Surya Garigipati Photography & Films is a family photographer in Flemington, New Jersey, photographing planned family portrait sessions and family celebrations at home and in halls. Sessions are planned with the same care as a wedding portrait, groups are agreed in advance so they take minutes, and the studio is rated 4.9 on Google from 38 reviews.
At a glance
| Sessions | Family and maternity portraits, planned like a wedding portrait; three-generation sessions; the family at a celebration |
| Where | At home, in a park or garden, or at the venue of a family event; travel within 90 miles of New Jersey included |
| How | Groups agreed in advance, the best light found first, a small footprint so the family forgets the camera |
| Studio | Surya Garigipati Photography & Films LLC, Flemington, New Jersey |
| Delivery | Hand-edited photographs in a private online gallery with a print release; albums and fine-art prints designed with a dedicated album designer |
| Reviews | 4.9 on Google from 38 public reviews: read them |
Family portraits, planned properly
Most of our family sessions come from couples we photographed years earlier, which is, genuinely, the best part of doing this long enough: the engagement, the wedding, the baby shower, and then the family on the lawn with a toddler who will not stand still. We plan them the way we plan a wedding portrait. The groups are written down in advance, largest to smallest, with one person who knows every face gathering people, so the photograph of the grandparents with every grandchild takes minutes and not the whole afternoon. The light is found first, the location is scouted, and then the direction stops and the family is allowed to be itself.
Where should a family session happen?
- At home. The living room, the kitchen, the garden: the rooms the children will remember. Smaller rooms and mixed light are the hardest to photograph well, so we arrive early and work with the window.
- In a park or garden. Colonial Park in Somerset, Duke Farms in Hillsborough, Holmdel Park, the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morris Township, Liberty State Park for the skyline: green, open and close to home. Many parks require a permit or a fee for professional photography; we check and arrange it before the day.
- At a celebration. A housewarming, a first birthday, a sweet sixteen or a wedding anniversary, where the family portraits are planned into the event rather than squeezed in at the end.
Our guide to photoshoot locations in New Jersey has the light and the seasons for each, and the family photo list guide explains the method that keeps group photographs quick.
Three generations in one frame
South Asian families are large, and the photograph that matters most is often the one with the most people in it: parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and children. We build the big group first while everyone is together, then work down to the couple and the children, and we do it in the shade or in window light so nobody is squinting. For a grandparent who cannot stand for long, the session is built around a chair. For a family spread across two countries, a visit from abroad is exactly the right time to book.
Maternity, newborn and the years after
Maternity portraits are planned sessions with the same care, in the seventh or eighth month, at home or outdoors; see our maternity photographer page. Baby showers and gender reveals are covered as celebrations on our baby shower photographer page, and the milestones that follow, housewarmings, first birthdays and sweet sixteens, are on the Indian event photographer page.
How do we book a family session?
Tell us who will be there, where you would like to be photographed and the dates that work; Surya replies personally within 24 hours with a written proposal. Sessions are priced by the session rather than by the hour, and the investment page explains how the studio prices its work. The services page lists everything we photograph, and you can check your date now.
What families wrote on Google
"Loved working with Surya and team and appreciate the awesome professionalism and service they offered for our kids event. It was an absolute privilege to work with them." — tulasi dondapati
"My Fiance and I could not be more happy with the dedication, creativity and kindness of Surya. We are going to be using him for all of our events and future weddings in the family!" — J S
Questions about family sessions
Do you photograph families as well as weddings?
Yes. Family and maternity portraits and family celebrations are part of the studio’s work, and many of them are for couples we first photographed at their wedding.
How long does a family session take?
Long enough to make the groups and then let the family relax, usually an hour or two depending on the number of people and locations. Groups are agreed in advance so the formal part takes minutes.
Can you photograph three generations at once?
Yes, and it is the photograph most families want most. We build the largest group first while everyone is together, in shade or window light, and plan around anyone who cannot stand for long.
Where do family sessions happen?
At home, in a park or garden, or at a family celebration, across New Jersey, New York City and Philadelphia; travel within 90 miles of New Jersey is included.
How is a session priced?
By the event or the session, not by the hour, in a written proposal after a short conversation, itemised so you can see what each part changes. Single celebrations are where the studio’s investment begins; the investment page explains how it works.
Your family, photographed properly
Tell us who will be there and where. Surya replies personally within 24 hours.
Check Your Date