The Ellie Caulkins Opera House is far, far away from the reindeer herding community where he spent time while growing up in Finland. Yet that’s where Ari Pelto spends most of his days as the Music Director of Opera Colorado, preparing for the final two productions of their 39th season. He’s been busy directing Opera Colorado’s premiere of The Shining, based on the best selling novel by Stephen King, and Carmen, a tragedy by Georges Bizet.

For this brand session, Ari requested some updated headshots that conveyed the reverence that accompanies his position as the opera’s music director. For our session, we met in downtown Denver near 15th and Wynkoop and found some great spots surrounding the old railroad bridges.

Ari and his lovely wife are close personal friends of mine (our sons are the same age and go to school together). As I’ve had the chance to get to know Ari, I’ve learned that he has years of experience as a concert violinist (so his passion for music is nothing new). He’s also a self-made gourmet cook and can whip up anything on the fly without a recipe!

While we started the session a bit more “buttoned-up” in a navy blue suit with plaid scarf and bow tie, he let loose a little bit in the second portion of our session as he threw on a leather jacket for a more rugged, edgy look. Both styles spoke perfectly to the vision he had for the session and perfectly complimented the urban elements.

If you’re considering an updated headshot…

You might consider a brand session instead. With a brand session, we can truly convey who you are – whether it’s the position you hold within your company or the story behind your business. I hope you’ll reach out to me to discuss your business and the vision you have for your session, or jump straight to my schedule to put a date on my calendar!