Updated: 12 hours ago
Charnell far exceeded our expectations. We wanted some family photos out in the city that felt fun, artistic, and not canned. We live in NE Minneapolis and hit a few locations in the area (some proposed by us, others by Charnell). No matter where we went, Charnell knew how to find good lighting and suggested great posing and composition ideas. Most of all, she kept the shoot energetic and encouraging and put us all at ease. All that to say, we loved the experience and would highly recommend her without even having seen the photos. Now that we have seen them, our esteem only grows. There were so many great photos to choose from that we had trouble narrowing it down. All the thumbs; all the way up! - Michael Phillips, October 2023
Charnell was so so amazing to work with! Me & my mom are both pretty camera-shy, but Charnell put us at ease right away and made posing for pictures SO easy. She's also just an incredible photographer––she has such an amazing understanding of color theory and composition. We are so impressed!! - Gwen Ellis, October 2023
Charnell went above and beyond with us during our 1-hour family fall photo shoot. We appreciated her energy - especially with our 3 year old and crazy dog.
-Cassandra Koob Vasta - October, 2023
We had not had photos done in many years because the process is always so painful. We were on a tight schedule and needed a quick turn around for pictures. Charnell was great to work with she was quick and efficient. Communication was open. She provided multiple ideas for locations for images. The actual shoot was great, low pressure and she made it fun. The final result was great, the pictures don't look posed and create a natural "fun" feeling. We had 100s of images to choose from, which was the hardest part of the entire process. We will for sure choose Charnell in the future for any photo needs.
- Logan Woodring, May 2023
We had so much fun doing our shoot! We took pictures to celebrate our anniversary and included our dog. This was a first for us and Charnell made it so easy and fun. She took some beautiful, fun and corky pics and we are so grateful to have been able to work with her. We highly recommend! - K+ B, September 2022
Charnell did a great job with our family photos. She understood my vision and delivered a wonderful set of family photos and memories we will have forever. She did a wonderful job with my toddler son who has a short attention span. We have some wonderful photos of him. I would definitely use her again! - Nikki D, Nov 2021
Charnell graciously accepted our 50th Wedding Anniversary with a large family photography challenge. From start to finish, she receives exceptional ratings for her communication, organization, efficiency, flexibility, and patience. The entire experience as well as final photos were amazing. Thank you, Charnell! - LAURIE R, Sept 2021
I highly recommend Charnell. She was wonderful to work with. We had not taken formal family pictures in 20 years and perhaps the pandemic had reminded us how important family was. For the hour ($300/30 pics/1hr), she kept us laughing and moving. Very high energy and professional. The pictures turned out great and those were the first ones that hadn't been edited yet! The quality of the shoot and lighting was perfect my family and I loved the experience. I can't wait to see how the final version turn out. Should I need a photographer for any important event in my life, I might be calling her again. - Soun K, Aug 2020
We hired Charnell for our first family photoshoot after reading tons of reviews and she didn't disappoint! She is very professional and was prompt in replying to each one of my concerns in email. I asked all sorts of questions to her regarding the clothing, the venue etc. and she did patiently respond to each one of those. The email chain between me and Charnell is pretty long! :) On the day of shoot, my 3-year-old was a little 'not in the mood' due to his missed nap. However, Charnell immediately connected with him and he enjoyed doing all sorts of poses. Looking back at the pictures, we are wondering how come he enjoyed so much. The pictures turned out very beautiful. Will go back to her for any future shoots without doubt. We'll definitely recommend her! - Yogita S, July 2020
Charnell far exceeded our expectations. We wanted some family photos out in the city that felt fun, artistic, and not canned. We live in NE Minneapolis and hit a few locations in the area (some proposed by us, others by Charnell). No matter where we went, Charnell knew how to find good lighting and suggested great posing and composition ideas. Most of all, she kept the shoot energetic and encouraging and put us all at ease. All that to say, we loved the experience and would highly recommend her without even having seen the photos. Now that we have seen them, our esteem only grows. There were so many great photos to choose from that we had trouble narrowing it down. All the thumbs; all the way UP! - Michael P, Nov 2020
Charnell is the most amazing photographer! We have been clients since we started annual professional family photo sessions with our first child. She truly is a photography wizard. Prior to the photo shoot, she responds quickly to coordinating time, location, and even outfit color recommendations. Her prices are very affordable, especially considering how much time she spends at the session and editing photos afterwards. Charnell is very energetic yet professional at the photo shoot while creatively photographing our family through the various ages and stages. She interacts very well with children. She keeps the kids engaged while capturing their true personalities in each of the photos. We are always pleased with the timeliness and quality of the photos. - Pam M, March 2020
This photo shoot was a gift for my Mom's 70th Birthday and it couldn't have been more perfect!! There is just a warmth & kindness & a whole lot of fun that Charnell has herself, which she was able to bring out in us, then capture it in the photographs. I cannot wait to see the rest of our pictures. Thank you SO much for this wonderful experience and our forever memories of that day! - Heather M, Oct 2019
Our family was having a reunion, and Grandma’s greatest desire was to get an updated family portrait. How do you find a photographer who is not only terrific, reasonable, available, and most importantly able to deal with your awesome family which includes an “on-the-go, camera shy” 2½ year old? I (Grandma) did an online search, and from and from our first correspondence, I felt like Charnell was the ticket. As it was, my entire family LOVED CHARNELL and kept asking where I found her. It honestly seemed like she chose me! From our first online meet, I could tell she was a fun-loving, go-with-the-flow photographer. I felt she would work with my desires as well as steer me in the right direction so we would be happy with our photos. An added bonus was her very prompt responses to my communication-- beginning to end. Throughout the two-hour outdoor photoshoot, which included various groupings, Charnell demonstrated why she had earned Thumbtack’s Top Pro status. She took photos while lying in the grass, flipping her shoe in the air to make our 2½-year-old laugh, and ran backwards to get our family in motion. She was so much fun! To Charnell, we say "Thanks so much for your tremendous help in making this Grandma’s desire come true. We had such a great time and are so pleased with our photos. You turned what could have been a stressful event into a highlight of our family get-together. Blessings to a Pro!!!!” - Karol P., 2018
Radisson Blue | Minneapolis, MN | August 2016
Charnell worked with us both on family portraits and candid shots at our family reunion. She was extremely easy to work with throughout the process. We had a wide age range from young children to elders in their 90s, and she drew out smiles, laughs and great pictures from everyone. She showed a great sense for both backgrounds and personal expressions of style, and was quick to run with ideas that anyone in our group had. Another great thing about working with her was the quick turnaround time on the pictures and the easy process for allowing everyone in our group to see all the shots. That was a pleasant surprise relative to some of my prior experiences with photographers. The photos were so bright and fun that a few family members who were unable to attend are now more eager to make the next reunion! Overall, working with Charnell was an outstanding experience. - Chris Welsch