Fall is here… and somehow, Christmas is too
I am simultaneously ready for A chai tea Latte and completely unprepared for summer to be over.
 
 
hello friend
There is something about the first hint of cooler weather (that we're still waiting on) that makes me want to pull out a sweater, make a cup of chai, bake homemade apple crisp, light a candle and settle into Fall.
And yet… my boys just went back to school. One went back, and one went for the very first time, and I'm realizing I wasn't quite finished with summer yet.
Our summer didn't unfold exactly the way I had imagined it would. But somehow, during that last week before school started, we finally settled into the slow, ordinary summer I had been hoping for all along.
And naturally, that's when I realized how badly I wished we had more time.
I suppose that's the problem with summer. You spend half of it waiting for things to slow down, and then suddenly you're standing in the school drop-off line wondering where it went.
And now that school has started, I know what comes next.
We're off to the races toward Christmas.
Which is both completely unreasonable and one of my favorite things.
So, before we get too far into Fall, I wanted to send a little note to my email friends about what's coming up at the studio.
 
There are still a handful of opportunities for Fall Petite and Signature Sessions, particularly on weekday evenings.
October is filling up, and weekend dates are becoming scarce, but I still have some weekday evening availability for families who would love to make time for photographs before the leaves are gone and the holiday season is fully underway. And as always, you don't need to have everything figured out before you reach out. We can choose a date, decide on a location, talk through what everyone might wear, and I'll take care of the rest.
My goal is for your session to feel like one less thing on your list—not another thing you have to organize.
If you've been thinking about a Fall session, now is a lovely time to get it on the calendar.
Email me and let's find a date that works for your family.
 

Christmas Portrait Experience
 
 
The first weekend of November, the studio will once again become Christmas at Chelsea Mitchell Photography—a beautifully decorated Christmas home created specifically for timeless holiday portraits.
This year's Christmas Portrait Experience includes two portrait spaces.
 
The Details
The Portrait Room — a light, Scandinavian-inspired space with soft neutrals, natural textures and a beautifully lit evergreen.
The Grand Stair Hall — an elegant, evergreen-draped staircase with warm candlelight and timeless holiday.
 
These aren't simply quick Christmas pictures. They're designed to become part of your family's holiday tradition—whether you're updating your family portraits, creating your Christmas cards, or choosing artwork for your home.
 
There are currently 7 appointments remaining.
Your reservation includes:
  • 20-minute portrait session
  • Access to both Christmas portrait rooms
  • Styling guide
  • Private artwork design appointment
  • $100 artwork credit
Artwork and portrait collections are purchased separately. Framed artwork begins at $225 and digital image collections begin at $350.
Reserve your Christmas Portrait Experience
$175

A little note about timing 
I always like to be transparent about the calendar this time of year.
My Christmas Experience Sessions are the first weekend of November, and shortly afterward I'll be traveling for work. When I return, I'll be in full holiday editing mode—especially for families who are hoping to order Christmas cards and have them in the mail early in December.
My typical turnaround is 2–4 weeks, so if you're hoping to use your photographs for Christmas cards, gifts, or holiday artwork, November and December sessions require a little more planning than a typical Fall session.
There's no need to panic or rush. I just don't want anyone to look at the calendar in November and think, Oh, I'll just squeeze something in before Christmas.
By then, we'll all be wondering how Christmas got here so quickly.
 
One More 
Little Thing
This year I've made a pretty significant shift in how I approach your photographs.
Rather than simply sending you a gallery and calling it finished, I'm helping you decide what you actually want to do with the photographs.
Maybe that's a few beautifully framed portraits for your home. Maybe it's an heirloom album you'll pull out years from now. Maybe it's a collection of digital images to keep and share.
The photograph is only the beginning.
My hope is that the images we create together don't simply live on your phone or computer—they become part of your home and your family's story.
Because this is really why I love doing this.
The seasons change. The kids grow. Summer ends. School starts. Christmas comes around again. And somehow, the photographs are what let us hold onto a little piece of it.
I hope you get to savor these next few months—the football games, the chilly mornings, the pumpkin patches, the Chili and cinnamon rolls, the homemade apple crisp, the messy kitchens, the family gatherings and all the little things that make this season yours.
And yes… I'm already looking forward to Christmas, too.
Chelsea
 
 

 
 
About The Artist
Hi, I’m Chelsea, the photographer behind Chelsea Mitchell Photography.
As a mother and a photographer, I know how quickly childhood moves. The little things we think we’ll always remember—the way they reach for your hand, the sound of their laughter, the way everyone settles together at the end of a long day—somehow become the very things we miss most.
That’s why I believe family photographs should be about more than creating a beautiful image. They should remind you of what this season of life actually felt like.
My goal is to create a portrait experience that feels relaxed, thoughtful, and 
 genuinely enjoyable, while helping you create photographs that deserve more than a place on your phone or tucked away on a hard drive.
Together, we’ll create meaningful portraits and choose the photographs and artwork that will become part of your home and your family’s story—something you can enjoy now and pass down for generations.
Whether we’re documenting your growing family, welcoming someone new, or simply preserving the people you love exactly as they are today, I’m here to help you slow down long enough to remember it.
 
 
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P.O. Box 1327
Great Bend , KS 67530, USA