Family Portraits on Long Island
The people you love, the way you remember them
Family sessions across Long Island and New York City — in our Garden City studio, at the beach, or in the parks and gardens that already mean something to you. We photograph the moments in between, not just the ones everybody is posing for. After more than 25 years behind the camera, our team knows how to keep a session relaxed enough that the kids, and the dog, forget we are there.
As a Long Island family photographer, Jose Serrano has spent more than two decades photographing the same families through one stage after another — the newborn who becomes the toddler in the gazebo photo, the quinceañera, the graduation, the wedding, and then the first portrait with a family of their own. That is the part of this work we care about most, and it is why family sessions are priced and planned to be repeatable rather than once in a lifetime.
A session can be as simple as parents and children, or as large as four generations in one frame. We photograph extended families, adult siblings, parents with grown children, maternity sessions, and the family dog, in the studio or outdoors. Everything is shot and edited in house, and our team works in English and Spanish so that every person in the group is directed in the language they are most comfortable in.
WHERE WE SHOOT
Family Photography Across Long Island and NYC
Most of our family sessions are in Nassau County and Suffolk County, within easy reach of our Garden City studio. Families regularly choose Old Westbury Gardens, Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay, Eisenhower Park, Hempstead Lake State Park, and Bailey Arboretum for garden and park sessions. For beach portraits we work at Long Beach, Robert Moses State Park, and the Fire Island Lighthouse, usually in the last hour before sunset.
We also photograph families throughout New York City. The Brooklyn waterfront at DUMBO, with the bridge and the Manhattan skyline behind you, is one of the most requested backdrops we shoot — you will find several of those sessions in the gallery above. We work regularly in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan, including Central Park and the Brooklyn Bridge Park piers.
When the weather will not cooperate, or when you simply want a clean, timeless look that will not date, the studio is the answer. Studio family portraits work particularly well for adult siblings, parents with grown children, and pets, and they are the easiest option to schedule around everyone’s calendars in December.
QUESTIONS FAMILIES ASK
Family Photography FAQ
Where do family sessions take place on Long Island?
In our Garden City studio, or on location anywhere on Long Island and in New York City. Families often choose Old Westbury Gardens, Planting Fields Arboretum, Eisenhower Park, Long Beach and Robert Moses, or the Brooklyn waterfront with the bridge and skyline behind them. In-home lifestyle sessions are also available if you would rather stay somewhere comfortable and familiar, which usually works best with babies and toddlers.
What is the best time of year for family photos?
Fall is the most requested season on Long Island for the color, and those weekends book out early. Spring blooms and late-summer beach evenings photograph beautifully as well, and the studio means the weather never cancels your session. If the photos are meant for holiday cards, book by early October so the gallery is delivered with time to order prints.
How long is a family session?
Most family sessions run about an hour. That is enough time for the full group, smaller groupings of parents, children and grandparents, and the candid moments in between, without wearing out the youngest members of the family.
Do you photograph extended and multi-generational families?
Yes, and they are some of our favorite sessions — grandparents, cousins, and everyone in between. Let us know the head count when you reach out so we can plan the location, the timing, and the light around the size of the group.
Can our dog be in the family photos?
Absolutely. Pets are part of the family and they are welcome in both studio and outdoor sessions. Bring a leash, a favorite treat, and someone who can step out of frame to hold them between shots, and we will take care of the rest.
Do you photograph maternity sessions?
Yes. Maternity sessions can be just the two of you or the whole family together, indoors or on location. Most expectant mothers book somewhere between 28 and 34 weeks, when the bump photographs beautifully and you are still comfortable moving around.
Do you photograph families in Spanish?
Yes. Our team is bilingual in English and Spanish, which matters when grandparents and young children are being directed during the same session. Everyone is spoken to in the language they are most comfortable in.
When will we get our photos?
Edited galleries are typically delivered within two to three weeks. Every image is individually color corrected and retouched before it reaches you, and your gallery is delivered online so it is easy to share with family.
How do we book a family session?
Reach out through our contact page with your preferred dates, the size of your group, and whether you would like the studio or an outdoor location, and we will come back to you with availability and pricing. You can also see the rest of our work in the portfolio or read our full FAQ.
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