FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY ARCHIVES

Family Portrait Home Photography | Hindes-Quast Family

Family Portrait Photographers

Kate and John hired me to photograph their upcoming wedding. They were both previously married with two children each. So they were going to be joining their families together and wanted to fill their home with portraits of the new group. When it came down to locations for their portrait session, they loved the idea of working at their home in Lakeville.

At-Home Blended Family Photos

Their session arrived and we all had so much fun! We captured them along and in groups around their home, both in their front porch as well as back yard, and then capped it all off with the group on their central stairway. They were getting so silly as they were excited to go out and celebrate the fun with late night ice cream!

After their session, they came out to my studio to choose their favorite photos and artwork. They ended up with an Heirloom Portrait Box of photos and will be scattering them around their home to see themselves together each day.

Thank You!

Thank you, Hindes-Quast family, for working with me for your family portraits. I had so much fun working with you, and I am so happy that you love your artwork!

If you’d like to work together for your own family and child photography, give me a call or send me an email soon!

BONUS: Be sure to take a look at some other family portrait sessions I captured too, such as this Como Park family session, a Minneapolis park family session, a MN Landscape Arboretum family session, another Como Park family portrait session, and a Long Lake Regional Park family session.

Sacred Thread Ceremony Photographer | Mohan Family

By Joanna Carina

Upanayanam Photographer MN

Archana and her family hired me to capture photos of their son’s Upanayanam (Sacred Thread ceremony) at the Hindu Temple of Minnesota in Maple Grove. The day arrived and I was raring to go – I always love seeing the beauty and splendor of Hindu and Indian ceremonies! We started outdoors capturing photos of the family members that had assembled for the big day. Then afterward it was on to the big event inside the temple.

Hindu Temple Upanayanam Ceremony

The ceremony took place on the stage in the Temple under their beautifully designed mandap. There were flowers and brightly colored drapes everywhere. And seeing everyone’s beautiful saris and Indian dress was so much fun! My finger barely had time to rest as I captured the entire ceremony as well as the family and friends that had gathered to watch. And little Advaith was such a champ – he seemed to be having a great time, full of smiles and laughs as he kept up with the ceremonial events happening around him. A beautiful banana leaf lunch was served after the ceremony for family and friends to spend time together and celebrate the big day. The entire family stayed for the fun well into the evening.

Thank You!

Thank you, Mohan family, for working with me for Advaith’s Sacred Thread Ceremony. I had so much fun working with you at the big event, and I am thrilled that you love your photos!

If you’d like to work together for your child’s Sacred Thread Ceremony, give me a call or send me an email soon!

BONUS: Be sure to take a look at other Indian + Hindu events I have photographed including Vishana + Brian’s beautiful Vishnu Mandir wedding, Madina + Omkar’s backyard Hindu wedding and spectacular St Paul Hotel wedding reception, and Rachel + Nishant’s Hindu Temple of Minnesota wedding too.

Studio Extended Family Photography | Raimova Family

By Joanna Carina

Studio Family Photographer

Lola contacted me in July. I had last worked with their family for portraits of them last year when they just had their sixth child, and now he was one year old and they wanted updates. Not to mention, both her mother were in town as well as her grandmother, so they wanted portraits of them all together. I was so excited to work with them again and see their little peanut growing up!

Extended Family Photoshoot

Lola and her family visited me a few weeks later with the whole family in tow. Their little peanut was very cooperative for photos, as well as the rest of the kiddos and family, and they all had a great time. After the session they stayed to choose their favorite photos and decide on their favorite artwork for the current session. Last year they chose a portrait box and wall artwork. This year they updated one of the canvases with the updated photo of their little guy, and also chose an album for all the new photos.

Thank You!

Thank you, Raimova family, for working with me for your extended family portraits. I had so much fun working with you, and I am thrilled that you love your album and wall art!

If you’d like to work together for your own extended family photography, give me a call or send me an email soon!

BONUS: Make sure to take a look at other extended family sessions I have photographed too, including a studio extended family session, Como Park extended family session, an Apple Valley park extended family session, and a Centennial Lakes Park extended family session.

Extended Family Portraits Como Park | Englestad Family

By Joanna Carina

Family Photographer St Paul MN

Vance gave me a call one day looking for extended family portraits of his immediate family – parents, siblings + spouse, and children. He knew his parents would really appreciate this amazing gift, especially since they hadn’t all seen each other since the start of the Covid pandemic! His sister and her family were finally able to visit from their home in France, so they were all excited!

Extended Family Photoshoot

We worked together at the gorgeous gardens of Como Park for their portraits. We captured the parents alone, as well as the siblings together, families together, and even all the girls + guys.

After their session, the family came out to my St Paul studio. I showed them the “best-of-the-best” from their portrait session so they could choose their favorite photos and select their favorite artwork. They loved their pictures and chose a number of favorites. They ended up ordering a couple of photo albums so the different families could enjoy the photos, as well as choosing wall art so the grandparents could enjoy the photos of their family on their walls each day.

Thank You!

Thank you, Englestad family, for working with me for your extended family portraits. I had so much fun working with you, and I am thrilled that you love your albums and wall art!

If you’d like to work together for your own Como Park extended family photography, give me a call or send me an email soon!

BONUS: Make sure to take a look at other outdoor extended family sessions I have photographed too, including a Como Park extended family session, an Apple Valley park extended family session, and a Centennial Lakes Park extended family session. Also take a look at an indoor studio extended family session, as well as these indoor studio extended family photos too.

Family Portrait Photography | Johnson Family

By Joanna Carina

Family Photography St Paul MN

Lauren contacted me looking for her young family’s first portrait session. Her kids were 4- and 2-years-old, and her and her family actually lived in Isanti. But she was very excited to find a photographer with the style she loved! She warned me before the photoshoot – her kiddos were busy little people! But I was prepared and worked fast to keep up with their two little munchkins!

Family and Child Photoshoot

I was so excited for their Como Park family portraits – one of my favorite locations for its manicured natural beauty. They all had had a blast during their early autumn photoshoot, including the kiddos, who were so excited to earn an ice cream cone once they cooperated for their photoshoot. (And they each earned a giant scoop!)

After their session, they headed over to my St Paul photo studio. I showed them the “best-of-the-best” from their portrait session so they could choose their favorite photos and heirloom artwork. They loved their photos, and ended up selecting a number of matted fine art prints to create a wall art collection.

Thank You!

Thank you, Johnson family, for working with me for your beautiful family photos. I had so much fun working with you, and I am thrilled that you love your portraits!

If you’d like to work together for your own family and child photography, give me a call or send me an email soon!

BONUS: Be sure to take a look at some other outdoor family portrait sessions I captured too, such as this Como Park family session, a Minneapolis park family session, a MN Landscape Arboretum family session, and a Long Lake Regional Park family session.

Extended Family Portrait Photography | Meyer Family

By Joanna Carina

Family Photographer St Paul MN

Mary gave me a call looking to have a photoshoot of her and her immediate family. They had not done this before and were hoping to have photos in their home to enjoy of their family. They especially wanted to capture photos of their young granddaughters before they grew older.

Extended Family Photoshoot

I met up with the Meyer family one summer afternoon at the lakeside pavillion near Mary + Gordy’s home. We worked together very quickly and everyone, including their granddaughters, had a great time! The girls were very excited to show me the special jewelry grandma had lent them for the photoshoot, and they especially loved my “spinny” stools I used during their portrait session!

After their session, Mary + Gordy came out to my St Paul studio. I showed them the “best-of-the-best” from their portrait session so they could choose their favorite photos and select their favorite artwork. They loved their pictures! They ended up selecting a gorgeous handmade glass portrait box of their favorite matted fine art prints as well as a beautiful wall art collection so they could see their family portraits in their home every day.

Thank You!

Thank you, Meyer family, for working with me for your extended family photos. I had so much fun working with you, and I am thrilled that you love your portraits!

If you’d like to work together for your own extended family photography, give me a call or send me an email soon!

BONUS: Make sure to take a look at other outdoor extended family sessions I have photographed too, including a Como Park extended family session, another Como Park extended family session, and a Centennial Lakes Park extended family session. Also take a look at an indoor studio extended family session, as well as these indoor studio extended family photos too.

Extended Family Photos Como Park | Folken Family

By Joanna Carina

Family Photographer St Paul MN

Bruce + Debra are former Minnesota residents who relocated to Arizona when they retired. They return to Minnesota frequently to visit with their family and friends. On their 2022 summer trip, they decided to plan for an extended family portrait with their adult children and spouses, as well as their grandchildren. We settled on an outdoor photoshoot at Como Park – one of my favorite locations!

Extended Family Photoshoot

The day of their photoshoot arrived with perfectly warm, sunny, summer weather. Everyone was excited for their photoshoot and had fun and laughs during our time together. We photographed them quickly, creating several groupings and photos of everyone together in different configurations.

After their session, several members of their family came to my St Paul studio. I showed them the “best-of-the-best” from their portrait session so they could choose their favorite photos and select their favorite artwork. They loved their pictures! They ended up selecting a gorgeous handmade glass portrait box featuring their favorite matted fine art prints to share between the group.

Thank You!

Thank you, Folken family, for working with me for your extended family photoshoot. I had so much fun working with you, and I am thrilled that you love your portraits!

If you’d like to work together for your own Como Park family photography, give me a call or send me an email soon!

Family Photography Como Park | Kebed Family

By Joanna Carina

Como Park Family Photography

The Kebed family was looking forward to having beautiful family portraits created. They really wanted photos they could hang on their wall and enjoy every day. We talked through the options and they loved what they heard, so we made plans for autumn portraits at Como Park – such a beautiful location, it’s one of my favorites!

The day arrived and it was a perfect mid-fall afternoon. We worked with both kiddos as well as the four of them together. The kiddos were so excited! They were perfect at cooperating and had a great time running around, rolling in the leaves, tickle fights and having fun together.

Once their portrait session was complete, I then had the Kebed family over to my St Paul studio to show them the “best-of-the-best” from their session. They absolutely loved their photos! They ended up choosing a gorgeous wall art collection (check out the mockup below) and a handful of other prints. I cannot wait for my professional installation vendor to hang this collection in their home when it arrives from Graphistudio in Italy.

Thank You!

Kebed family, thank you so much for working with me for your beautiful Como Park family portraits! I had so much fun working with you, and I hope you cherish your beautiful artwork forever.

If you would love to capture your own Como Park family portraits, contact me soon!

Family Photography Preparation Tips | Carina Photographics

By Joanna Carina

Family Photo Session Prep Tips

Family portrait sessions can be so much fun! However, sometimes people feel intimidated about how to plan for a successful photoshoot. As a family portrait photographer, I get a lot of questions about preparation for family sessions. I’d like to share some simple tips to help you prepare for your portrait photoshoot:

Family Photoshoot Preparation Tips

~ Set your children(s) expectations in advance: let them know a few days in advance, as well as let them know it will be a fun time to spend together!
~ Give yourself plenty of time to get ready: hair or wardrobe malfunctions, bad traffic, or other problems can derail your portrait session. Give yourself plenty of time so you are calm and ready for your session.
~ Make sure the kids are fed and well-rested.
~ Consider props, toys, mementos or special types of photos you want in your session: a favorite stuffy or toy, or even an heirloom quilt, can help to personalize the session for your family.
~ Bring snacks for the kids: consider easy, portable snacks such as cheese cubes, crackers, jelly beans, etc. Steer clear of chocolate, bright juices and other messy snacks.
~ Express yourself and tell your story: we’ll be photographing you together as well as alone, so personalizing for each family member will help capture your unique story.
~ Let kids be kids and give each child time to shine: running, playing tag, tickle fights – all are fun activities for your family and help get amazing photos of you together as well as individually.
~ Have fun! This most important advice will help guarantee portraits you will love!

More Family Photoshoot Info

Need some style tips for your family portrait session? Take a look at my Family Portrait Style Tips blog post for more information. Need some ideas for locations or activities for your family portrait session? Take a look at my Family Portrait Photography Ideas blog post for more information.

Be sure to let me know if you have any other questions or would like to book a family photoshoot. I would love to help you achieve the family portrait photography of your dreams!

Family Photography Style Tips | Carina Photographics

By Joanna Carina

Family Photo Style Tips

Family portrait sessions can be so much fun! However, I know that sometimes it can feel as if the planning and preparation for a portrait session can be more work and stress than the session itself! As a family and child photographer, I get a lot of questions about style tips in preparation for family sessions. I’d like to share a simple list of things to keep in mind when preparing for your portraits:

Family Session Wardrobe Tips

~ Consider dressier options (sport coat, dress, etc.)
~ Be comfortable. Select clothing that compliments you well.
~ Avoid matching, but compliment and coordinate together in color, style and level of formality.
~ Choose predominantly solid colors (not white).
~ Avoid sleeveless tops, baggy clothing, large logos, clashing patterns, cargo shorts/pants, sweats or track suits, athletic shoes, flip-flops, crocs, and men’s sandals.
~ Layers and textures translate well.
~ Remember details! Accessories, nails, shoes, etc. The level of care on the little things add up.
~ Feel free to bring multiple outfit options. I can give advice on which options work best together.
~ Don’t stress – family photos will be fun if you let yourself enjoy the experience!

More Style Info

Feel free to check my Pinterest “What to Wear // Families” board for visual representations of wardrobes that work well together.

Be sure to let me know if you have any other questions. I would love to help you achieve the family portrait photography of your dreams!

Need some ideas for locations or activities for your family portrait session? Take a look at my Family Portrait Photography Ideas blog post for more information. Need some ideas for how to prepare before your family portraits? Take a look at my Family Portrait Preparation Tips blog post for more info too.

FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY ARCHIVES

Family Portrait Photographers

At-Home Blended Family Photos

Thank You!

Upanayanam Photographer MN

Hindu Temple Upanayanam Ceremony

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Studio Family Photographer

Extended Family Photoshoot

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Family Photographer St Paul MN

Extended Family Photoshoot

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Family Photography St Paul MN

Family and Child Photoshoot

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Family Photographer St Paul MN

Extended Family Photoshoot

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Family Photographer St Paul MN

Extended Family Photoshoot

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Como Park Family Photography

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Family Photo Session Prep Tips

Family Photoshoot Preparation Tips

More Family Photoshoot Info

Family Photo Style Tips

Family Session Wardrobe Tips

More Style Info

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CARINA PHOTOGRAPHICS

FAMILY, SENIOR, ENGAGEMENT + WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY