Family photos that look like your family
The photos people keep on the wall are rarely the stiff ones. They are the ones where a child is mid-laugh, where a dad has an arm around two kids at once, where everyone looks like themselves. A family session with me is built around getting those. There is time to settle in, room for kids to move, and no pressure to hold a pose until it stops being fun.
I am Elly Mailhot, a photographer based in Crosby. I photograph families around Crosby, Ironton, Deerwood, Brainerd, Baxter and the towns within about 60 miles.
Who family sessions are for
- Parents and kids, at any age
- Extended families with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins
- Families gathered at the lake for the summer or home for the holidays
- Families with a dog who belongs in the picture
- Anyone who has not had a photo with everyone in it for a few years
Choosing a place
This part of Minnesota does a lot of the work. A dock on a quiet lake, a lawn running down to the water, a stand of pines, a field in fall color, fresh snow: each gives a family photo a setting that belongs to here. The best location is often one you already know, such as your own shoreline, the cabin, or a park the kids have grown up in. If you do not have a place in mind, tell me the feel you want and we will pick one together.
Planning what to wear
Clothes matter less than people fear, and a little planning goes a long way. Choose a small palette, two or three colors that sit comfortably together, and let each person dress within it. Solid colors and soft textures keep attention on faces. Skip large logos and anything a child will tug at all session. Dress for the weather and for sitting on the ground, because some of the best photos happen there.
What the session is like
We start with the whole group while everyone is fresh, then move through smaller groupings: the kids together, each child alone, parents together, grandparents with grandchildren. Between the planned photos there is time for the unplanned ones, when someone tells a joke or a little one runs for the water. Young children set the pace. If a break is needed, we take one.
For larger families it helps to send me a list of the groupings you want before the day, so nobody is left out and nobody stands around waiting.
When to book
Summer and early fall are the busiest months for outdoor family photos here, and fall color lasts only a couple of weeks. If you want a particular weekend, or you are working around relatives travelling in, get in touch as early as you can. Winter sessions are worth considering too. Snow and low sun make for clean, bright photos, and calendars are easier.
Book a family session
Call (218) 839-0936 or send the form with the size of your group, the kind of place you have in mind and a few dates that work. I will get back to you to plan the rest.