Connecticut's top maternity, newborn, baby, and family photography studio

❤️ Now booking Valentine minis!

Valentine mini sessions will take place Saturday, February 7th in my Unionville studio and are designed to be simple, playful, and full of personality.

Sessions start at $129 + tax for one child. Each session includes 15 minutes and 3 images, with discounts available for siblings. Finished images will be delivered within 48 hours.

Booking link in bio or at kellidease.com.

#valentineminis #valentineminisessionct

The year is 2016. Skinny jeans are thriving, everyone is still using weird Instagram filters, and my boys are somehow still shorter than me.

I had been in business for 8 years and was in the middle of a big transition. After moving from Hamden to the Farmington Valley, I opened my first studio space in Collinsville. It had the loft vibes I thought I wanted, but it turned out to be a little too rustic and not quite right. In 2015, I found the Unionville space that felt like the one, and then waited. And waited. Because construction always takes longer than anyone promises.

By 2016, the buildout was finally complete. I had my dream studio, a space that felt like home. It was the year I set down real roots and started expanding in ways I’d been dreaming about for a long time.

2016 was also the year big ideas started turning into real offerings. I introduced a studio wardrobe and custom framing, launched Motherhood Minis for the first time (they took an extended COVID pause but are officially coming back this year), and held my very first Santa sessions. I experimented with Tween sessions too, which eventually morphed into what are now Personality Portraits. It was a year of building, adjusting, and learning what really worked.

At the same time, life outside the studio was moving just as fast. I photographed my sister’s maternity session on my favorite beach in Cape Cod, and everything felt like it was moving forward at the same time. My business was growing, my clients’ families were growing, and my own family was changing right along with it.

Going through these photos now, my favorite part is seeing how many of these families I still work with today. I’ve watched them grow, change, add babies, lose teeth, and somehow blink and end up taller than their parents. Being trusted to document all of it is still the best part of my job.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey, whether you’ve been here since the beginning or found me somewhere along the way. 🤍

If you’re new around here, hi and welcome. I’m really glad you found your way to this little corner of Instagram.

I’m Kelli, the person behind the camera at Kelli Dease Photography. I photograph maternity, newborns, babies, kids, families, and the occasional headshot when someone needs to look like a functioning adult. My studio is in Farmington (Unionville), CT, and when we head outside, sessions take place throughout the Farmington Valley and other spots around Connecticut that photograph beautifully without requiring a hike or advanced planning.

My style is light, natural, clean, and neutral. Simple setups, soft tones, and images that still feel good years from now. I’m not big on stiff posing, trendy props, AI garbage, or forcing kids to smile on command. Real expressions always win, even when they come with a little chaos.

I offer a range of session types so families can choose what fits best for their season of life, whether that’s maternity, newborn, milestone, or family photos. Digital images are always included, and clients also have the option to create heirloom pieces like albums, framed artwork, and prints that don’t live their entire lives on your phone. I’ll help guide you through all of it, without pressure or upselling.

This space is for parents who want photos that feel honest, an experience that doesn’t add stress to their lives, and someone who understands that kids are unpredictable and that’s kind of the whole point. If that sounds like you, you’re in the right place.