Extended Family Photo Sessions in Austin: What You Get and How Long They Take
An extended family photo session brings multiple generations together: grandparents, adult children, spouses, and grandchildren, for one shoot that captures the whole family and every smaller grouping within it. Most extended family sessions run 45 minutes to an hour, depending on group size, and produce a wide variety of portraits from the full group down to solo shots of each child.
Extended family sessions are one of my favorite things to photograph. When multiple family units travel in or come together for a holiday, a reunion, a milestone birthday, or just because everyone is finally in the same place, it’s a rare chance to document the whole family at once. Below I’ll walk through exactly what you get out of the session and how long it takes, since those are the two questions I hear most.
What is an extended family session?
An extended family session is designed for larger groups made up of more than one immediate family: think grandparents plus their adult children and grandchildren, or several sibling families coming together. Instead of photographing just one household, we capture the entire group and all the meaningful combinations inside it. These sessions are perfect for multi-generational families, family reunions or holiday gatherings when everyone is in town, milestone celebrations like a big birthday or anniversary, families spread across cities who are rarely together, and anyone who wants updated portraits of the whole extended family at once.
What groupings do you get?
This is the biggest value of an extended family session: you walk away with far more than one group photo. In a single session, I work through a varied collection of groupings so every relationship is documented. That typically includes:
The entire group together
Individual family units, each immediate family on its own
Grandparents with the grandkids
Grandparents on their own
Sibling photos of the adult siblings together
Cousin photos of all the grandkids together
Mom with the kids, and Dad with the kids
Solo shots of each child
You don’t need to memorize this list or plan it out. I’ll guide the whole session and move through the groupings efficiently so nothing gets missed.
How long does an extended family session take?
Most extended family sessions last 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the group. Larger groups with more combinations take a little longer; smaller ones move faster.
I know that with little ones in the mix, attention spans are short and patience runs out fast, so I work quickly and efficiently to keep things moving. My goal is to get every grouping we need without the session dragging on or the kids melting down. Families are often surprised by how much we capture in under an hour.
A few things help the session go smoothly: have a rough plan for groupings so we can move in a logical order (I’ll help with this), feed little ones beforehand and bring simple snacks and water, get everyone to arrive on time since a late arrival holds up the whole shoot, and coordinate outfits loosely across families with a shared color palette.
What to wear for a large family session
With a big group, coordinating outfits is what makes the final images feel cohesive. Pick a palette, not a uniform: choose three to four complementary colors and let each family pull from it. Mix in neutrals and texture to keep it from looking too matched. Avoid large logos and bright neons, which distract from faces in group shots. And coordinate across families ahead of time by sharing the color plan in the group chat so everyone is on the same page.
How to book an extended family session
[Extended family sessions are booked as a custom session or part of my [package name]. Add your booking or inquiry LINK.] To get started, reach out and let me know your group size and the occasion, we will pick a date, time, and location that works for the whole group, I’ll send a prep guide with outfit tips and a suggested grouping plan, and your gallery of edited high-resolution images is delivered within [TIMEFRAME].
[CALL TO ACTION: e.g. Getting the whole family together this season? Let’s capture it. Add booking LINK.]
Frequently asked questions
How long does an extended family photo session take? Typically 45 minutes to an hour, depending on group size. I work quickly and efficiently to keep it moving, especially with young kids.
How many people can be in the session? [Your group-size range or limit, if any.]
What kinds of photos do we get? The full group together, plus each individual family, grandparents with grandkids, sibling and cousin groupings, each parent with their kids, and solo shots of every child, among others.
How many images are included? [NUMBER] edited high-resolution digital images in an online gallery.
When is the best time to book? [Guidance, e.g. holidays and reunions book early; reach out as soon as you have your dates.]
Where do you shoot? I’m an Austin-based family photographer serving [Austin and surrounding areas]. We’ll choose a location that suits the group’s size and style.