Plus, film just looks so beautiful on paper. That’s the main reason why ever single maternity, newborn and family session comes with a complementary set of 4x6 prints.
Another great way to create a tangible keepsake from your session is with custom photo albums! The cover of these albums are made of the highest quality fabrics, and the pages are thick and seamlessly printed on paper that’s meant to last several generations.
If you’re interested in ordering an album keepsake from your session, we have a few different options for you!
6x9 hardcover custom photo album with linen or leather cover $750
8x10 softcover custom photo album with photo cover $850
8x12 hardcover custom photo album with linen or leather cover $950
Set of 3 accordion albums with black fabric covers $95
The custom photo albums also include a complete set of digital files! Please note, accordion albums do not.
For ordering a hardcover album, we recommend favoriting up to 10 images from your gallery to be in your album (usually three horizontal and four to six vertical images work well). For a softcover album (the ones with the photo covers), we recommend favoriting up to 20 images from your gallery, or across multiple galleries if you did a session bundle. From there we will create custom album spreads for you to preview and approve. Please note, we allow up to two design tweaks per album.
For ordering an accordion album, we ask that you favorite 10-12 photos from your gallery.
Once you’ve decided on the photos you want in your album, now it’s time to choose the cover! We offer several colors in two different materials, linen and leather. Our favorites at the studio are linen in tundra and leather in blush, as you can see below!
If you’re interested in further customization (such as adding text or debossing), we are happy to accommodate for a small fee.
Once your album is ordered, it usually takes 1-2 weeks to arrive to your door for you and your family to enjoy for years to come.
I’m been a family photographer for almost twenty years.
Before that I was a preschool and kindergarten teacher.
I’m also a mother to twin boys.
At this point in my life I feel it’s safe to say that I “get” kids. And one thing that I know for sure is this… sometimes children, especially toddlers, don’t do what you want them to do!
Ha!
Shocking, I know!
I also know that this particular character trait can be REALLY frustrating, especially at a photoshoot! So let me tell you how I handle toddlers who do NOT want to cooperate.
I have learned over the years that the best way to bring on a meltdown is to try to get a toddle to do something they don’t want to do. So if your toddlers is giving me a hard no, I will respect that.
What I’ve found is when we don’t force the issue, they usually come around.
For example, in the photos below, the mom really wanted a picture of her toddler with the new baby.
Her toddler however, was NOT interested.
So instead of forcing the issue. We just waited. Eventually he decided that he was a little curious about what we were doing. I asked him questions about himself and about the baby. Things like “can you show me where your ear is? Can you show me where the baby’s ear is?”… and eventually we get the shots!
I always have lots of toys and things for your toddler to do at the studio. Most of the time, it takes older kids a few minutes to warm up to me, and having fun activities for them to engage with is a great way to get them loosened up and ready for pictures!
Because a little bribery never hurts, I have a tons of stickers and lollipops on hand!
Like I said, I’ve worked with kids for a really long time. So if your child doesn’t cooperate or has a little melt down, please do not worry about me or what I think. I get it. I’m a mom too!
Remember, photos are meant to capture your child as they are now. There is now right and no wrong. And I’ve been doing this for a really long time… I’m confident that we will get photos you will love!
There is nothing like those first few days at home with your new baby.
So full of love. So full of awe! And SO tired! Ha! I remember it well!
It’s seems like everything you do, even just simple every day tasks, is new. No longer can you just go hop in your car and run to the store, for example. Now you have to get the baby ready, fed, diaper changed, in the carseat, buckled… then you can go out to the car and to the store. It can all be overwhelming to say the least.
I recommend that families come in for their newborn photos within the first 10 days. And I know how hard it can be to just make it out the door in the early days! So let me help make it a little easier by sharing what you need to know to prepare for your newborn photo session.
Try to change and feed the baby right before you leave. A dry and well fed baby will likely fall asleep in the car on the way to the studio, and I’m REALLY good at being able to get sleeping babies out of the carseat and onto the bed at my studio without waking them up!
Most babies who come to the studio asleep will stay asleep for their entire session!
Don’t worry about bringing fancy outfits. I find that newborns are best photographed in a simple swaddle or in just their diaper. So save yourself the trouble, and leave the outfits at home.
Yes, I know I just said that I prefer to photograph babies in just their diapers, but if you have the blanket you came home from the hospital in or if Grandma spent eight month hand making something special for the baby…. bring them! Those things are important and I will do my best to incorporate them into your photos.
I always take a few photos of the parents with their new baby at each session, so come prepared! I find that neutral colors work best, and try to stay away from clothing with patters or logos.
My goal is to have your newborn session be relaxing and fun, but sometime newborns have their own plans.
If your baby cries. If they pee or poop on the studio bed, or even on me…. it’s okay!! I’ve been working with newborns for almost 20 years, and I’m the mother of twins. I’ve seen it all and nothing phases me… I promise.
Your photo session is a time to celebrate your baby and your new family! So enjoy it!
If despite your best made plans, things happen and you’re running late, no worries… just give me a call or shoot me a text to let me know!
And if you have any other questions about now to prepare, fell free to send me an email at sandra@sandracoan.com.
