Let’s be honest and say portrait sessions take a lot of work, thought, organization, and preparation. It’s challenging enough to get one family prepped and coordinated. Hats off to the clients who can make an extended family portrait session happen! Organizing 4 households instead 1 – not easy. So worth it, though!
A large session like the one with this fun family is structured differently than a traditional family portrait session. We do lots more set ups – whole family, individual families, cousins, grandchild with grandparents, each couple, adult children with parents, siblings, and even more if time permits.
The payoff for an extended family portrait session is huge. Each family gets a few quality pictures which can often be used as their annual session. Also, it’s such a treasure to have multi-generational portraits. As I snap each picture I’m aware that these pictures will be looked at for generations and cherished by family members. It’s a lot of responsibility. I take these extended family portrait sessions very seriously. I want to make sure it’s a great experience for the clients and I seek to capture the relationships, love, connections, and happiness which is unique to each family.
This family was full of laughter and humor. They have a rental property in Upham Beach, near St Pete Beach. Each year for decades they’ve gathered from across the country to spend time together on our beautiful beaches. This year the daughter/sisters-in-law decided to treat grandma to a portrait session as her Mother’s Day gift. So thoughtful!
They surprised me with an impromptu water fight at the end of the session which gave us lots of natural smiles and laughter. We all had a great time and they’ll have these pictures as a keepsake, no matter what life brings, to remember a happy, small moment of time spent together at their favorite travel destination.
