Extended Family Session

5 Families, 1 heart

Extended family sessions are one of my favorites to photograph. Families are sometimes seeing each other for the first time in a year. Sometimes there's a new little one added to the family, and sometimes grandparents are in awe of how much their grandchildren have grown, or by the missing baby teeth. Each family brings a different experience.

Elderly couple smiling at each other near sea oats on a sunny beach, woman placing hand on man's chest.

Couple sharing a romantic kiss on a beach with sea oats in the background on a sunny day.

Six people pose together on a sandy beach at sunset with a lighthouse in the background.

Recently I worked with a family that lives in various spots across the US. No one lives close to the other, but they get together once a year. This year, the meet-up location was Folly Beach, and they asked me to photograph them. There was a recent wedding in the family, and I heard hopes of a future engagement. Seeing them all together was a bright spot in my day. They had inside jokes they shared with me. Grandpa acted like he wasn't thrilled to be there, but he cracked up and smiled and was jolly despite his "protests."

Family of four posing together on a sandy beach with sea oats in the background during a professional photo session.

A couple shares a romantic moment on a beach, with the woman in a blue dress and man in a pink shirt touching foreheads.

Four women and girls pose together smiling on a sandy beach with sea oats in the background.

Picking Morris Island Lighthouse was a no-brainer for this family. It's a beautiful spot and big enough for the whole family to spread out. I love that it offers lighthouse views, beach grass, and driftwood. We lucked out in two ways: we had the most beautiful, vibrant sunset, and we saw dolphins! We didn't catch any in the photographs, but it was an awesome experience seeing them in the waves with that spectacular sunset behind them.

Not only was the scene beautiful, but this family did an amazing job coordinating. When they booked their session, we shared a Pinterest board where we talked through coordinating outfits and posing inspiration. They all looked stunning in their mix of blues, pinks, and whites. No two shades were the same, but they all came together beautifully.

Four women pose together smiling on a sandy beach at sunset with calm water in the background.

Family of five posing by a beach tree at sunset, wearing coordinated light blue and khaki outfits on sandy shore.

Three men smiling together on a sandy beach at sunset with a colorful pink and orange sky backdrop.

Three people smiling together on a sandy beach at sunset, two men in blue shirts and a woman in a pink dress.

When your family comes together, are family photographs on your mind? If they're not, I invite you to take a peek at these photos and consider them for you and yours. I'm always here—send a message so we can document your family as you all come together. Whether you see each other daily, once a year, or somewhere in between.