Family Legacy Portraits
Because the people you love most deserve more than a phone screen
There is a season in every family when everyone can still be in the same room together. When the grandparents are still here. When the kids are still young enough to pile into a frame without complaint. When the cousins all still live close enough to gather.
That season does not last forever.
Family Legacy sessions are designed to capture your family exactly as it is right now, in portraits made to be printed, framed, and passed down for generations.
This is not your average family photo session.
Most family photos live on a phone. They are sweet, they are casual, and they disappear into a camera roll somewhere between last Tuesday and this morning.
Legacy portraits are something different. They are the images that end up on the living room wall. The ones your grandchildren will pull out of a box someday and say, "Look at all of us."
I work with multi-generational families across Southeast Kansas to create portraits that feel real, relaxed, and beautifully made. Every session is fully guided, so you never have to wonder what to do next. I handle the direction. You just show up and enjoy being together.
What a legacy session looks like in real life
This session was made for your family if...
- You want portraits that include grandparents, parents, and grandchildren together
- Your family is gathering for a reunion, a holiday, or a milestone, and you want to actually
document it
- You want images that go on the wall, not just in a folder
- You have been saying "we should do this" for years and are finally ready
- You want a session that feels relaxed and guided, not stressful and rushed
Families throughout Southeast Kansas trust April Kroenke Photography for senior and family portraits, as well as legacy artwork.
Portraits made to live in your home
Your family's story deserves more than a digital file that never gets printed.
Every Family Legacy portrait is created with your walls in mind. Whether that is a large statement piece above the fireplace, a gallery wall in the hallway, or a family album that gets pulled out every holiday, I will help you choose artwork that fits your home and your life.
These are not just photographs. They are heirlooms. The kind that gets pointed to, talked about, and carried forward.
What to expect from your Family Legacy session
Every Family Legacy session is planned from start to finish so the day feels easy, even with a big group.
Before your session:
We talk through your family, your style, and what you want to walk away with. I give you guidance on what to wear, how to coordinate your group, and what to expect on the day of the session. You will not be guessing.
During your session:
I direct everything. Every pose, every grouping, every expression. I know how to work with big families, wiggly kids, and grandparents who say they do not photograph well. My job is to make everyone look and feel their best. Your job is to enjoy the time together.
After your session:
You come in for your reveal and ordering appointment, where you see your finished images and choose the wall art and heirloom pieces that will live in your home. I will walk you through every option. No pressure, just guidance.
What families
are saying
THE PHOTOS ARE THE💥
WE LOVE THEM!
My family hired April Kroenke Photography for our reunion. With 30 family members. April did a wonderful job directing everyone to make the process smooth and efficient. No time was wasted, as every shot was carefully planned and quickly taken. Now, we have beautiful pictures to cherish.
~ Jalayne Nelson
Investment
Family Legacy sessions start at $750, with a $175 session deposit to hold your date.
Most families invest between $800 and $1,500, depending on the portraits and artwork they choose for their home.
Payment plans are available.
Every session includes full guidance before, during, and after, so you are never on your own figuring out what comes next.
Your photographer
I am April Kroenke, a Certified Master Photographer based in Iola, Kansas, with more than 30 years of experience photographing families across Southeast Kansas. Southeast Kansas's only CMP, a credential held by fewer than two percent of photographers nationally.
I have photographed families of two and families of forty. Quiet sessions and loud, joyful reunions. Grandparents meet new grandchildren, and four generations gather together for what everyone quietly knows may be one of the last times.
Every single one of those sessions matters to me. That is not something I take lightly.
Questions about Family Legacy sessions
How far in advance should we book?
For extended family and reunion sessions, planning 2 to 3 months in advance is ideal. It gives us enough time to plan the wardrobe, coordinate the group, and ensure your session day runs smoothly. Smaller family sessions can sometimes come together faster.
Can you work with large groups?
Yes. Some of my favorite sessions have been 20, 30, even 40 people. I know how to direct large groups efficiently so no one is standing around waiting and the images still look intentional and beautiful.
What should we wear?
I will guide you through this before your session. Coordinating a large family is one of the things people stress about most, and it is also one of the easiest things to get right with a little direction. I will make sure everyone looks cohesive without looking matchy-matchy.
Where do sessions take place?
Most Family Legacy sessions take place either outdoors at a location that suits your family or in my private studio in Iola. We will talk through what makes the most sense for your group during your planning conversation.
Do you offer wall art and albums?
Yes. Printed artwork is a core part of what I offer. Your reveal and ordering appointment is where we go through your finished images together and choose the pieces that will live in your home. I will help you figure out exactly what works for your space.
What if we have little ones who are not going to cooperate?
Welcome to family portraits. I have been doing this for more than 30 years. I know how to work with kids of every age and temperament, and I know how to get real, genuine expressions even from the ones who said they did not want to be there. You do not need to stress about this.
One of the things I hear most often:
“We wish we had done this sooner.”
Your family will not look like this forever.
This season is worth documenting. The people, the ages, the way everyone fits together right now, it is all going to change. Let's make sure you have portraits that hold onto it.
Based in Iola, Kansas. Serving families across Southeast Kansas, including Humboldt, LaHarpe, Chanute, Garnett, Fort Scott, and surrounding communities.