Your journey begins with a complimentary 15-minute Discovery Call to discuss your vision, goals, and portrait needs. Once you’re ready to move forward, we curate every step with intention:

• Planning + Concept Meeting
  We craft every detail—wardrobe, location, and artwork goals—ensuring a personalized and purposeful session.

• Custom Creative Portrait Session
  With expert guidance and an effortless atmosphere, we capture portraits that feel natural, elevated, and truly you.

• Design + Order Appointment
  Select your final portraits and collaborate with us to design custom wall art, heirloom albums, or business imagery.

• Art Installation or Pick-Up
  Smaller pieces and albums may be picked up from our West St. Paul studio. For signature artwork or gallery collections, we offer white-glove delivery and professional installation.

Discover the full portrait experience here. 

At Block Portrait Studios, we take a limited number of sessions to ensure each client receives the highest level of service and attention. Many of our clients reserve their dates months in advance to align with family schedules, professional needs, and seasonal preferences.

To ensure a seamless experience, we recommend reserving your session at least 4–6 weeks in advance. This allows ample time for your Planning + Concept Meeting, wardrobe styling, and any beauty  appointments. Your Planning + Concept Meeting will take place at least one week prior to your session to finalize all creative details.

Our calendar fills especially quickly during peak seasons—late summer and fall are in high demand. If you’re considering a session during those times, we encourage you to schedule your Discovery Call at your earliest convenience to secure your preferred date.

From your very first Discovery Call, we begin with the end in mind—curating artwork that not only reflects your family’s essence but also elevates the spaces you live in. During your Planning + Concept Meeting, we thoughtfully guide you through placement options, taking into account your home’s architecture, aesthetic, and the emotional tone you want each piece to carry.

Each family is unique. A young family may envision joyful, vibrant portraits in a playroom, while a family with a graduating senior may wish to feature a timeless piece in a central living space.

As your story unfolds, your artwork can evolve alongside it. We’ll assist you in creating a timeless portrait collection that adapts gracefully—whether by rotating select pieces or designing a curated gallery wall that expands with each new chapter of your family’s journey.

Limited Wall Space or Existing Artwork?

We welcome the challenge. With an eye for design and storytelling, we collaborate with you to find meaningful ways to incorporate portraiture—even in homes with minimal open wall space or established art collections. We’re happy to brainstorm ideas and, when needed, visit your home to explore possibilities in person. Often, this results in a beautiful blend—wall art of the children one year, an heirloom album or portrait box the next—always honoring the people you love most, in a way that fits seamlessly into your space.

We help you make initial framing decisions in our Portrait Planning + Concept Meeting using your walls, aesthetics, and the design as a guide. Our final framing decisions will be made in the Design + Order Appointment following your session. 

Immediately following your portrait session, you’ll attend a private Design + Order Appointment where every detail is thoughtfully finalized. Depending on your selections, your exquisite wall art, heirloom albums, and bespoke portrait boxes—crafted with care in Italy—will arrive within 6 to 12 weeks. Pieces are then expertly framed locally by a master craftsman to ensure flawless quality.

Once your artwork has arrived, we will personally reach out to schedule a convenient time for you to collect your pieces from our West St. Paul studio. For larger statement works or curated gallery walls, we offer complimentary delivery and professional installation, allowing you to simply relax and enjoy your stunning new collection.

Portrait sessions are available Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM, or 6:00 PM.

Select Friday afternoon and Saturday morning appointments are available by request and include a weekend session fee.

An additional on-location fee of $100 applies for portrait sessions held within 30 miles of our West St. Paul studio.

We recommend reserving approximately three hours for your complete portrait experience, which includes your custom portrait session followed immediately by your Design + Order Appointment. If you’ve opted for professional hair and makeup, please allow an additional 90 minutes to ensure you feel fully prepared and pampered for your time in front of the camera.

We warmly welcome your fur babies— and recognize they are cherished members of your family!

Our studio is thoughtfully pet-friendly, staffed by team members with both personal and past professional experience with animals, ensuring your pet’s safety and comfort throughout the session. We do have a grassy area outside the studio for dog potty breaks.

To ensure a seamless experience, we recommend exercising and attending to your pet’s bathroom needs prior to your session. Bringing along your pet’s favorite toys, treats, and blanket can help keep them calm and engaged. For pets with anxiety or limited socialization, we do advise leaving them at home to maintain a safe and relaxed atmosphere for all.

For further guidance on creating a truly pawsitive portrait experience, please visit our blog here.

Portrait sessions include up to six immediate family members or pets. Each additional person or pet may be added for $25.

Throughout your portrait experience, we offer expert, attentive guidance to ensure every pose is flattering and every expression feels natural and authentic. Our direction is intentional yet effortless, allowing you to relax and enjoy the process while we capture you at your most beautiful and genuine.

During your Portrait Planning + Concept Meeting, we collaborate with you to select wardrobe options that photograph beautifully and complement your final artwork. We use specialized online tools to coordinate outfits, accessories, and props for a cohesive look, and offer personalized recommendations for hairstyles that suit both your features and the overall aesthetic.

For family sessions, we recommend one outfit—kids have a limited attention span, and this helps us keep the session focused and stress-free. For individual portraits, we typically plan for two to three outfit changes, depending on the concept and the final artwork we’re creating.

After the meeting, we’re available via text, email, or video call to help fine-tune details and make sure everything is ready for a seamless portrait experience.

We understand-  insecurities are natural, and we welcome your honesty to tailor poses, wardrobe, and expressions that help you feel confident and at ease. Our sessions create a warm, supportive space so you can fully enjoy precious family moments—whether it’s a giggling toddler in your lap or a playful dance with your eldest.

Remember, you are a vital part of your family’s story, and these portraits become cherished heirlooms passed down through generations. With expert professional retouching, we ensure you look your absolute best—no need to worry about blemishes or losing ten pounds. And hey, some years you may want to just have the children captured and only do the whole family every few years. Either way, we’ll craft a personalized experience that honors your comfort and vision, supporting you with care throughout.

All ordered portraits will be completely magazine retouched while still maintaining the integrity of the best version of you! Retouching includes blemishes, acne wrinkles, under eyes, nips, and tucks. Scars, moles, and tattoos remain untouched unless requested.

Displaying portraits of yourself and your family isn’t about ego; it’s about presence, memory, and identity. You frame what you value—and your family is worth celebrating. Your home should reflect your story!

Photographs remind your kids that they belong, that they’re loved, that their place in the world is important. They give context to your life and help connect generations.

And for you? Seeing yourself represented beautifully and confidently can be a quiet act of self-acceptance—especially in a world that’s constantly telling us we’re not enough.

So no, it’s not vain. It’s meaningful. And it’s personal art with purpose.

You will select your favorites from 40-50 proofs during the Design + Order Appointment.

We gift the matching digital file with every portrait you order as finished artwork—whether it’s for your walls or part of a custom album.

For commercial and business clients, we offer digital collections.

That said, family portraits with us are a very different experience than commercial work—and unlike what most photographers offer. The focus is on creating something lasting and intentional: heirloom pieces designed to live in your home, tell your story, and reflect your family’s personality through beautifully styled artwork or an heirloom album.

We would love to talk more and hear about your portrait vision. Schedule a Discovery Call to learn more about our unique portrait process and artwork options.

Yes, your portrait session is confirmed after the initial session fee is received.

What a great idea! You can purchase a gift certificate in any amount. The session fee is $195, and artwork orders range from $250 – $2500.

We are pleased to offer interest-free payment plans of up to four months, allowing you to invest in your custom artwork with ease. Your  pieces are commissioned once your final payment has been received.