Minneapolis Photographers Launch Brand for Queer Families | TCB

When Mel Hesse was approached by parents looking for a photographer to take senior portraits of their non-binary child, something clicked.

Hesse, who goes by they/them, has been working as a photographer with Eliesa Johnson and her wedding photography business Rivets and Roses for a decade. The 15-year-old Minneapolis photography business already has inclusivity embedded in its identity. But the parents’ request made Hesse realize inclusivity in the photography space could go a little further. That’s where Queer Family Portraits comes in, a business name that couldn’t make its mission any clearer.

Johnson and Hesse formally announced the launch of the new brand this week.

“It definitely hit a special spot in my heart hearing how difficult it was for them [to find a photographer] and through their connections as well,” said Hesse. “The work that I do with Rivets already has been impactful and important to me, so we created a brand that can extend from weddings where people are evolving with their families.”

But why create such a specific niche if you’re already an inclusive photographer? Johnson said it’s about raising visibility and accessibility. “People were searching for affirming photographers, and we were learning about these requests for senior and family photos through our wedding photography business. We were shocked to see this gap–that’s why we named this brand Queer Family Portraits because we wanted it to be just really easy for people searching.”

She added: “It also felt like such a natural progression from the work that we’ve done with weddings, that it was very much like, ‘yes, we should absolutely do this.’”

The Rivets team began planning about a year ago, setting time aside to think about the Queer Family Portraits mission, which includes supporting Reclaim, a St. Paul nonprofit that increases mental health care access for queer and trans youth, along with an internal team training for the four photographers involved.

“First and foremost, clients don’t have to put in the emotional energy to question if they will be accepted or not,” said Johnson, sharing that families can take on all forms, whether it’s pet parents, or families who don’t choose to have kids, and even a plant dad. “We’ve spent a lot of time and attention with the process of getting to know our clients and respecting their titles, roles, and family structure—whatever that is–so that there’s zero judgment, and it’s just all pure love.”

For Johnson, segmenting her business is nothing new; she’s already running five total photography businesses.

Queer Family Portraits has already begun taking clients, and both co-founders are excited by the possibilities. “For me, it’s about [raising] the visibility of these families and people that will come through our doors,” said Hesse. “To be able to share that publicly for another queer person to see that and know it exists and also allow other people to come out of the woodwork and embrace who they are, as well.”

(Editor’s note: Eliesa Johnson shoots photos for Twin Cities Business and its sister publication Mpls.St.Paul Magazine​.)