Generational Family Session St. Peter MN: A Chilly Morning at the Arboretum

As a photographer serving St. Peter, Mankato, and the surrounding southern Minnesota area, I’ve learned that the best sessions aren’t always the ones with perfect weather — they’re the ones where a family shows up ready to make it work anyway. That’s exactly what happened on one of the chilliest mornings of the season so far at the Arboretum at Gustavus Adolphus College.

It was a crisp morning after the first real frost somewhere around 50 degrees with a steady wind, which doesn’t sound too bad until you add a handful of little ones who just want their mittens back. This extended family came out anyway, bundled up and smiling, ready to spend the morning together. They even showed up with hot chocolate for everyone, a small gesture that said so much about who they are as a family. I was so grateful for their patience – this is exactly the kind of commitment that turns into images a family holds onto for generations.

Why I Start With the Big Group First

For extended family sessions like this one, we always photograph the full group first, while everyone still has the most patience (and the littlest ones haven’t hit their limit yet). It’s also simply practical — once the big group shot is locked in, I can let grandparents sit back and relax while I move through the smaller breakout groups one at a time.

Out of respect for everyone’s comfort and privacy preferences, I won’t be sharing the full group photo from this session here. Every family gets a say in what’s shared publicly, and honoring that is non-negotiable for me. What I can share are some of the breakout portraits — and honestly, they tell the story of this family just as well.

Four Generations, One Beautiful Morning

What made this session especially meaningful was getting to include a great-grandma and great-grandpa in the mix — something I don’t get to witness often, and never take for granted when I do. Four generations, together in one place, on one morning. I had so much fun with these two, and I found myself thinking about everything they must have seen and experienced over the years to arrive at this moment, surrounded by the family they built.

This is exactly why I love what I do. One thing was clear the entire morning: everyone was included, and everyone felt the love.

The Breakouts: Where the Real Connection Shows

Once the big group photo is done, I love moving into the smaller family units; parents with their own kids, grandparents with just their grandchildren, siblings on their own. This is usually where everyone finally relaxes, and it shows. Cold cheeks and windblown hair aside, these breakout images are full of genuine laughter and the kind of connection that’s impossible to fake.

Enjoy a few of my favorites from this fall morning below and see if you can even tell how cold it really was! Between the layers, the laughter, and that hot chocolate, this family made it look easy.

A heartfelt thank you to this family for braving the cold and showing up ready to make the most of it. Mornings like this one are exactly why I love what I do.