North Dakota Extended Family Session

What comes to mind for most people in reference to family photos is immediate family. You probably think of small kids and a few shots of mom and dad. But what if we thought bigger for a second? Extended family sessions don’t get nearly enough attention and they’re some of my favorites to shoot!

It isn’t often that you’re able to get the family matriarch and patriarch together with their children, their children’s spouses and their grandchildren, but when it’s doable it’s absolute magic. Over the years, I’ve shot a few different extended family sessions and they’ve always been a ton of fun and so meaningful to look back on later.

Personalized Family Sessions

It can be a lot to work out logistically, but locations are entirely up to you! They can be done at your home, a property that’s been in your family for years, or just a local park so that your kids are free to be kids. Regardless, the end result is several photos of people that you likely only get to see altogether once for special occasions, and those photos are priceless.

The More The Merrier

One of the best parts about extended family sessions is, while they are a little bit more expensive because I’m working with a much larger crowd than usual, you also have more people to divide up the cost between. The holidays are still a ways off, but consider gifting these sessions for anniversaries, birthdays or even Christmas! You all know how I feel about gifting photos, you just can’t go wrong, especially when you’re including the whole gang.

A Mother’s Work Is Never Done

We often hear you only get 18 years with your kids, but that’s only partially true. They may only be under your roof for that long, but that relationship only gets better with time! You’re never too old to get photos with your babies, and neither are they. Again, we often think of little ones in family photos but your relationship doesn’t become any less valuable as you age and it should still be celebrated accordingly. There will never come a day when you think, “Gee, I wish I had less photos of the most important people in my life.”

Photos capture memories and emotions, and the love shared between a family is the best of all. Behind the lens with extended families, I get to see decades-long inside jokes shared, laughs and affection. I see second and third generations playing together while grandparents look on lovingly. You know that feeling on Christmas when everyone is piled up in the living room chatting while kids play with their new gifts? That feeling is exactly what I’m capturing in these photos, except no one is left to be the person behind the camera instead of in the pictures.

I can’t encourage these sessions enough! If you’re interested in scheduling your own, message me here & we’ll get the ball rolling. (And psst…don’t forget to follow along on Pinterest for wardrobe inspiration and helpful tips as well!)