I love the ways families change and grow over the years. Recently I shared a couple of Houston family photo sessions (you can check them out here and here) that feature nuclear families. But what about an extended family session?

Yes, I absolutely love doing extended family sessions! And while in many ways they are similar to a smaller family photoshoot, photographing an extended family has some unique features. So let’s talk about what you can expect!

Sample Gallery of an Extended Family Session

We’ll generally get these types of photographs:

Nuclear Family Photos

You’re all one family—but now you each have families of your own too! During an extended family session, we’ll take time to photograph each nuclear family separately. Not only will we capture group photographs (usually both posed and candid) but you’ll also get the same beautiful types of pictures and poses you can expect from a smaller family session, such as:

Sibling Shots

Couples Photos

Individual Portraits

Smaller Group Portraits

Smaller group portraits might include portraits of each child separately with a parent, Mom with her girls, all the brothers, etc. It really just depends on the composition of your family and the images you’re hoping to capture.

Extended Family Photos

Of course, during an extended family session, we will get several images of the whole group. Most of these will be posed images, since it gets harder to capture everyone in candid photos when it’s a large group. However, we can also create “candid posed” portraits, where we’ll pose everyone in a way that is less traditional and will look more natural and relaxed in the finished product.

Smaller Group Portraits

I also love to create smaller group portraits during an extended family session. There are so many relationships going on here, and it’s wonderful to document them! With a larger group it can be helpful to think ahead about the types of pairings or groupings you might like to have photos of. These could include:

Cousins

Grandparents with their Grown Children

Grandparents with all the Grandchildren

And so many more options! I’m happy to help you think about possibilities and plan a session that beautifully captures all the images that are important to you and your family members.

Things to Consider for Your Extended Family Session

Outdoors is usually the best place for extended family photos, and in Houston, we’re blessed to have beautiful weather for much of the year. I know all the prettiest spots in and around Houston and would be happy to help you choose the perfect location if you don’t have one in mind.

With every session, my goal is to create custom artwork that every family member can treasure. After your photography session, we’ll get together for your design appointment, where each family can choose their favorite images to transform into gorgeous printed artwork and keepsake albums.

If you have any questions, I’m always happy to chat with you! Please feel free to reach out any time. I can’t wait for your session!

Lots of Love,

Shannon