Sweet Pickle Pictures » Providing family, child, newborn, maternity and studio photography for Manhattan, Kansas and the surrounding areas.

Hi all, I’m back to announce that I will be holding Easter mini sessions this year and they are coming up QUICKLY! Eek! Time sure has flown by these last couple of weeks, so excuse the somewhat late notice! I will attach my flier below (which gives you a peek at the backdrops we’ll be using) with full pricing details listed beneath that. If you’d like to secure a slot or just ask me any questions you may have, use the contact tab to drop me a line! I am putting a bit of an age bracket on these due to the size and nature of the setup, but if your child falls just outside those brackets, contact me and we can discuss whether I think this would be a good fit for him or her! That said, unfortunately these minis are not ideal for babies younger than 3 months of age.

Easter Studio Mini Sessions

 

 

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Easter (lightly themed) Mini session dates – March 10th and March 14th!

$139 – one child ($199 for 2 siblings) aged 4 months to 5 years

20 minute session (30-35 minutes per sibling pair)

8-10 edited images (12-14 images for sibling package)

Delivery within 2-3 weeks via online gallery. Release to print up to 8×10

Full payment of mini session package due at time of booking. Limited slots available each day

 

 

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Hi All!

Who here is just as shocked as I am that it is officially FEBRUARY?! The last month (cough…year)  has sped by, so excuse my lateness getting word out about some specials I am running for baby/child studio sessions this month! I am going to keep this as short and sweet as possible and just post all the details below for you, but should you find you have questions, simply use the contact tab below to get in touch with me!

A little visual never hurts, right?

A little visual never hurts, right?

So, as my flier above states – I will be offering two different specials this month. The first being a handful of standalone studio mini session slots on Fridays (only) during the month of February.  In addition to those, I’m also offering $25 off all Simplicity and Full milestone studio sessions taking place this month. Shoot me a line if you’d like a pricing guide sent your way so you can see what those packages entail! Below I have some details about February minis and what you can expect for the month of March as well.

February Friday Mini Sessions 
These will be a bit different from my norm as they will NOT be themed! That said, I did want to keep things simple and easy so I’ve selected four backdrop options that are eligible for this promotion. All are relatively neutral and I feel they should (hopefully) pair well with a number of outfits whether you have something special you’d like your child or wear or you’d like to check out what I have in studio for my 12 month and younger clients. These special mini session slots have been placed on my booking calendar and clients can reserve their desired slot right through my website! You can find that availability calendar and all the important details via a page I’ve created for this promotion, so click HERE to get started looking through that information!  If you’d like to have more backdrop options available or desire a longer session with more than one setup, don’t forget that I have two other studio packages of varying lengths and both will be $25 off for February sessions!

Looking Ahead?
In addition to these standalone minis, I also currently plan to offer a round of Easter studio minis this year, likely taking place mid-March. These will be “lightly” themed for the holiday and while I haven’t quite settled 100% of the details, I hope to make them sweet and simple for a cute and easy way to capture your kiddos in their Easter best (or just get some cute updated photos to share with family!) These slots will likely occur over one or two afternoons and should accommodate siblings for an additional price. If you’d like to be kept up to date on all the details, drop me a line via the contact tab below and I’ll add you to a list of clients to contact just before booking goes live in a few weeks!

Again, simply reach out via my contact tab or facebook page if you have questions for me. I hope everyone is staying healthy and rested this winter season!

Cristen

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Happy 2017, friends! With the start of the new year comes studio season for Sweet Pickle Pictures! This year I’m going to get the ball moving with a round of sweet mini sessions themed for Valentine’s Day. I will include some details about those below and at the very bottom of this post will be a special offer for studio simplicity sessions, so make sure to read through to the end!

 

Valentine’s Day is a great theme for mini sessions and this year I’ve planned a fun and simple setup with a bit of sparkle! Faux white wood backdrop and floordrop will be paired with a gold heart banner (still in the works!) and a few sparkly props. I have some red props left over from last year too and will also have those on hand to pop a bit of color if needed! These sessions will be priced the same as my minis last year. Read on below the photo for full details!

Sweet Pickle Pictures studio mini session

Yes, that’s my kid up there being my ever-enthusiastic model.

Details!

What: 

Valentine’s Day mini sessions in studio (where it’s warm!) with a simple gold/white theme and a few fun props! See another shot of our backdrop below! (Banner and props are in the works still!)

When:  A few slots will be available each of the following days:

Friday January 27th and

Saturday January 28th

(Please note that a backup date will be issued in the event of personal illness or inclement weather.)

Where: 

My studio space located 20 minutes north of Manhattan, Kansas.

Who:

Due to the limited size and nature of these setups,  studio minis work best for children 6 months to 6 or 7 years of age. Older children may be booked with some restrictions. No adults or families will be photographed. Babies will need to be able to sit (assisted or unassisted.) These minis can be a cute and fun way to capture a milestone!

How much?

Individual slots will be $139+tax for a 20 minute session and 6-8 edited images printable up to 8×10 with my standard print release. Full payment is required at the time of booking.

Discounted rates available for siblings. Drop me a line for details!

How Do I book?

Booking will officially open this Wednesday, January 11th.

To book a slot, use the contact tab below to contact me and include your child’s age(s) and gender(s)!  I will need to arrange slots based on how many individual vs. sibling bookings I get, so setting up slots beforehand won’t be possible with these. Slot times will likely range from 11am to  2 or 3pm depending on the day. 6-8 slots will be available overall.

What other mini session opportunities lie ahead? 

Last year I offered both Valentine’s Day and Easter mini sessions in studio. Due to schedule restrictions, I cannot promise at this stage that Easter minis will be available this year. If I do not arrange a second round of minis for Spring/Easter, these will be the only studio minis offered for 2017.

 

Want to capture your child’s milestone without a theme? For the next 2 weeks I will be rebooting my “Small Business Saturday” offer of $50 off a studio Simplicity Session taking place January through March 2017. These sessions are 30-40 minutes long (minimum age 3-4 months) and include more final images than a mini session with my same standard print release. The promotional rate only applies to sessions with one child, but a sibling can be included at my regular rate! You will have your choice of any one of my backdrops/setups to coordinate with a special outfit of your choosing (or you can choose from a few options I keep in studio depending on age/size!) Simplicity sessions are limited to weekday bookings only and slots are available most weekday afternoons from 11am-2pm. For full package details, drop me a line via my contact tab below and please mention this blog post in order to score this discounted rate! Offer will expire January 24th, 2017! Retainer fee of $50+tax is due at the time of booking and your session must take place on or before March 31st, 2017. If you would like more time or setups in studio, ask me about the full studio sessions I offer! They are perfect for combining a 12 months cake smash session with some sweet before-the-mess portraits or capturing more variety with your milestone!

 

Looking forward to sharing studio season with some of you and looking forward to what 2017 holds for us! If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to contact me!

 

studio child mini sessions valentine

signatureAnother look at our backdrop (and my silly boy)

 

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UPDATE: All slots are currently filled, thank you!

 

Hi All! A quick blog post to let you know that I will be opening booking for both my fall mini session dates this coming Monday, September 5th (Labor Day!) Below are some instructions for how to snag a slot as well as some more details about the session package!

Here’s a little flier to get you started (created with images from last year’s minis!)

Sweet Pickle Pictures Fall Minis Family Photography Manhattan Kansas

DETAILS:
**Mini Sessions slots will be $195+tax for up to 4 individuals. This price includes your 20 minute session slot and 10 edited images delivered via a convenient online gallery. These images come with my standard print release which allows you to create your own prints up to and including the size 8×10 – larger prints and canvas are available for purchase via your gallery.

**Minis can be booked for groups up to 5 individuals with an additional fee of $20 and 2 additional images added to the standard package for groups larger than 4.  Groups larger than 5 are not recommended due to the very short nature of these sessions.

** IMPORTANT:  Each event date has a predetermined rain backup date (listed below.) Please be certain that both the original and backup dates work for your family before booking as it may not be possible to reschedule mini sessions on an individual basis in the event of a rain-out.

September 30th —> Backup date October 7th

October 10th —> Backup date October 17th

HOW TO BOOK:
I will be adding mini session slots to my booking calendar at 1pm CST Monday, September 5th. These will be added under the following dates – September 30th and October 10th. You can navigate to my fall booking page HERE which contains this booking calendar. Unfortunately the calendar itself is not mobile friendly, but I have instructions included for a workaround that allows it to be visible on most devices. Once you’ve clicked on the date you wish to book, available time slots will be shown and you may select your chosen time slot and proceed with the booking form. Once this initial form is submitted, you will be redirected to my mini session agreement form that will collect full payment of your mini session to complete your booking! Full payment is required to reserve your time slot. Please note that there is a slight lag in the calendar and slots may still show available for a short time after they are booked. I apologize in advance for any frustration this causes!

If you have any questions or difficulties with the calendar, feel free to contact me via the contact tab below – this will drop me a message directly in my email! Since Monday is a school holiday, I will be away from the computer at times, but will do my best to answer emails when I am able.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

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UPDATE: All 2016 outdoor fall session slots have been filled! Looking forward to a great season! 

 

Happy August, friends! This summer has certainly SPED by for us – I’m sure a few of you are feeling the same! I am currently taking some down time to make some last minute summer memories with my family before school and busy season kicks back into gear, but I also need to get some fall details rolling since inquiries have been coming in! This year, I’m doing my fall booking just a little bit differently. This post will contain everything you need to know about my fall availability, the fall season in general and how to book your session. I’m laying ALL the details on the line! If you’re interested in a session during this upcoming fall season, please continue reading!

 

Manhattan Kansas Family Child Photographer Fall Session

Availability:
I have spent the last week setting my session availability and installing a booking calendar that is going to streamline the booking process for me (and you!) Before I link that information below, let me say a few words about my availability in general. Due to our work and activities schedule, I do have very limited weekend bookings this fall, so you’ll see a lot of weekday evening session slots! Most of these are open to either a full or simplicity session (client’s choice) however, towards the end of October and into early November, I do start limiting weekdays to simplicity (half) sessions due to the very early sunset time. Weekend slots (where available) are open to full sessions only. Bear in mind that illness and weather can change our session plans, but I do have backup dates built into my schedule for this reason. That said, if you book a weekend slot and we are forced to reschedule for one of these reasons, it is not guaranteed that your rescheduled date will be another weekend slot due to the small number of those I have available. Even with a set schedule, this season can require a bit of flexibility!

Minis:
I will once again offer two evenings/events of fall mini sessions this year as I have done in the past. These will not be themed and will be open to small families, couples, milestones or maternity sessions for groups of 5 or smaller. Mini sessions have not been added to my booking calendar as of yet since I am still nailing down details, but you can do a preliminary mark on your calendar for the following dates (which as of right now, are looking promising for being my mini session dates this year!) I will open booking for both dates at the same time, likely towards the end of August and I typically make an announcement on my facebook page with a blog post here as well. These will also be booked using my new booking calendar system when the time comes! I will likely have 4 session slots per evening, so if you’re holding out for a mini session – keep in mind the slots could fill very quickly.

Fall Mini session estimated dates:
Friday September 30th (backup date October 7th) Slots will likely span from 5pm-7pm
Monday October 10th (backup date October 17th) Slots will likely span from 4:45-6:45pm

How To Book Your (non-mini) Fall Session:
Now for some booking details! I have created a page (and calendar) dedicated to booking fall outdoor sessions. Click HERE to navigate to this page and make sure to carefully read through the instructions prior to submitting a booking! Once these dates are booked, I will not likely have additional openings to add unless a cancellation occurs. If I do add additional dates, I will again make that announcement via my facebook page! This calendar does NOT reflect my availability for newborn sessions or the studio milestone sessions I will begin booking later this fall. It is purely for outdoor (evening) sessions September through early November! If you are looking for a newborn or studio session, please inquire through the contact tab at the bottom of this webpage.

Please read on for some tips and important info concerning fall sessions!

Fall Session Tips:
Fall Color: I get asked every year when the leaves will turn. Unfortunately I am not an expert on this subject and Kansas LOVES to throw us for a loop in the weather/nature department pretty regularly, but I can certainly make an estimated guess. I typically tell clients to book sessions mid to late October if they wish to have a bit of fall color in their photos. The downside of this is, sometimes late October can be too late – we have had fall seasons where the leaves fell by this time, so it is a bit of a gamble either way! Keep in mind that fall color in general is a very short phase here in Kansas. In my experience, if you have young children, I feel it’s safer to err on the side of booking earlier rather than later as the temperatures can begin to change for the worse by the end of October. Comfortable, happy children tend to photograph better (regardless of the color of the leaves!) Plus, a bit of sunlight (if we’re lucky) can transform green grass and trees into some warm fall colors too! My general advice is to not get too hung up on trying to catch that perfect (fleeting) moment of Kansas fall color, but instead focus on what dates work best for you and your family’s needs.  If you book a September or early October session, you can bring those warm, autumn colors into your portraits through your outfit choices! If you need help in that department, I’m always happy to send along some inspiration!

Fall Locations: Because of the larger number of sessions I shoot in the fall (and the increasingly earlier sunset times) I do mostly choose locations within close proximity of my home/studio and will travel less for outside locations. This keeps the season manageable for me and my childcare situation and also provides locations consistent to my style with easy access for families and a calm, safe place for us to capture your images! These locations are about a 20 minute drive north of Manhattan in a semi-rural area. If you have a specific location in mind for your session, please discuss it with me prior to booking!

keepcalmenjoyfall

 

As one last (yet important) tip, please understand that the fall season is a very busy one for family photographers. I would LOVE to photograph everyone who inquires for a session, but through experience I’ve learned that taking on too much is not good for me, my family or my clients! If you are booking a session with me this fall/winter, please understand that things can get a bit hectic and turnaround times tend to be longer on getting edits back to you. I am a one-employee small business and 150% stubborn about the images I create which means I put a lot of time (and love!) into processing each and every session. If you need your images by a certain date, please book your session 3-4 weeks in advance and keep in mind that turnaround times can creep longer as the season gets fully underway. I am always happy to share a couple preview images to make your wait a little more bearable.

I am looking forward to sharing this upcoming fall with some new and familiar faces! Bring on the cooler weather, cardigans and pumpkin spice lattes! 😉

Want to chat? Please feel free to contact me via the contact tab/form below if you have questions or would like more information before booking! Keep in mind I will be a bit slower to answer emails until my break ends August 18th!

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