So, when I showed him the studio space and told him what I had in mind, fully convinced that it would only take “a day or two”, he just nodded and quietly loaded up the back of the truck with power tools. One month, lots of heavy lifting, and way too many hours spent at Ikea later, I finally have the studio space I’ve always envisioned.

We still have a bit to go: the floors need to be refinished, some trim work needs to be added, and the new lights need to be hung. We’re working on it (and by “we” I mean “Michael”). In the meantime, I had my very first client in the studio yesterday morning – a beautiful newborn baby boy – and Saturday is the first beginner’s photography class. I was going to wait until it was completely done before posting any pictures, but I’m not that patient, so here is a sneak peek …

Don’t forget that I am running two in-studio specials through March 31st! If you are expecting in the next couple of months and are planning to have newborn photos done, contact me to schedule your session ASAP. If your baby is a bit older and is just starting to roll over or sit up, you can also take advantage of the mini session special to capture those once in a lifetime milestones.

The space was perfect, and definitely had all of the charm and character that I was looking for, but of course there was a minor glitch (isn’t there always?): The building is for sale and the space needed some work. I went back and forth about it for a while. After all, I didn’t want to sink a ton of money into a space that might not be available long-term. Also, I have a pretty large client base in Fairfield County, and, let’s face it, Canton is not exactly close to Fairfield. I hemmed. I hawed. I discussed it ad nauseam with anyone who would listen. I decided to go for it!

This past weekend we began the process of fixing it up. It’s definitely not going to be an overnight transformation! Have you ever painted the trim on a window? Holy tedious! And there are 14 of them. And they are about as tall as I am. And that’s just the windows. We still have to do the walls and the floors, and there is a big, ugly bar near the entrance that I have NO idea what to do with … but it will all come together in time. I’m so excited to see what the end result will look like. I’ve been told that the building has been for sale for quite some time, so hopefully I’ll get to stay a while!

And if you’re reading this and thinking, “Wait, what about all of your on-location work?” – don’t worry! I will still be doing plenty of on-location sessions. After all, you can’t do a beach session inside of a studio! I love outdoor work, and I will never give that up. I just wanted a home-base, a space that would give me the option to do more creative work, especially with newborns and babies, and a place to store all of my gear. (If you could see the amount of newborn props that I’ve amassed over the years, you would know how important a storage space is. Keeping it in my trunk is just not cutting it anymore!)

Another perk to having a studio is that I can finally offer workshops. Not workshops for other photographers (there are plenty of great ones out there already), but workshops for ordinary moms who just want to take better pictures of their kids. Reading your camera’s manual will tell you how to operate the camera, but that isn’t the same thing as learning how to take a good picture, and I know from experience that finding a good photography class isn’t easy. There are plenty of online resources, too, but all of that technical information can be daunting. My classes are designed to cut through the terminology and make the learning process fun. Click here for more details.

Session specials coming soon, too!

-Kelli

Children and Families
Outdoor sessions are done through October 31st, with the first two weeks of November being reserved for delays due to weather and/or illness. If there are no make-up sessions, I will make any openings available to those families on the wait list.
September is fully booked.
Fridays and weekends are fully booked.
Limited weekday availability in late October.

Newborns
September is fully booked.
Limited availability in late October.
Booking for November and December, as well as 2012.

And here are a few images from a recent newborn session. I love working with this family and was honored to photograph baby girl number four! Meet Evelyn …

The busy fall season is about to kick into high gear. I never did get around to sending out my annual newsletter announcing fall and holiday session availability. Over the last month I have been getting a ton of inquiries, and as a result, fall is almost fully booked. I have a few weekday openings left for September and October, so if you would like to grab one please email me to reserve your spot! I will respond to inquiries on a first come, first served basis, but there may be a bit of a delay over the next week or so because (and here is the big news of the summer) …. we are moving!! Don’t worry – we’re staying in Connecticut This move has been in the works for what seems like forever, but we’ve finally found a house that we love, and we hope to close in a few days. In the meantime, life is a bit chaotic! In light of the move (and the fact that I won’t have internet service for a few days) Kelli Dease Photography will be closed until Monday, August 29th.

Wish us luck! I hope to be backup and running ASAP!

-Kelli

On a side note, all newborn sessions will be done on-location after August 24th since there is no studio space in my new home. I do plan on finding a retail space once we’ve moved, but I don’t anticipate having the time to do that until after the busy fall and holiday season is over with.

I will be on vacation from Friday, June 24th through Monday, July 4th. We are headed to Disney World and I cannot wait! I will have limited access to email, but most inquiries, session requests and voice-mails will be returned beginning on July 5th.

If you were hoping to book a summer session, availability is very limited. I have just a handful of July and August dates left. Availability for Fall and Holiday sessions will be announced via newsletter and on the blog later this summer.

And now, onto little Ava …

I don’t know about you, but I need a little motivation to start thinking in terms of sunshine instead of snow. What better motivation than a little sale?

Book an April or May session before Thursday, March 31st, and get half off the session fee!

This offer is valid for newborns, babies, children and families, and on outdoor or studio sessions.

To book, email me at kelli@kellidease.com, fill out the contact form on my website, or call me at 203.230.0941.

The snow is almost all gone. Almost. I know it’s hard to believe, especially when the grass is still brown, but Spring is right around the corner! I, for one, cannot wait. After this winter, I’ll be happy if I don’t see snow for another ten years. Bring on the sunshine!

The weather may have been dreadful, but the winter season at Kelli Dease Photography has been the best yet. I’ve gotten the chance to photograph so many adorable newborns and babies this winter, and there are many more already on the calendar for Spring and Summer. I’m also really looking forward to getting back outside for some child and family sessions. I’m now taking appointments for Spring and Summer session dates. Availability is very limited this year and Spring is a very popular season, so if you were planning to book a session, NOW is the time!

You can reserve your date by emailing me at kelli@kellidease.com, calling me at 203.230.0941, or filling out the Contact form on my website: www.kellidease.com.

Current Special

All of my collections include digital negatives, and they are also available a la carte, but normally they are NOT included with the session fee. However, for select dates throughout April, I will be offering a special session package that DOES include digital files:

April Session Special – $600
- One (1) one hour session within 30 miles of Hamden
- (10) ten digital files in full resolution, including print release
- 10% off of all additional print and specialty item add add-ons

That’s a savings of $500!

*Please note that no additional offers or discounts may be used in combination with this special.

I am also thinking about adding a few mini-sessions to the calendar in May, so stay tuned!

And, finally, don’t forget to enter the Spring session giveaway and win a FREE session and a full digital cd!

So, who can enter? Anyone! (As long as you have, or are expecting, a child, that is!) How do you enter? That’s easy! Just click this link and fill out the entry form.

The theme of the contest this year is social media, and an entry will be drawn at random when I reach 700 fans on my Facebook page. If you’re not already a fan, head over to my page and click the “Like” button at the top. Then, spread the word to your friends using the “Suggest to Friends” link on the right-hand side of the page.

You don’t have to be on Facebook to participate. Spread the word any way that you’d like … email, twitter, or even good old-fashioned face-to-face conversation! Just remember that a winner will not be drawn until I hit 700 fans, so if you would like to win a session before all of the good summer dates have been booked, spread the word quickly!

Once I reach 700 fans, the winner will be announced here on the blog (and on Facebook, of course).

Good luck!!

THE NECESSARY FINE PRINT: Please, please, please only submit legitimate entries using only your primary email address. You can also enter using your spouse’s name if you’d like, but don’t branch out to aunts, uncles, kids, pets, etc. Don’t spam your entire friend list with the link to my Facebook page. Please limit invitations to people with children who may be interested in my work. Please play fair or you WILL be disqualified!

Ok, now that we’re past that, enjoy a few pictures from last year’s winning session:

And now, meet Aaron, who was all smiles and giggles in the studio, with possibly the cutest spiky little hair that I’ve ever seen on a baby: