Photographing Extended Families What to Expect

Extended family sessions are some of my favorite work, and also the ones that require the most planning. Here's what actually goes into one, and how to set yours up for success.

Who counts as extended family

Usually it's grandparents, adult children, and their families, all in one frame. Sometimes it's a reunion with twenty people. Sometimes it's three generations and a dog. The size varies, the approach stays the same: one location, good light, everyone moving together.

The planning matters more here

A session with four people is forgiving. A session with sixteen people is not. Small decisions become big ones at scale: where everyone parks, who's corralling the toddlers, which grandparent needs to sit down between shots, whether the family dog is actually coming.

We sort all of this out before the session. On the planning call I ask about mobility, ages, family dynamics, anything that helps me move the group smoothly. A well-planned extended session runs like a normal one. An unplanned one runs like a fire drill.

Location matters more too

You need space. Not just for the wide group shot, but for the smaller family groupings that happen inside the larger session. I usually shoot the full group first, then break into family units. You get the big frame and the intimate ones in the same evening.

Some of my favorite extended family locations in the Salt Lake Valley: The International Peace Gardens, the Jordan River Parkway, and Wheeler Farms at golden hour where there's room to spread out and regroup without feeling crowded.

What the art looks like

Extended family sessions produce two kinds of buyers at the reveal. The grandparents want the big group piece. The individual families want something from their own grouping. Often art ends up in more than one home, which is one of the things I love most about this work.

A 40x60 of the whole family above a grandparent's couch. A canvas of just the kids in the daughter's hallway. One session, multiple walls, years of use.

How to book one

Same way as any session: a short intro call where we figure out the logistics, the date, and the location. Give me a head count and an age range and I'll tell you what to expect.