The Photos You’ll Treasure Most Might Be the Ones You Almost Didn’t Take

There’s something about a big family gathering that makes you reach for your phone, isn’t there? Everyone’s together, the kids are running around, and someone says, “We should get a photo before people start leaving.” And then, somehow, the moment slips by.

I think about this a lot, because I know firsthand how rare and precious those gatherings really are. I lost my grandparents either before I was born or when I was very young, so I’ve always carried a quiet sense of loss around that. I’ve grown up in a large family on my mother’s side, and we have reunions every year, and that big family portrait at the start of the evening is always one of my favourite parts of the night. It means something. It always will.

So when clients book me for an extended family session, I genuinely love it. Not just as a photographer, but as someone who understands what those images will one day mean.

Why These Sessions Are So Worth the Effort

Multigenerational sessions take a little more coordination, yes. Getting everyone in one place at the same time, with the right outfits, at the right hour of the day – it’s a bit like herding cats, and I say that with the warmest possible affection.

But what you get from it is something no individual family session can quite replicate. The bond between a grandparent and a grandchild. The easy familiarity between cousins. The moment where two sisters are laughing at something no one else quite catches. These are the images that live on walls and in hearts for decades.

These sessions are about capturing all of it – the different personalities, the different relationships, the beautiful chaos of a family that loves each other.

What a Multigenerational Session Actually Looks Like

If you’ve never done one before, it can feel a little overwhelming to picture. Here’s how I approach it, because I want you to feel confident before you even arrive.

We Always Start with the Big Group

I begin with the full family portrait in a few different settings, while everyone is fresh and the little ones are still happy. From there, we break it down gradually into smaller groupings.

• Individual family units
• Siblings together
• Cousins together
• Grandparents with their grandchildren
• Grandparents with their own adult children
• Couples
• Individuals, if people would like them

And in between all of that, I keep my eyes open. Some of the most magical images happen when sisters are just chatting or laughing together while they wait for their turn. I’ll capture those too, quietly, without interrupting the moment.

Timing Matters More Than You Might Think

I always ask about the youngest children in the group before we settle on a time. When are they at their happiest? That’s when we shoot. It makes such a difference to plan around the smallest members of the family rather than fitting them in around everyone else.

I’ll also give all of the pre-session preparation advice to the person who books, and ask them to pass it along to the rest of the family. Since I’m usually only in contact with one person, this is the best way to make sure everyone arrives feeling prepared and relaxed.

What Everyone Wears Really Does Matter

This is something I feel quite strongly about, and I don’t hear it said often enough.

The background and the season affect how the images look, yes. But what the family wears has just as much impact on the overall feel of the final gallery.

I’m not a fan of everyone wearing the same colour. It can feel a little dated, and it tends to flatten the personality out of a group. What I love is when families choose colours that complement each other – soft, muted tones that work beautifully with my style of photography, which is all about soft colours, soft blurry backgrounds, and a natural, gentle feel.

A few things worth keeping in mind:

• Block colours tend to photograph better than busy prints. Large patterns and different checked shirts and floral dresses all competing for attention in one frame can be a lot for the eye to take in. The clothes are there to complement the people in them, not distract from them.
• Muted, toning colours work really well together without anyone having to match exactly.
• Avoid very bright, high-contrast colours if you want that soft, timeless feel. It comes down to choosing a photographer whose style matches what you’re hoping for, and then trusting their guidance on how to prepare.
• If your shoot is outdoors, AVOID BLACK as it really just drains the colour from the image. Navy, charcoal, Brown or other dark colours are fine, but black is really best saved for studio sessions.

One Thing I Wish More Clients Knew Before Booking

The most common misunderstanding I come across is when one of the family members assumes we can also fit in a studio baby session and a full outdoor extended family shoot into the same appointment. I completely understand why it seems possible, and efficient perhaps but in practice, setting up studio backdrops and getting the lighting takes time, and when you also have a six-month-old Baby or Toddler in the mix, who has their own very firm opinions about how long they’ll cooperate, there simply isn’t room to do both justice.

In that situation, I make sure we still get some lovely relaxed images of the little family group outside and a couple of the baby on their own, and I’ll suggest booking a separate session if they’d like to more images with the baby or individual family portraits. It’s not a disappointment, it’s just making sure every session gets the time and care it deserves.

The other thing I hear a lot is a worry about posing. People ask, “How will we know what to do with sixteen of us and how will we get the little ones to smile?” The answer is that you don’t need to know. I take care of all of that throughout the session, and I mix up the posing and the groupings so that not every image looks the same. I’m also not afraid to jump about singing nursery rhymes to get little ones attention so don’t worry about that! Your job is just to turn up, smile at the camera and enjoy the time together with your family.

These Images Are for Everyone Who Comes After You

There’s a reason I feel so personally connected to this kind of work. I know what it is to look through old family albums and wish there were more photographs. I know the comfort that a photograph can hold, and the gap that’s felt when the moments weren’t captured.

One day, the children in these sessions will look back at these images and see themselves surrounded by the people who loved them. They’ll see their grandparents’ faces, their cousins, their family in full. And they won’t remember whether it was slightly windy or whether anyone felt a bit camera-shy. They’ll just feel the love!

That’s what makes these sessions worth every bit of effort it takes to get everyone there.

Ready to Book Your Extended Family Session?

If you’ve been thinking about bringing the whole family together for photos – grandparents, cousins, aunties, uncles, the lot! I’d love to chat about how we can make it happen.

Get in touch here and we can start talking through the details, including timing, location, and everything you need to know to feel fully prepared before your session.

Because some photographs are worth gathering everyone for. And one day, you’ll be so glad you did.