Well, hello there! I am Elena, the founder of Elena S Blair Photography Inc.

Photography has become as much a part of my life as the air I breathe. But it wasn't always that way.

Sixteen years ago if you asked me if I was creative or an artist I would have laughed at you. I was working full time night shift as a Registered NICU Nurse, had a newborn baby, and was suffering from isolation and exhaustion. Yet I thought I was living the dream. I thought I had "made it." I mean, I had a Bachelors Of Science and a mortgage after all. 

Shortly after my son was born my house was broken into in the middle of the day. It was one of the most violating experiences of my life. We were already broke and in debt up to our ears so this felt like more than we could handle. Yet for some reason we decided to spend our insurance check on a new camera, the Canon 50D. Call it what you will, but I don't believe in chance. Something inside me told me to just go for it. Something inside told me I needed an outlet and perhaps photography was it. I always trust my intuition. 

Little did I know that that purchase would quite literally change my life. 

Photography quickly became my obsession and it didn't take me long to realize that I loved business. Photography unleashed an artist and an entrepreneur that had always been inside me. I now operate a multi faceted, mini empire and I owe it all to that chance I took with purchasing that camera eleven years ago. 

I have a sincere desire to build community in the industry of photography. I love showing other women that they can pursue their dream to become a photographer and that they can build a meaningful and profitable business. 

I am obsessed with capturing families and newborns in a way that is artistic, real, romantic, and full of life and I absolutely fall in love with every single family who trusts me to capture them.  I know how busy life with kids is… this is why I focus on being fast and efficient every step of the way… from inquiry to when you have your finished photos, the process will be easy, personal, professional, and fun!

I am a dreamer who believes anything is possible. I am so glad you are here. 

Elena S Blair is an award winning Family & Newborn photographer. She also owns and operates a Fine Art School Portrait business, is co owner of Blair & Thurston Retreats, and is co owner of Lady Boss Workshops. With nearly ten years experience, Elena has photographed hundreds of families and thousands of children making her Seattle's most sought after portrait photographer. 

Her work and words have been featured on popular online publications like The Huffington Post, Click & Co Blog, Dear Photographer, Adorama, and many more. Her work has been published in Click Magazine and Capture The Moment. Elena teaches with online platforms including CreativeLive, KelbyOne, and Click & Company, as well as independently. She is an established public speaker inspiring photographers all over the United States to make meaningful art and build profitable businesses. 

FAQ

WHAT KIND OF PHOTOGRAPHER ARE YOU? My work has been described as organic, natural, romantic, real, and sentimental with a fine art quality. I combine traditional, documentary, and lifestyle photography to capture genuine images for you to treasure for a lifetime. Imagine your family as art.

As your photographer, I will provide a generous gallery of images that can be displayed in your home as pieces of art or archived in a custom album to be treasured for generations. These photographs will be an investment in your family history. Images from your session often tell a story, capturing a treasured moment in time. I do not try to make you look perfect, stiff, or unnatural. I am not after that "one" shot with everyone looking at the camera and smiling. Sure, I may get some with everyone looking and smiling, but I promise if I do, it will not feel stiff or forced.

What is the difference between working with Elena and one of her associates? I am so glad you asked! I am only one person and can only take on so many photoshoots a year. My two associates have been trained by me and have very similar styles. You will get the full Elena S Blair experience, even when working with one of my associates. I assure you, you are in the best hands!

WHERE WILL MY SESSION BE HELD?  I am a natural light, on location photographer.  Together we will choose the perfect location for your session.  Newborn sessions are held at your home.

WHEN DO NEWBORN SESSIONS OCCUR?  I like to do newborn sessions within the first month of life, however my style allows for some flexibility in scheduling.

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR? See THIS BLOG POST for ideas on what to wear. Be comfortable, be yourself.

WILL I GET MY DIGITAL PHOTOS AFTER THE SHOOT? Photographs grow in value over time and become family treasures. I know the importance of archiving and saving digital images. I offer one simple, all-inclusive collection where you receive all the high resolution digital files delivered via direct download and a print release. A minimum of 75 digitals files will be available to you (but usually there are more!), in both color and black and white. I also include a complimentary, predesigned album from your session. You will also have the option to buy additional prints and boutique products. Click here to learn more about what comes with your session!

WHEN, HOW, AND WHERE CAN I ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AND PRODUCTS? Within four weeks of your photoshoot, you will receive a link to a private online gallery.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE WHICH IMAGES IN MY GALLERY FROM OUR SHOOT? I look carefully at each and every image I capture at your session and hand select the best images. I am looking for images that represent me as artists and your family, as each is radically unique. I guarantee minimum of 75 images, but there are usually many more included. Lucky you!

HOW FAR OUT ARE YOU BOOKED? I typically book three to twelve months in advance for family shoots. If you are interested in newborn portraits, please inquire while you are pregnant. Already delivered? No problem. I try to leave openings in my schedule for last minute newborn sessions.

DO YOU OFFER MINI-SESSIONS?  No; mini-sessions are not conducive to my style.  Like I said, I am not after that one great shot but rather a collection of images for lifelong appreciation.  

HOW MUCH DOES ALL OF THIS COST? My pricing is simple and all-inclusive. You pay one price for ALL of the digital files.  Starts at $975, $700 for my petite maternity session (only available when booking with a newborn session). A 50% deposit is due when booking to secure your session date. Pricing is slightly less if you book with one of my associates. Hit the session info tab above to find out more.

HOW DO I BOOK A SESSION WITH YOU, ELENA? I am so glad you asked! You can e-mail me directly at info at elenasblairphotography dot com or via the connect tab above.

Raves + Reviews from Sessions

"A dear friend of mine referred me to Elena S Blair Photography for my newborn shoot. My friend's shoot was so beautiful and captured her family and newborn so gracefully. To be honest, I was a bit afraid of the outcome. The birth of my son was traumatic, to say the least, and we lost a big chunk of newborn time to the hospital. I was crushed thinking I'd lost the opportunity to capture his smallness. I know the moments Elena was able to capture, won't return those weeks, but I’m eternally grateful to her for capturing,in her magical way, the newborn life we so fortunately were able to return home with from the hospital. She entered what was at the time our recuperating, grief stricken home and seamlessly captured our tiny new boy in the most beautiful way. Elena is skilled inter-personally and technically - such as making an new encounter with a stranger seem like meeting an old friend, or using just light to capture a special moment. Since her pictures speak for themselves, what you may not see behind the pictures is that she’s a caring and wonderful person. She’s a delight to let into your family to capture you, comfortably, in a raw and vulnerable way. I now also have the pleasure of calling her a friend and my only regret at this moment, is that we’ve moved away from Seattle and can’t have her continue capturing these breathtaking moments of my family." - Annabelle Mathieu

"My husband and I are so grateful that we choose Elena S Blair Photography to do our maternity and newborn photoshoots and are blessed to now also call her our friend! My journey to motherhood was difficult and painful (first with infertility and miscarriage and then with a hard pregnancy). It was so important to me to capture this season of life on camera yet I was so self-conscience and uncertain. I have had bad experiences in the past with photographers who cared more about the "job" than about me as a person. Meeting with Elena for the first time all the nervousness melted away; it was like meeting an old friend again. Instead of feeling awkward and silly while posing for my maternity shoot, I felt confident and beautiful and you can tell by looking at my photos! Elena was a magician, knowing just how to use every landcape (including my awkward house for our newborn shoot) and ray of light to produce beautiful pictures. Her sweet smile, happy disposition, and kind words put us so at ease that the pictures she took weren't stiff or posed but instead were snapshots of authentic intimate moments that perfectly captured who we are as a family. We won't be going anywhere else for our family photos in the future. We could never find a better photographer or have a better experience than with Elena!" - Hannah Ruth Cournoyer

"She could not be more fabulous....Not only is she an amazing, patient, sweet, darling person. She is also a talented, thoughtful, creative, and attentive photographer. She managed the whole shoot, and the chaos that goes with photographing 3 young children, with grace, and an easy going professionalism. My kids loved her and opened up to her instantly. But most importantly, she was able to capture the true spirit of my children in every single shot. I don't know how she does it. The true essence of my little munchkins shines through in every photograph. These are not your standard family photographs. They are beautiful, wonderful, meaningful works of art that are created around me and my family. Love love love love love. Cannot say it often enough. Love." - Stephanie Rancourt-Richardson

"We have worked with Elena for three years and have trusted her to capture some of the most important moments in our children's lives. She truly cares about her clients and her passion shows through her beautiful work. She has the perfect combination of personal and professional experience to ensure your family is captured the way you would like." -Natalie Flocchini 

"Elena made my family feel so comfortable and we loved our session! She captured each of my kids personalities in every photo. She's truly talented and her work is captivating - which is what I loved when I stumbled across her photos on Pinterest. Our photos turned out amazing and I'll cherish them forever." - Heather Field