When we think about family photos, we often picture mum, dad and the kids.
But what about the bigger picture?
Grandparents. Adult siblings. Cousins. Aunts and uncles. Grown-up children who have moved away. The people you don’t get to see nearly as often as you’d like.
An extended family session is a photography session designed to bring all of those people together and capture your family as a whole.
And no, everyone doesn’t need to stand perfectly still and smile at the camera for an hour!
What happens during an extended family session?
An extended family session is about much more than one big group photo.
We’ll take some photographs of everyone together, but we’ll also break the family into smaller groups throughout the session.
Depending on your family, that might include:
- The whole family together
- Grandparents with all of the grandchildren
- Each individual family
- Siblings together
- Parents with their children
- Grandparents with their children
- Cousins together
- Couples
- Smaller groups of the kids
- Plenty of natural, candid moments in between
The aim is to create a gallery that tells the story of your whole family, rather than just giving you one photograph of everyone lined up together.
Why are extended family sessions so special?
Getting everyone together can be surprisingly difficult.
Different households have different schedules. Some family members live in different towns or states. Grandparents might not see the grandchildren as often as they’d like. And as the kids grow up, those big family gatherings can become less frequent.
That’s what makes these photographs so valuable.
You might look at a photograph today and think, “That’s a nice photo of the family.”
Years from now, it can become something much more.
You might notice how little the kids were. How young the grandparents looked. The way everyone used to stand together. The cousins who grew up side by side.
Those are the details that become increasingly precious with time.
Do we need to be good at having our photo taken?
Absolutely not.
In fact, I’d much rather photograph a family that is relaxed and having fun than one that is desperately trying to pose perfectly.
Extended family sessions can be a little chaotic — especially when there are lots of children involved — and that’s completely okay.
We can walk, talk, play with the kids, have a laugh and let everyone settle into the session.
I’ll give you direction when it’s needed, but I’m not expecting everyone to know exactly what to do.
Some of my favourite photographs are often the ones that happen in between the more traditional family photos.
A grandparent laughing with a grandchild.
Siblings having a joke together.
Kids running around.
A little hand being held.
Everyone looking at each other instead of the camera.
Those moments are part of your family too.
What should we wear?
You don’t need to organise perfectly matching outfits.
For a large family, I actually think coordinating colours and styles works much better than everyone wearing exactly the same thing.
Think about colours that work well together and choose clothing that everyone feels comfortable in.
For outdoor sessions around Baranduda and the surrounding area, natural and comfortable clothing generally works beautifully.
And if you’re unsure, don’t stress. I’m always happy to offer some guidance before your session.
Where do extended family sessions take place?
I love photographing families outdoors, where everyone has a little room to move and interact naturally.
We’ll choose a location that suits your family and the type of photographs you’re after.
For families in Baranduda, Wodonga and surrounding areas, there are plenty of beautiful outdoor options that give us a mixture of open space, natural surroundings and opportunities for those more intimate family photographs.
The location doesn’t need to be elaborate.
Often, the most important part is simply having everyone there.
How long does an extended family session take?
Because there are more people and more combinations to photograph, extended family sessions need a little more time than a standard family session.
I offer two options:
The Together Session — $999
A 60-minute extended family photography session with 20 professionally edited digital images.
This is a great option if you’d like all of the important family combinations captured while keeping the session fairly relaxed and focused.
The Whole Family Session — $1,499
A 90-minute extended family photography session with your full edited digital gallery.
This gives us more time to explore different combinations, capture more candid moments and document the family without needing to narrow down which photographs you want afterwards.
Both options are designed to give you photographs of the people who matter most.
When is a good time to book?
Honestly?
When you know everyone is going to be together.
That might be over Christmas, during a family holiday, when grandparents are visiting, or simply when siblings who live apart are all back in the same place.
You don’t need a special occasion.
Sometimes the best reason to have family photographs taken is simply:
“Everyone’s here.”
And if you’re thinking about an extended family session as a Christmas gift, that’s another beautiful option.
Instead of buying something that might eventually be forgotten, you can give your family the opportunity to spend time together and create photographs they’ll have for years.
The family photos you’ll treasure
An extended family session isn’t about creating a perfect photograph where everyone looks exactly the same way at exactly the same time.
It’s about documenting your people.
The big group. The little groups. The grandparents. The siblings. The cousins. The kids who never stop moving. The hugs, laughs and little moments in between.
Because these are often the photographs that become more meaningful as the years pass.
If your whole family is going to be together soon, I’d love to help you make the most of it.
Ready to bring everyone together for a session? Get in touch to enquire about an extended family session, or join my mailing list to be the first to hear about upcoming session dates, offers and photography news.
