One of the things I love most about photographing families here in Northeast Florida is when I can help them shape a session that truly works for their season of life. For this extended family session in Crescent Beach, the family was gathering to celebrate their mother’s 70th birthday and they had four little ones under five in the mix. I suggested we keep things simple by photographing them right on the beach behind their rental home, and schedule the session at sunrise when the light is soft and the kids are happiest. It created such a calm, easy morning together. There was no need to rush everyone at the home or load little ones into the car. All they had to do was walk down the steps of their rental.

One of my favorite things about photographing families in Northeast Florida is how many people choose this area as a place to gather. Sometimes it’s for a vacation, sometimes for a milestone, and sometimes it’s simply to slow down together for a few days.

This sweet extended family was visiting the area from Virginia and was staying at Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa. The family was all here together celebrating grandma’s birthday. Because they were all together, they decided to set aside time for photos together. Those seasons where everyone can be together aren’t always easy to coordinate, which is why sessions like this feel so meaningful.

There’s something special about having your whole family in one place: grandparents, adult children, in-laws, siblings, and a growing crew of grandkids. It doesn’t happen often, and when it does, it deserves to be remembered in a way that feels honest and joyful.

Extended family portrait sessions are quite popular. Whether it is a gift for grandma, a milestone birthday present, to celebrate an anniversary or a gift for the holidays, this photo session is one that is a gift for all family members. Think about it…when was the last time you got together for a family portrait? In my family, the last time was my brother’s wedding over a decade earlier, which was pre kids. I am guessing the same holds true in your family.

I schedule most of my outdoor photo sessions one hour before sunset. This time of day which is known as golden hour, has the softest light and creates a dreamy and ethereal quality to your images. I just love the golden glow of the sunset and the soft colors this time of day creates. While, I will never shoot in harsh mid day sun, I do offer sessions during the morning hours. This is because for some clients, sunset is too late for their little ones and they would rather schedule the session at a time of day at which their child feels his best. I am happy to accomodate that request and can do so while maintaining a style similar to that which you see on my portfolio.

Summer is a very popular time of year for people to schedule family photos. Many of my clients also opt to bring along grandparents to their portrait session and I think this is a great idea. A photo session that includes these favorite people is the perfect way to give your children a tangible memory of them.

If you’re considering a family portrait session that includes one or all of your child’s grandparents, I have a few tip to help you plan family photos with grandparents.

I am a sucker for photos of grandmas with their grandbabies. There is nothing more especial than the bond that exists between a grandparent and grandchild. I had an amazing relationship with my own grandparents and my children have a close bond with theirs as well. You need to document this bond not only for grandma, but so your children have these photos for years to come. The gift of a family photo session truly is meaningful for everyone in the family.

Mother’s Day was this past weekend and it is always a busy time here in the photography industry. I often have clients who purchase photo sessions for the special mom in their life. Whether it be a husband gifting a session to his wife or a child gifting a session to their mom, the gift of a photo session is one that the entire family will cherish.\

One of the most popular sessions I offer is the extended family photo session. People often book these sessions as a gift for a grandparent, for a family reunion or simply to just update their family photos. A photo session is a great way to document the bond your family shares. However, what exactly is an extended photo session?

I don’t know about you, but time surely seems to be flying by these days. Maybe it’s because I’m a mom of two active girls, who seem to be growing at the speed of light, or perhaps it is because my own parents are getting older. Whatever it is, I can’t help but reflect on my own childhood and how important my grandparents, parents and siblings were to me. I loved spending time with them and I wish I had professional photos that documented my time with them.

I know life is busy, but I can’t encourage you enough to prioritize extended family portraits. Years from now, you will be so very grateful that you made a point to get everyone together for a large family session. It is more than worth the effort, and I guarantee you’ll love every minute of it.

I receive tons of inquiries for multi generational family sessions. I photograph many of these large group sessions. They are really special sessions for the families and, often times, are gifted to grandparents for special occasions. This is a special gift that the entire family can appreciate.

As you can imagine, working with large groups like this involves a large degree of planning, flexibility and an open mind. It also requires lots of additional time, both during the session and in particular when it comes to editing these sessions, especially when the session involves multiple children of young ages.

Although we have plenty of photos taken of our own children and family, most people do not have updated family photos that includes their extended family members. In fact, most of us only have the rigid posed photos that were taken at the last family wedding. As your dynamic changes, it is important to get photos taken that show the unique bond that exists within your extended family.

Large group family photo sessions are a lot of fun to capture, but they do require some strategic planning and coordinating, especially if there are young cousins involved. To capture the images one is hoping for, I send out a questionnaire prior to your session, which will help me learn who I am photographing and the age of the children. It will also help me learn your goals for the sessions, groupings and types of images you are looking for and other pertinent details. This will help me to plan my time with you properly and time is of the essence with a beach sunset photo session.