Extended Family Portraits Como Park | Englestad Family

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 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.

Family Portrait Photography | Johnson Family

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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

We held their photoshoot at Como Park – 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.

BONUS: Make sure to take a look at other family sessions I have photographed too, including the Folken family, the Meyer family, the Englestad family, the Archbold family, the Ford family and the Huntwork family.

Extended Family Portraits | Meyer Family

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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.

Extended Family Photos Como Park | Folken Family

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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 extended family photography, give me a call or send me an email soon!

Family Portrait Preparation Tips | Carina Photographics

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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 Portrait Style Tips | Carina Photographics

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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 Portrait Session Ideas | Carina Photographics

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Awesome Family Photo Ideas

One common question I receive from families is how to plan their portrait sessions. They are often unsure where to go or what to do. Today I’m going to talk more about family photo ideas. I’ve got options that will help spark ideas to plan your own portrait session.

Personalize Your Family Photo Session

Sometimes, a studio would be perfect for your family photos. Other times, you may want to select locations or activities that are more meaningful to you. When considering options, think about the interests in which your family is involved, and how you like to spend time together. Also think about activities and locations you all enjoy. If you select something important to you, then you are well on your way to creating a memorable experience. Family portrait sessions last around one hour, depending on the location and activity. When outdoors, we generally work in the last two hours before sunset. When indoors, we can work almost any time.

Some location/activity ideas include:
> My St Paul photo studio
> Your home (outdoors or indoors)
> A favorite park
> Riding a rented trolley, canoe or boat
> A fair or carnival with rides
> A destination or public garden
> A barn
> A bowling alley
> Ice or roller skating rink
> A playground
> A baseball field

As a family portrait photographer, I am happy to give advice for family sessions. I not only help with location and activity ideas, but also consult with all my clients on wardrobe selection, artwork selection and more. Contact me if you would like to work together for your family portraits!

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 how to prepare before your family portraits? Take a look at my Family Portrait Preparation Tips blog post for more info too.

Baby Family Studio Photography | Schierman Family

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Baby Photographer St Paul MN

Amanda gave me a call one day – she and her husband Scott just had their first baby, Harlowe, a few months ago, and they wanted some family photos and artwork to capture this amazing time in their lives. It was perfect to celebrate the beginnings of their adorable little family!

Baby Photography MN

Amanda, Scott and baby Harlowe came out to my studio one morning. Harlowe was dressed in the most adorable green velvet dress along with a beautiful flower crown! She was a pretty curious about the studio and all the crazy props and equipment, and was very cooperative with mommy and daddy. She was being so adorable, including showing off how much she loved rubbing her face in her daddy’s beard!

After their session (and Harlowe’s nap) they returned to my studio so they could review the photos from their session and choose their favorites. They ended up with a beautiful Graphistudio photo album of their session, along with a few matted fine art prints of their favorites. They are so gorgeous!

Thank You!

Thank you, Schierman family, for working with me for your baby photography. I had so much fun working with you, and I am thrilled that you love your Graphistudio photographs and photo album!

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

BONUS: Make sure to take a look at other studio baby and family sessions I have photographed, including the Archbold family, the Ford family, the Kelly family, the Ludvigsen family, the Huntwork family, another Huntwork family session, the Gravel family, and the Kelzer family.

Extended Family Studio Photography | Sewich Family

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Family Photographer St Paul MN

I received a call from Jessica one afternoon. Her mother- and -father-in-law were celebrating their 50th anniversary, and she and her husband wanted to gift them with an extended family portrait session and wall art to adorn their home. What an amazing gift! So I would be photographing their mother and father, Jessica and her husband, along with her husband’s brother and his wife and kids too.

Extended Family Photography

The day arrived and they all came into my St Paul photo studio. I captured photos of the whole extended family together, as well as each individual family grouping, and even the kids alone too. They were great sports and had fun, and were amazed at how quickly the entire process happened.

After their session, several of them stayed behind to choose their favorite photos and then select their favorite wall art. They loved their pictures! They ended up with a gorgeous Graphistudio wall art collage of five photos along with a few shelf blocks featuring a few other favorite photos.

Thank You!

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

If you’d like to work together for your extended family studio 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 Como Park extended family session, another Como Park extended family session, an Apple Valley park extended family session, and a Centennial Lakes Park extended family session.

Newborn Family Photography MN | Ford Family

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Newborn Family Portrait Photography

I’ve worked with Safiyyah + Rory for several years now, ever since their Aria wedding several years ago. They recently added a new member to their family as their second child Amara was born! They wanted to celebrate the occasion with a newborn and family session, and would also be capturing their son Remy’s 4-year-old portraits as well. We had captured Remy’s newborn photos as well, so this would be an awesome addition to their collection.

The Ford family came out to work in my St Paul studio when Amara was about two weeks old. We worked together for about an hour and captured some amazing photos of all four of them, as well as each of them with Amara, and of course Amara alone. Remy was an absolute ham and perfect model for me, always cooperative and flashing the perfect smile right on cue.

After their session, we reviewed their photos, and then they chose their favorites and we designed their art pieces. They ended up with a photo album of their favorite photos, along with a stunning collection of wall art. Everything was so beautiful, and they were so excited when they saw the final artwork in real life! As usual, all of my artwork is crafted in Italy by Graphistudio, and it was just spectacular.

Thank You!

Safiyyah, Rory, Remy and Amara, thank you so much for working with me for your beautiful family photography! I had so much fun working with you, and I hope you love your portraits and wall art!

If you are considering newborn and/or family photography, contact me soon!

BONUS: Make sure to take a look at other studio baby and family sessions I have photographed, including the Archbold family, the Schierman family, the Kelly family, the Ludvigsen family, the Huntwork family, another Huntwork family session, the Gravel family, and the Kelzer family.