Northern Colorado Senior Photographer

What to expect with a Senior Session

In my ten years of portrait work, senior sessions have always ended up being some of my favorite shoots of the year. As a senior photographer in Northern Colorado, I aim to make the process as simple as possible. There aren’t any unexpected fees or minimum purchase requirements, and every penny you spend gets you usable images and is worth the experience we have together.

Here is a quick basic run down of what a session looks like from start to finish.

Pricing (and what’s included)

$350 Flat Rate for all Senior sessions

• Around one hour of shooting (flexible as lighting and time allows)

• As many outfit changes as we can fit in that time

• Multiple locations available (distance pending)

• 40+ image preliminary gallery

• 15 fully edited digital images with personal use permissions (selected straight from the preliminary gallery)

Additional keepsake prints and products, including albums or wall displays, available upon request, but not required.

How long is turnaround?

Preliminary gallery comes within 1-2 weeks of the day of the shoot. Take your time reviewing the images. I recommend going through them together with people you trust, then coming back to it at another time to make your final selections.

You can then select your ten favorites directly from the gallery. After I’ve clarified any editing requests, those images will go through a fine detail edit including skin corrections, spot removals, removing any obstructing objects, etc. They will be delivered one week from the selection date.

RUSH DELIVERY: it is an option when I have the time available, but no guarantees. The timeline is expected to proceed as outlined above, but please let me know if you need things sooner so I can do the best I can to meet your needs. I will always tell you if it’s not 100% possible.

Booking

To secure a date, all you have to do is fill out the form below to get the ball rolling.

What else?

My goal is to make this as simple and easy as possible for seniors and their families. If you have any further requests or questions, please contact me on any of my social media handles or at chelseaellingsonphotography@gmail.com.

An Open Letter to Dads During Photography Season

{DISCLAIMER: NONE OF THE DADS PICTURED IN THIS POST HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE FRUSTRATIONS I AM FEELING! I purposefully picked some examples of the dads who 100% got it right and nailed it!}

Dear Dad of Adorable Family I’m Photographing,

Okay, I get it.
You don’t like that you had to pay a lot of money for an hour of my time in your presence. You don’t like that you had to change clothes twice when your wife rolled her eyes and scoffed at your oh so curated choice of golf shirt and cargo shorts, even though it was in the color range she told you to pick. You are uncomfortable and hot in the half zip sweater that she bought you two years ago that is now barely fitting over your slightly more padded dad bod. You don’t like having to smile and pretend that you are happy repeatedly, over and over, when you are in fact far from it.

I want you to know a couple of things. First off, thank you for showing up, I know you are taking one for the team. Thank you for actually smiling, because believe it or not there are dads out there who flat out refuse to do it. Thank you for standing behind me and making googly faces and tossing your kids around to make them laugh, because you know that all your wife wants is some genuine grins from your beautiful children to hang on the wall. Thank you for bribing your kids with a promise of ice cream or toys later, even though you really don’t want to spend another bleeping dime on this endeavor. You are rocking the dad bod, trust me you are, and believe me, you are a thousand percent scoring big points with your wife by playing along. She will now have physical evidence that at least for an hour, you were the best dad and husband on the planet, and she’s going to share the crap out of it with all her friends.

For those of you who are less good at hiding your frustration during the shoot, I want you to know a couple of things too.

Do you know that we in the industry get genuinely worried sometimes about the wife and kids in your family because of your actions and attitudes? Do you know that we can tell, immediately, when you show up in your cap and work boots what kind of a shoot this is going to be? I can see it when you reject the shirt she gently offers you to change into when you show up. I can see her face fall when you snap at one of the kids when they stray a little too far out into the field. I promise you she’s spent ALL day making sure they got their naps and were well fed beforehand so they would have the best chance possible to cooperate, and it’s painful watching her hard work go down the tube when the kids burst into tears at your sharp rebukes. I can see it when she tries desperately to cheerfully make up for your bad attitude the entire time.

It gets really awkward really fast for everyone. When I try to get you to embrace your wife, and she turns to you and smiles and tries to lovingly interact with you and you barely smirk. When I ask you to help make your kids smile when you’re behind me and you gruffly mumble “they don’t think I’m funny.” When one of them runs off and you sit there while your wife, in heels and a skirt, chases after them because hey, this is her thing, you are off the hook for the hard work for the whole hour.

But you are my client too. You paid me money out of your pocket to work some magic and give you some epic family memories, and I respect that and honor it immensely. So let me just remind you how to make that money worth it.

You may think the hour is a waste, that' doesn’t bother me at all, you are entitled 100% to hate every minute of it. But you know what will one hundred percent ensure that your investment went down the tube? Ruining the experience. Every irritated bark at your kids or sometimes even your wife, every rejection, every flat out refusal to participate is a chunk of your cash in the trash can. I can promise you your wife will look at the family photo and all she will remember is how stressful that was. She will remember every forced and fake face or wiggling and crying photo of the baby she’s having to work by herself to try to get to be happy without your help. Those photos will go in an album at best and no one will see them.

I am well aware that photos are not my husband’s favorite thing to do. But he is also well aware that it makes me very happy when it goes well. He knows that wardrobe choices are not up to him and that it means a thousand percent more to me than it does to him what he’s wearing. He is good at making the kids laugh, and he helps, he’s positive, and he doesn’t complain, not once. This is normal. This is what about 95% of my dads do and I appreciate it, I really really do.

For my 5% gentlemen. As I often tell your wives when they begin to tell me how difficult you are making the experience BEFORE we even get started (yes, they tell me, they want to prepare me, they hope beyond all hopes that I can somehow magically make you appear to be the perfect husband and father in your photos), it’s AN HOUR OF YOUR LIFE.

Sorry if I yelled that too loud.

You’re okay. You’re fine. If it helps to reward yourself with whatever the adult equivalent of ice cream or toys is after, do it. Pretend you are at the DMV, perhaps for you an equally miserable place to be, but you can’t yell at anyone around you because you are a grown man and don’t throw tantrums in public. Make sure you are well rested and well fed beforehand too. I usually have snacks, I’m always willing to share.

And let your smile and cooperation earn you the value of every penny spent with me.

Sincerely,

Wives and photographers everywhere

Howland House Inn {Newport, Rhode Island Bed and Breakfast}

Family trips are the best.
It's hard sometimes to rationalize taking trips that don't involve seeing family (only so much time most of us can get in a year to be away from work/home), but I think there is something you learn from each other being on vacations that are just for each other.

Craig and the kids and I went to see my grandmother and her magical, magical house in Rhode Island for a week and we were able to travel to Newport for a couple of nights in the most amazing little bed and breakfast right near downtown.

We were delighted to be able to stay in a home that was a physical part of that history. We stayed in The Howland House Inn, otherwise known as The Benjamin B. Howland House, established in 1765.

Anyone traveling to Newport, Rhode Island MUST. STAY. HERE.

Everything about our stay there was absolutely perfect for our family. We had two of the four suites (the Knotty Suite and the Mayflower Suite) and they were both gorgeous from top to bottom. Each suite had ample sleeping space for everyone with comfortable beds, pull out couches, and plenty of spare blankets and pillows. The bathrooms were clean and spacious and included some amazing natural soaps and shampoos (the mint body wash was AMAZING!). The rooms were delicately curated to include art and furniture that was both practical and suitable for a 250+ year old Inn.

My absolute favorite part about the place was learning about it's history. Benjamin Howland had ancestors from the Mayflower who built the first stick house in America. Karen, the inn-keeper, told us about the efforts that were taken while remodeling to include the original beams and floors in some of the rooms, and even showed me hidden rocks in the basement foundation where people would store valuable treasures or forbidden love notes (be still my heart, I would DIE to find things like that in a house I lived in, I was smitten).

Karen was immensely helpful on our trip. She told us about the local restaurants, beaches, and things to do in Newport with kids (including a fantastic arcade right around the corner from the inn). She made sure we had everything we needed for our beach trip during our stay and is responsible for the amazing breakfasts each morning. The communal kitchen was incredible. Guys, she told me a couple of times about the fresh dairy, and I completely underestimated how much better fresh cow's milk is than what we get at the store, I'd never had it before. It was like heaven in my mouth. The orange juice was a close second, plus farm fresh eggs, pastries, fruit, coffee, and yogurt. In the afternoons we definitely helped ourselves to the cookie dish as well (the cookies were really really tasty...). The space was clean and had plenty of pots and pans for any in-house cooking you could want to do.

We were blocks away from shopping and amazing food. We ate at The Brick Alley Pub our first night and then Craig and I were able to have a night out for some hearty seafood at Benjamin's (and I suddenly realized I had to pretend I knew how to crack and consume a lobster on my own, but I got 'er done...). We also loved every minute of our time at First Beach (or Easton Beach) where we HAD to get some Dell's Lemonade. I may or may not have bought an overpriced bucket of Dell's Lemonade mix to take home with us at the airport in Providence...we've already used some. #worthit

If you are looking for a place to stay in Newport, book here by clicking below!

https://www.howlandhouseinn.com/

This whole experience re-iterated to me how much better bed and breakfasts are than hotels. Don't get me wrong, hotels serve their purpose, but places like this alleviate the stresses of traveling with kids and make for a perfect home away from home.

Why it matters to be alone sometimes

"It's kind of a long story..."
This has been my most uttered response the last week. Why did I go to Portland? Yeah, that.
Because reasons.

I wanted to touch on this just a little bit, though.
The other week I saw a good friend of mine post about a weekend trip she made alone. She, like me, is a wife and mom of four. She posted briefly about this trip, and previous ones, where she checks herself into a hotel room and takes time to herself to do...whatever she wants. Read. Write. Hike. Eat good food. Spend. Time. Alone.

I couldn't possibly think of something more that I wanted than a weekend to myself at that moment when I read her post. It was almost painful how bad I wanted it. Not because I am overwhelmed or too burdened by mom/home life. I am sometimes, but not all the time, it's manageable. Not because I had some grand thing to get done that required little distractions. Because I'm more and more discovering, reading about, and accepting the fact that nothing fuels me better than being alone, and I'm sort of sick of feeling like that makes me a selfish person. Who does that? Who WANTS to get away from everyone they love? Who wants to visit beautiful places with no one to share it with? Who wants to sit in a room with nothing, NOTHING going on, no TV, no music, no computer, no phone, no entertainment, just me. And maybe a chair. And maybe a window. And maybe a book. Maybe. Me. I do. I DO!

I had tickets I got a month or two previous to a Tribute to Ursula K. Le Guin that my husband and I were thinking about going to in Portland, OR. He would be tagging along to the event not because of his love for this quirky, strong, brilliant, and hilarious woman who stole my science fiction/fantasy writing heart, but because he lived in Portland (on a church mission) almost 15 years ago and hadn't been back since- and truly the both of us would have enjoyed the weekend together away from it all. But when push came to shove, it really wasn't the best time for him to leave work for a number of reasons. And I had a choice that was eating me alive.

I wanted to go anyway. I wanted to go to the event, yes, but I wanted to be alone somewhere else for a little while. How on earth was I going to ask my husband, busy as ever and also in a boot from a bad sprained ankle, to take over for a few days and let me go to a place he learned to love in many ways without him?

I kept bringing it up with him, "Are you sure you can't go? Are you SUUUUURE you can't go?" and when the answer kept coming back, "no", I resigned that must be my answer too, the timing wasn't ideal, it would be too much. The day came where I was going to need to call the event center and give back my tickets, and on a whim I double checked plane tickets just to see, I told myself. And of course Frontier had a special going on almost cutting a plane ticket price in half, and I just knew this meant I was going. There wasn't anything that was going to stop me, it was going to happen.

The day or two before I was set to leave, the sour feeling in the pit of my stomach was bubbling up to a slow boil. I was packing for just me. I was picking outfits I don't usually wear just around the house. I was booking little Airbnb bungalows that would not be suitable for a family of six, but that had a view or an interesting vibe because it was just me. And I'd be doing all this without anyone, knowing somehow that I had convinced myself through the years that I wasn't adventurous enough to be doing all this, but that I knew it would all work out and I'd be fine. I messaged my dear friend to tell her that she inspired me with her own solo trip to take my own, and couldn't stop myself from admitting it was hard to shake the guilt as I was packing. Her advice to me was exactly what I needed to hear, and doused that slow boil in an instant.

"Guilt did not get an invitation to go to Portland."

And she was so right. So I took it out of my bag and tossed it in the trash.

I don't know if a solo trip is for everyone. But I do know that finding a way to connect with yourself is definitely for everyone, dare I say especially for moms. It bothers me sometimes how much we mothers make motherhood our most important identity.

Yep. I'm gonna say that again. This time read it a little slower.

It bothers me sometimes how much we mothers make motherhood our most important identity.

How many, I think well-intentioned, women out there use motherhood to define their professions? I'm not a blogger, I'm a mom-blogger. I'm not a photographer, I'm a mom-tographer. And all those businesses and hobbies and blogs about those businesses and hobbies are named after our children. Do you know any guys out there at social gatherings who extend their hand in greeting and say, "Hi, I'm Jerry, I run Dad-Accounting through Brenton-Addy Accounting Inc., nice to meet you, do you have kids? I'm the best Dad-accountant out there, let me help you juggle your financial needs and parenthood all in one!" I'm not saying any of those things are bad, the definitely aren't, and I recognize that there are moms out there who absolutely love that what they are passionate about is being a mother, and I am in love with mothers who are that.

But I'm not a mom-tographer. I'm a photographer who is also a mom. I'm a writer who has kids. I'm an artist who uses her passions and talents to enrich her kids lives sometimes. But mostly so I can enrich myself. There is absolutely no way I'd have any juice to be a good mother if I wasn't a good ME first.

So I went. And I want to share one story real fast that taught me everything I needed to know about why this trip was so essential in an instant.

It was the morning of my last full day in Oregon and I had spent the night in Arch Cape, just south of Canon Beach. I had taken a short but absolutely soul-nourishing hike from the highway to Short-Sand Beach in Oswald West State Park. When I got to the beach, I realized I wanted to get to the rocks on the south side of the cove, but there was a creek separating most of the beach from those rocks. I had opted to wear my tennis-shoes on the hike instead of my chacos because the straps had given me some blisters after getting wet walking on the beach the day before. This meant that I'd have to find a way to cross the creek without getting my shoes wet (I don't think there's much I like less than wearing wet shoes/socks...it just wasn't an ideal option for me...). I found a narrower section of the creek that had a few stepping stones and short logs that if I was careful, I might get across without getting wet.

Let me just say first, that the endeavor was successful, I made it across without slipping, falling, or getting my feet even the slightest bit wet even while carrying my water bottle in one hand and my camera equipped with my largest lens hanging off my shoulder. Let me say second I felt victorious afterward. I'm usually clumsy. I'm ill-balanced physically and I am near-sighted in one eye and far-sighted in the other, making depth-of-field and judging distances a constant issue for me. But there wasn't anyone there waiting for me to cross or watching me. It was just me and my feet and my own judgment and I made it across without any problems without thinking too much about it.

This was something I could accomplish alone that I couldn't have accomplished with someone else. This whole trip was that for me, and I've taken some photos that I don't know I ever would have gotten in the same way in any other fashion than being on my own. There was a piece of me, way down deep, that was squished and crowded with everything else I'd stacked on top of it that I was able to find, clean up, dust off, and shine for a few days. Oh, there I am. Hi. Welcome back.

And that's why it matters to be alone sometimes.

Christina {Northern Colorado Maternity Photography}

I met Christina nearly fifteen years ago.
It pains me to say that because it brings to mind my fleeting mortality and how scary fast fifteen years can fly by.
I was a shy freshman in college and Christina was a year or two older than me. She was crazy fun and always up for a laugh with any and every one. One of my most vibrant memories of her is seeing her dress up full tilt as Michael Jackson for a church Halloween party, spot on singing and moves included. She was daring, beautiful, hilarious, and brilliant, the kind of gal I desperately wanted to be. And pretty much still do, for the most part.
Fast forward a few years and we both found ourselves marrying off and moving away and starting our own families. We've always lived somewhat close to each other and maybe made a comment or two on each other's social media here and again, but didn't live quite close enough to see each other much or get together.
I recently put a post out looking for a maternity model or two and Christina jumped to the occasion for me. Turns out getting two busy mommas with four kids each together on the same night was proving difficult, not to mention the Spring weather kept thwarting our plans. I REALLY wanted photos with the sun in it, but it just wasn't happening. We were also getting down to the wire as she was due any day. The night we went out ALMOST didn't happen because it was pouring rain about half hour before we were scheduled to meet. We decided to go ahead and meet and see if we could wait it out and if it would pass.
Sitting in the car while we waited, we reminisced, talked about life, motherhood, marriage, everything and caught up as much as we could in our short time together. If you can believe it, this is their FIFTH baby, and she is still JUST as vibrant and gorgeous as ever. Not only was my soul being filled catching up with this old friend, but as soon as the rain stopped, we hopped out of the car, the heavens opened, and suddenly I was finding my soul being filled by the lush green grass dripping with fresh rain, the sun bursting through the clouds, and miraculously this rainbow appearing in exactly the right spot at the right time. Honestly with as magical as this woman is, it doesn't surprise me one bit that the magic followed us along on our shoot. 

I do offer packages for expecting mommas that are a STEAL and include a customized set of shoots that could include announcement photos, maternity photos, newborn shots, or family photos once the little one comes. If you are expecting a baby this year in Windsor, Loveland, Ft. Collins, or Greeley, let me know!

Summer Kickoff Deal and Giveaway!! {Northern Colorado Family Photographer}

Heya friends!

 I'm ready for "real" summer, are you?! Blazing heat, cooling off at the pool, camping, baseball, beach, s'mores, the whole bit. I know it gets super crazy and busy, but I can't stress to you how wonderful it is to plan ahead and get family photos done EARLY! Don't get me wrong, I love a good fall photo, but summer family photos are my jam. Let's make it happen.

SOOO I'm going to offer an amazing deal earlier than I usually do to get this ball rolling. Here's the info:
 

• 20-30 minute family shoot in Windsor, Colorado (six people or less)
• Includes one digital image, one 8x10, and two 5x7s (with options to purchase more, you get a gallery to chose from)
• $200, book before Tuesday, June 4th
• For ANY TIME during the month of June (expires after that)
  
  This is a HUGE steal, the prints and digital image ALONE are a $250 value, and that's not even including the session fee. Not to mention I'm not limiting it to one day/weekend as I usually do with sessions like this, so you have the flexibility to make your summer plans in the month of June around it as needed.
  Email me at chelseaellingsonphotography@yahoo.com to book yours now! I am limiting this to 5 lucky people to start out.  

Giveaway Opportunity!

As a special start of summer BONUS, I will also be giving away one of these shoots! In order to enter, follow the rules below:
 

• Follow Chelsea Ellingson Photography on Facebook AND Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/chelseaellingsonphotography/ (Facebook)
  https://www.instagram.com/chelseaellingsonphotography/?hl=en (Instagram)
• Share this post EITHER on facebook OR Instagram (bonus entry if you do both!)
• Leave a like and a comment on the facebook/instagram post you saw this from that you entered and shared!
  
  As a recap, people who share on both instagram AND facebook get TWO entries, follow me on both platforms, and leave a like and a comment saying you entered! 
  
  I am EXTENDING the giveaway will pick a winner on the morning of Monday, June 4th. 
  
  GOOD LUCK!!

Baby Announcement {Northern Colorado Family Photorapher}

Nothing like getting an inquiry from a stranger here in Windsor who tells you she found you through a mutual friend, then says she thinks we might be neighbors! She was totally right, and the reason she recognized my name was because our mailman keeps mixing up our mail. I now feel a little less irritated that keeps happening. And also super excited they trusted me to help them share their good news!!

Thankfully are like the most awesome couple on the planet. Seriously- when I came over before the shoot and started oggling at her GORGEOUS living room she gave me a tour of the whole house (it was like she somehow knew that's like my FAVORITE thing to do...seriously I look at homes for sale all the time just so I can see what they do with their space, and it's fun to see the other houses in my neighborhood). Plus they were SO chill and incredibly easy to work with. It's people like this that make me feel incredibly lucky to do this for a living.

Can't wait to work with them again for maternity and baby photos this year, and excited for their beautiful journey ahead.
If you are in the Ft. Collins, Loveland, Greeley, or Windsor Colorado area, please ask me about availability for your expecting baby photography needs! And I'm open for scheduling through the summer as always for family photos.  

Crystal {Northern Colorado Personal Branding Photographer}

HUSTLERS
I am ecstatic for you. I follow you. I love you. I'm inspired by you.
I want to HELP you.

Meet Crystal.
She's one of the most talented artists out there I know. She's one of the most talented artists out there period. She's passionate and kind and motivated and an AMAZING wife and mother of five boys and to say that I admire her greatly is an understatement.
Last fall she approached me and asked if I'd be interested in shooting some images for her that she could use for social media. Of course I said yes and I have to say that to date this is one of my favorite shoots ever. Crystal is an amazingly easy-going person, but she also posed so perfectly for me in every shot. She wanted to incorporate her work into the shoot, but mostly just her doing what she loves.

Crystal is an artist and she's dang good at it, but she's also a fellow hustler. She works hard at what she does while juggling family life and all the crazy that brings into her schedule. This shoot was meant to capture all those pieces of her into how they help inspire her and keep her motivated. Here is what she had to say about her journey as a photographer:

I was always pretty good at art growing up and had a lot of support from family members. In high school I remember especially my Mom and Grandma thought that I should be an artist. Naturally I thought a law degree was a better idea. Hind sight its funny- I would have been just awful. I think I just really liked to argue as a teenager. At some point in my senior year I had decided to focus on studio art and went on to get my BA in Painting.

When I graduated with my degree I was due with my second son. Two years later I had twins, so with 4 boys 4 years old and under you can imagine that painting was very much on the back burner for many years.  We also renovated homes and moved probably a dozen times in our first ten years of marriage. I would pick up painting in waves and find that I was never as rusty as I thought I would be. I think I was blessed to be able to grow despite the tenuous juggling act of my family and artistic life. When I wasn't painting it was always this pent up dog in the background that always threatened to make me go mad if I didn't let it out to run. 

When I did paint I struggled a lot with self confidence. I was never convinced that I was "good enough"; whatever that means. My husband helped keep me going and at this point I'm less concerned about it. Some people love my work, some don't. That's just how it will be no matter how good I get.

My main drive is improving my skill in an academic, classical sense. I crave creating something that is spellbinding- that's the vision. For me that spiritual moment viewing art generally comes while looking at a piece that is so masterfully completed that you know the painter was able to move beyond struggling with his basics (drawing, value, color, and edges) and express his intention boldly and delicately without distraction. 

I now have 5 sons, a studio space and a dedicated time each day to paint. Although the balancing act is always real, and my house generally suffers for it, I feel like It's finally a good time to paint.

This got me thinking a lot after the shoot was over. Crystal uses these photos for her instagram, her website, and her social media sharing- these are quality images of her doing what she loves. Who else can I do this for? Who else needs their story shared like this? Who else is fed up trying to get their kids or hubby to take phone pictures of themselves on the job that just don't turn out in a sharable way, and NEED this bad? Heck, I need someone to do this for ME! And if I need it, there's got to be others out there who need it too.
SO I'm thrilled to announce that I will now be offering Personal Branding Sessions. This is something I'm very excited to work on because it means I get to do what I love while helping other people do what they love. It's a win-win and there is a MAJOR need for this for all the dreamers out there making it happen for themselves and their families. If you're an entrepreneur, a business owner, a stay at home hussler like me, an instagram guru, or even (maybe especially!) an artist like Crystal, let me help you put not just your work out there, but your STORY. People buy what they are emotionally invested in, and I want people to be emotionally invested in YOU.
 

I will be posting more information about this soon, but I will be offering discounts to the first people who sign up, so make sure you're following along.
Cheers to the husslers who are making it happen out there. I really really want to work with you.

Spring Family Photos

I'm totally and completely biased, but I JUST. LOVE. THESE. PEOPLE.
Momma in this family is one of my longest and dearest friends from college. We were in the same dorm room freshman year with two other ladies at The University of Northern Colorado (GO BEARS!). The dorm had two rooms and a living area and we were in opposite rooms- I remember vividly the first time meeting her as I was unpacking my stuff on my side of one of the rooms. We made some small talk until she saw the CDs in my CD rack on my desk (yeah, remember the days before MP3 players??) and excitedly commented that she loved all of the bands I had on there. I think we probably knew at that point we'd be inseparable. At one point during the year months later we also found out that I had actually already met some of her family previously- in fact as a teenager I had actually stayed at her brother's house on a church youth trip and we had no clue about each other. Clearly the universe was pushing our lives together!

We've lived in different cities apart from each other through the years, but we still manage to try to find time to get together and one of my favorite things to do is take photos of their GORGEOUS family. She and her hubby have the most brilliant blue eyes and all their kids have inherited those other-wordly peepers! This is a throwback session from The Denver Photo Collective's Spring set-up in 2017.
 

Spring has got me all twitterpated as I'm watching everything turn green around me, which is why I thought if this epic shoot. I'm scheduling photo sessions through summer already in the Loveland, Ft. Collins, Greeley, and Windsor area- drop me a line if you're ready to book something this season!

Shoot and Share 2018 {Northern Colorado Family Photographer}

Once again, this February I participated in the excruciatingly painful waiting game otherwise known as Shoot and Share. It's a completely anonymous photo contest where you submit photos and then the entire month of February, you vote on which photos you think are the best. You can submit in different categories and then within those categories, photos are compared in groups of four and you vote on which one is best.
It's all fun and games until you start to face the fact that for almost two months you don't know how your photos did AT ALL.
It's rough guys. But I survived, and even did better than I did last year despite the fact that I submitted less photos (not on purpose, thought the deadline was later than it actually was, oops...).
The revelation was yesterday and I finally got to see the results!! It was a little Christmas in March.

Of the thirty eight photos I submitted, nineteen placed in the top thirty percent or above, and one was a finalist in the Share Joy Category! This was 2017 vs 2018 results.

Here are a spattering of my favorites that won. Many of these pictures were taken in Windsor, Ft. Collins, and Denver, Colorado.  I was honored that so many of my photos made it that far and ALL the amazing photos I got to vote on gave me great inspiration for next year's contest. The waiting is always worth it in the end, I guess.

Family by the Lake {Northern Colorado Family Photographer}

Four beautiful girls from two amazing parents. These girls were absolutely darling, talented, and did so well during the whole shoot, even though it was late enough in the season to have a nip in the air. I also absolutely loved their outfit choices- the pops of yellow were perfect against the greys, whites, and navys. 

This is my go to location for tons of families and seniors in Windsor. I just LOVE the peeling white paint on the side of this shed here and the fun doors and walls around downtown Windsor. Plus it's right by the lake in the best part of town. I've dreamed of someday owning a house right on Windsor lake. In the meantime I'll just keep creating a little bit of "home" for every family I capture there. :-)

One of the things I LOVE doing is creating a space for photos to work well within your home. I was able to do some mock ups for this family so they could find the perfect spot to display their beautiful family (and all it took was a couple of phone pics to give the visuals- definitely worth the time to do if you just can't see in your minds eye where the photos should go).

I offer free in-home consults and let me tell you, they are SO worth it! Your family photos are a part of your home decor- there's no use in spending the money to get them taken if they just sit in a box or on a USB for eternity. Photos that never make it on the wall totally bum me out.

I should have taken a better shot that got in the full effect, but the restults were STUNNING! I audibly gasped when I opened up the canvases after they were shipped to me. So worth it.

River Goddess {Northern Colorado Senior Photographer}

This was one of my MOST FAVORITE senior sessions I think I've ever done. This empress was up for anything, including donning her homecoming gown and hopping in the Poudre River for pictures. She was utterly professional and so sweet- I couldn't have asked for a better model for my crazy photography ideas!

Here's a little tip for anyone looking for some beginner girls' senior photography help: with senior girls, prioritize the hair as much as you possibly can. If she's got short hair, pull it out from her ears and brush it away from her face lightly and in layers. If she's got long hair, BRING IT FORWARD!!

These are both SOC. The one on the left will still work because you can see the back of her hair behind her shoulder (meaning it doesn't just disappear altogether), but look how much fuller her hair looks when it's forward and framing her face! I often feel like I'm working with two subjects when I'm working with senior girls photos: the body/face pose, and the hair. Hair is important.

Be sure to check out the rest of my beautiful seniors in my gallery here:

http://www.chelseaellingsonphotography.com/seniors/

 

The Murrays {Northern Colorado Family Photographer}

This. Family.
I have known them almost since we moved to Windsor and I don't think I could find words to express how amazing each of them are! I did senior photos for the oldest last summer as well and was just blown away by his talents and maturity for a kid his age. Both parents are immensely incredible human beings and I am SO glad they hired me for their family photos in 2017!

This patch of trees has been a go-to location for photos for me in Windsor, Colorado for years and I just drove by yesterday to see them all plowed down. I wanted to cry, it was such a perfect section of trees in perfect rows with all sorts of fun things to find in it (including a fort and an old couch that I was never brave enough to actually sit on or go in, but were fun nonetheless). I still have a lot of great spots in my gorgeous little town, but may have to branch out and venture for more locations in Ft. Collins, CO for family photos. The mountains have been calling me lately...

Stay tuned as I go through some of my favorite spots and shoots from 2017 in the next few weeks!

And if you're a contractor, STOP CUTTING DOWN ALL THE TREES!!! You're KILLING me, smalls....

Holiday Mini Shoot in Denver {Northern Colorado Family Photographer}

Winter Wonderland Holiday Mini Shoot

@The Denver Photo Collective
November 22nd, 2017
{$150}
 

Includes:

• One half hour shoot at The Denver Photo Collective holiday setup

• One full resolution digital image of choice

• Either 25 foil pressed holiday cards or 2 custom wood ornaments

• Up to six people total per shoot

• Extra digital images, prints, holiday cards, or ornaments available for purchase

Enter your information below for availability and booking!

Sunrises and Snakes {Northern Colorado Family Photographer}

It's been a looooong time since I had a family brave enough to schedule a morning session! As soon as we were done, I was asking myself why I don't do these more often, especially at this dreamy fall location. It was chilly, and I was so impressed with how well all of the kids did, and they even just recently moved here from the south. My own kids have lived in CO most of their lives and would not have been that cooperative in the cold.
 

The little boy apparently was a snake lover. Before we started walking down the trail, Mom and Dad kept reminding him that they might see a snake out in the woods. I pointed out that it was cold and we probably wouldn't see them (mostly to just reassure myself that I wouldn't see any than anyone else ha ha), and they told me they realized that and just noted that they were just saying it to keep the little guy motivated to smile.
On our way out of the woods, we stopped by the river for a few last shots. Mom wanted some of just her and the little guy, so I stepped into the grass near some kind of animal hole and told him to come look, that there might be a snake down in the hole to get him to come over. And then I looked down myself, and what did I see?? An actual snake. I jumped out of the way while the family did the opposite and crowded around it. It was not moving (there was still tons of frost all around, it was likely just frozen), so Dad comes over and actually lifts it up. I was terrified, because I had no idea if it was a rattle snake or not or if they had any idea if it was a rattle snake or not (later discovered Dad hunts, he knew what he was doing). It was a very long bull snake with a large bulge by the neck that was very likely it's last meal making it's way down. I was equal parts terrified and fascinated, as I am with most slithery slimy creatures.

Look at the little man's face!!! He was ecstatic. We actually saw a snake on our shoot after all. He was so thrilled, they actually tossed the thing in his soccer bag in their car and took it home (only later to discover that it was either dead when we found it or nearly there, and I was told that the little guy and Dad decided they wanted to find out what it had eaten and had a little dissection adventure...blarf, ha ha).
I handled myself okay considering my first instinct was to just grab my bag and run back to the car every-man-for-himself style. It would be my worst nightmare to have my clients find, pick up, and then get attacked by any kind of snake. Thankfully it was more of a creature study than a battle, but even despite the snake, I came away wanting to get back out there at sunset ASAP.
Gorgeous family, gorgeous light.