Extended Family Photoshoot Melbourne

Big group photos, without the cheese

(Ok, we’ll probably say ‘cheese’ at least once. But it won’t be cheesy!)

Getting the whole tribe together for a photo session can be a lot. Your sister’s busy with work, your parents are away on a cruise, the kids have weekend sports…

So when you eventually find a time that works for everyone, you want to get it right.

And what does ‘right’ look like? Is it people standing to attention in two neat rows, wearing crisp white shirts and smiling in unison?

Maybe. That’s your call!

But what about photos of your extended family, as you are?

Sure, we’ll probably start with an image of everyone smiling at the camera. (I mean, I’ll probably take about 17 shots in quick succession in the hope that we get at least one with everyone’s eyes open.)

But once that’s done, we’ll get some more images—ones that show the real you.

There’s something about your family that isn’t quite like any other. You’ve got your in-jokes and history, your idiosyncrasies and quirky characters. Someone is probably the funny one of the family, and there might be someone else who thinks they’re funny and doesn’t know the rest of you are inwardly cringing. 

Let’s capture all that in photos.

To help break the ice, I might ask you to yell out something silly or nominate the worst cook in the family. Or maybe I’ll tell you a terrible joke. Whatever cuts through and helps me see what makes your family wonderfully, uniquely you. Real laughter and smiles and teasing. The good stuff.

Choosing a location for your extended family photoshoot

There isn’t really a right or wrong place to have your photo session, as long as there’s room for everyone. The front doorstep, backyard or a nice park will all do nicely.

But you might want to think about a place that means something to your family. Is there a holiday house you all go to every summer, or a favourite camping spot? Perfect.

Photographing family occasions or traditions

If you have an occasion you want to celebrate, or a particular day that means something to you as a family, I would love to document that for you!

Cultural traditions, like the Italian day for bottling tomatoes or the fabulous colour of the Holi Festival, would be beautiful to capture. Or maybe there are customs that are unique to your family, and you want to remember them in photos. Let’s do that.

My one caveat? Eating.

Eating is great, but seeing other people do it is kind of… gross. As wonderful as food is, you probably don’t want a whole lot of images of your family stuffing it into their mouths. 

So if it’s a food-related event, a photoshoot of the family preparing a feast together is probably a better option than images of the feast being devoured.

What to wear for an extended family photoshoot

The days of uniform colours, soft linen in neutral tones, or matching jeans and white t-shirts are gone. Unless, of course, that’s what you want to wear. There really are no rules!

If you’re having trouble working it out, aim for colours that look good together without being too matchy-matchy. Whatever you’re comfortable in as a group.

For more info and tips, including some easy-to-achieve colour schemes that most people already have in their wardrobe, read more here.

‘Extended family’ is a flexible term

Family can mean all kinds of things—I won’t ask for documentation that proves you’re all related.

Are you a group of friends? Blended families or people who’ve grown up together? Long-term neighbours? Fantastic.

Extended family photoshoots are for any groups of people who want a record of the love and camaraderie they share. If you’ve got a connection, I’m here to capture it for you.

Details and pricing

Extended family sessions are 60-90 minutes. This gives us enough time to get images with all the combinations: cousins together, each individual family, grandparents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, mums and each of their kids…

For a group of up to 16, the standard family photoshoot price applies. This includes a gallery of 30 completed images for digital download.

If your group is bigger than that, get in touch to discuss pricing options.

An extended family photoshoot makes a great gift!

If someone you know would love to have beautiful images of the whole tribe, but might not think to arrange a photoshoot, a voucher is a great option.

Gift vouchers are valid for up to three years. And, if you buy a voucher that covers the cost of an extended family session, any price increases will be waived for 12 months.

My vouchers come with contact details and a QR code so the recipient has access to all the details of a photo session. They’re also personalised, and printed on lovely thick textured card, because I want opening them to feel special.

Purchase a voucher or find out more here.