Your Headshot Is Already Speaking For You
Before someone reads your bio, books a call, or meets you in person, they often see your headshot first.
A strong headshot helps you feel current, approachable, credible, and easy
to recognize across LinkedIn, your website, proposals, press, and professional profiles.
It is not just a profile photo. It is part of how people decide whether
they trust you, remember you, and feel comfortable reaching out.
The collaborative process
Look, most of us have something we are already worried
about before the camera even comes out.
A blemish. Under-eye bags. Wrinkles. Extra weight. A short neck.
A tooth. Whatever you are worried about, we approach it with
kindness, not judgment and reduce or remove the distraction
while keeping you looking natural in a way that still feels like you.
I ask what you are self-conscious about, then we look at an
image together and talk through what is distracting to you.
From there, I create a quick before-and-after so you can see
how natural retouching softens or removes the distraction
without making you look like an AI version of yourself.
Even better, you decide how much or how little retouching you
want, so the final image still feels like you — just less tired,
less distracted by the tiny thing you were worried about,
and more ready to use the photo everywhere.
What Makes This Different?
Seattle Headshots in Studio or On Location
In Studio
Signature & Premium Headshot Sessions
Best if you want a private, comfortable space where everything feels a little more relaxed and controlled.
My Pioneer Square studio gives us beautiful brick, large windows, natural character, and enough variety to create several different looks without moving locations.
It works beautifully for headshots, portraits, lifestyle images, and branding-style images all created in one easy studio experience.
On Location
For One Great Headshot Sessions
Best for a quick on-location update around
Queen Anne, Seattle Center, or South Lake Union.
This session uses some of Seattle’s best environmental backdrops.
Think soft city blur, layered architecture, clean lines, glass, brick, and movement - all softened into the background so the focus stays on you.
Seattle Headshot Session Options
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One Great Headshot - $375
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Quick, guided, and polished.
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Best for one strong professional update.
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Includes 1 professional retouched image.
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Signature Headshot - $750
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More time, coaching, and refinement.
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Best for most professionals.
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Includes 2 collaborative retouched images.
Premium Headshot - $1500
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The complete headshot experience.
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Best for multiple looks, variety, and
a polished image set.
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Includes 4 final retouched images.
Not Sure Which Session Fits Best?
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Choose One Great Headshot if you need one quick,
polished update.
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Choose Signature if you want more time, coaching,
and two finished images.
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Choose Premium if you want multiple looks, more variety,
and the most complete experience.
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Choose Branding Photography if you need a fuller image library
for your website, social media, marketing, or business visibility.
Do you need more than a headshot?
If you are showing up online regularly, one headshot can only do so much. A branding session gives you a fuller
image library with polished headshots, lifestyle images, behind-the-scenes moments, process shots, detail images, and
content you can use across your website, LinkedIn, Instagram, email marketing, press features, proposals, and social media.
It is ideal if you are building a personal brand, launching something new, or need images that feel professional, current,
and easy to use everywhere. Want a fuller image library for your website, social media, launches, and marketing content?
Explore branding photography to see how we can create a collection of images that supports the way you show up online.
Other Ways To Work Together
Headshots - Branding - Dogs - Portraits -
How It Works
1. Reach Out
Start by filling out the initial inquiry form so I can learn what
you need your images for, what type of session you are
considering, and any important details about your goals.
2. Tell Me More
After your inquiry, I’ll send a short questionnaire to help clarify
what you need, whether that is one strong headshot, more variety, personal branding images, or help choosing the right session.
3. Choose Your Session
Once I have your inquiry and questionnaire, we can schedule
a discovery call if needed. This gives us a chance to talk through your goals, answer questions, and make sure you are choosing the best session for what you actually need.
4. Shoot + Review As We Go
During your session, I guide you through expression, posture,
angles, lighting, and small details. We review images together in real time, so you can see what is working and we can adjust as we go.
5. Select Your Final Image
You choose your final image with guidance during the session, so there is no oversized gallery, guesswork,
or second-guessing later.
6. Retouch + Same Day Delivery
Your selected image is professionally retouched to
look polished, natural, and still like you.
One Great Headshot includes
standard professional retouching.
Signature and Premium sessions
include collaborative retouching.
Final images are delivered ready to use for LinkedIn, company websites, press bios, speaking profiles,
and marketing needs.
Real Client Feedback
"I went into this experience not really knowing what to expect, and I came out so pleasantly surprised.
Like most people, getting a professional headshot was something I kept putting off.
But working with Rachel was unlike anything I'd experienced before!You don't usually get to sit with your photographer, analyze the photos together, and walk through the retouching so that you, as the client, walk away with your most absolute best images.
That collaborative process is what sets her apart.
The studio itself was one of my favorite parts, so much variety in one space that my session had a range I honestly didn't expect.
I got headshots, lifestyle shots, and branding images all without leaving the room. I'll be honest, it took me a little while to warm up to the camera. But Rachel coached me through the entire session so naturally that I didn't even realize I was getting more comfortable until I already was. The vibe was set from the moment I walked in, and I never once felt rushed or awkward.
Being able to come back and walk through the photos after the shoot, once everything had settled, was so valuable. It was the first time I actually enjoyed looking at close-up portraits of myself. The value was unmatched. And when I saw my favorite photo,
I could not wait to update my LinkedIn, my website, everything - I wanted it everywhere! It made such a difference to my confidence.
If you've been going back and forth about whether it's worth it, it 10000% is!! Stop overthinking it.
You're going to walk out wondering why you waited so long because I sure did!"
Alina Nadoyan
I had such a wonderful experience getting my new headshots taken with Rachel Alves.
From the moment I arrived, she made me feel completely relaxed and comfortable
which is no small feat when you’re posing in front of a camera. Her calm, friendly approach
helped me loosen up, and it really shows in the final photos.
What impressed me even more was the time Rachel took to edit the images right there in her studio.
Being able to review everything together and walk out with two fully polished,
professional headshots felt like such a thoughtful, efficient, and collaborative process.
I’m so happy with the results and would absolutely recommend Rachel Alves
to anyone looking for a photographer who combines talent with a truly welcoming experience.
I recently had the pleasure of working with Rachel for our company's team headshots, and I couldn't be happier
with the experience and results! Coordinating headshots for our growing team involved a lot of planning,
from clothing choices to hair and makeup. By the time the session day arrived, I was exhausted and hoping for the best.
From the moment I arrived at the studio, Rachel immediately put my concerns to rest with her calm demeanor
and friendly conversation. Her advice on planning and staggered arrivals was invaluable, and it all came together seamlessly.
What impressed me most was her innovative setup: she had her camera connected to an oversized monitor facing the subject, allowing us to see the photos in real-time. This approach was a refreshing change from the standard rapid-fire method,
as it gave us the opportunity to adjust poses and expressions on the spot.
Analyzing the photos together created a sense of camaraderie among our team, fostering trust and unity. Additionally,
being able to request touch-ups in real-time meant we left the session with finalized photos, eliminating the need for
numerous back-and-forth emails. Also, her hair and makeup artist was conveniently located onsite and gave all of us
personalized attention - Katya had all the right tools in her kit to match our wide range of skin tones and hair types.
I cannot stress how important this process was toward a seamless, clean finish to our photos.
Overall our entire team was thrilled with the results, and we're already looking forward to our next round of photos
in a few years. Thank you, Rachel, for your professionalism, expertise, and exceptional service!
Janell Turner, Phīla Engaged Giving, Managing Director
Book Your Headshot Session
Review the session options, complete the contact form, and I’ll guide you through the rest.
Sessions are booked Wednesday through Saturday with start times around 10am.
Your date is secured with full payment. If you need a different time
or have specific Seattle locations in mind, please make a note in the contact form.
Hi, I’m Rachel.
I’m a Seattle-based photographer with over
27 years of experience photographing people.
My work is about creating images that feel natural, confident,
and true to you often better than you expected, but never overdone.
I know being photographed can feel uncomfortable, so I keep
the process guided, relaxed, and low-pressure from start to finish.
My goal is for you to leave with photographs you love, and the
feeling that the experience was much easier than you expected.