I’ve booked an extended family session, what should I expect on the day?

Extended family sessions are fun, just with a little more structure than a small family shoot (there can be a lot of people to coordinate!). I start with photos of the whole group together, a few posed and smiling at the camera and then I aim to capture you as you are, candid, having fun together and enjoying what makes your family unique. Whether that’s the smaller, intimate moments or the crazy chaos of your big group. We will then break into smaller groups to get some moments of each individual family and any other combinations you are after, such as  grandparents with their grandkids or siblings. I’m happy to be flexible and capture what really matters to you.

An outdoor extended family shoot will last around 1-1.5 hours, depending on your group size. I usually start my outdoor sessions approximately 2 hours before sunset so it can vary from 3:00pm in winter to 6:30pm in summer. Why do I shoot then? As the sun gets lower in the sky it casts a soft golden glow over everything. The quality of the light is perfect for photographs and can add a magic to your memories. It is my absolute favourite time to be outside and taking photographs.

In-home sessions are much more flexible with timing as they aren’t as light dependent.

What should we wear?

The most important thing is to wear something you all love and feel confident and comfortable in. It’s nice to have everyone in colours that work well together but it’s best if you aren’t all matching.  Obviously this can get tricky with a large group of people. It’s often easiest to pick a range of 3-4 colours that work well together. Blues with soft pinks, tan and white is one example, OR earthy colours with neutrals work well together. Different textures like cotton, wool, linen, denim and lace always photograph really well. Winter can be a great time to rug up in different layers. In warmer weather, soft fabrics and long, flowy skirts and dresses look great as they show movement and light. Don’t be afraid of a bit of colour but I DO recommend avoiding big logos, character t-shirts and text as they can be very distracting in photos. You want the focus on your family, not the words on their t-shirt. 

For the little ones, soft and solid colours are classic and flattering on baby skin. Keep it simple, too many accessories will distract from all that newborn gorgeousness. Have a backup outfit ready for baby in case of a wardrobe malfunction and if you have a favourite wrap or blanket we can use that too.

Don’t worry too much, you want to look like yourself in photos. As long as you are comfortable in what you are wearing you will look fabulous. If you feel like you need help with this let me know. For some colour and texture inspiration I have a Pinterest board here to give you some ideas.

What if it rains?

Ah La Nina…If it rains on the day of your shoot we will reschedule to another day that works for everyone. I will check the forecast a few days beforehand and contact you if rain or miserable weather is on the horizon.