By Amy Barnes | Sussex Family Photographer

Hey you 👋

Getting the whole family together for photos … grandparents, grown-up kids, partners, babies, toddlers, can feel a bit overwhelming!

There’s different ages, different energy levels, and about eleven different opinions on what you should all wear. It’s easy to assume the whole thing will be chaos.

Having said that, some of my favourite sessions have involved the whole family. When everyone is relaxed and can just enjoy being together, that’s when the real magic happens. I’ll go into how I make that happen in a moment…

What an Extended Family Session Actually Looks Like

Last month, I photographed an extended family of eleven at West Wittering Beach … eight adults and three children, including a four-year-old and two babies around six months old. Yes you read that right … six-month-old babies, on the beach, WAY past their bedtime.

The whole thing had been gifted to the grandparents as a joint 60th birthday present from their three sons and their partners. How lovely is that?

We started at 7pm for a golden hour sunset session, and it was just perfect. The babies had their bottles whenever they needed a moment, the four-year-old did brilliantly and enjoyed all the fun he was having from his uncles, and the family were so relaxed about the whole thing. They weren’t trying to make every moment perfect, they were just enjoying being together. That ease came through in every photo.

It’s something I say time and time again … when families stop trying to perform and just enjoy being together, that’s when I get the photos that make people well up when they see their gallery.

Let’s Talk Outfits

I find outfits is one of those things that you’ll either overthink, or you just won’t.

The key is for everyone to not match, but look cohesive and like they ‘go together’. But more importantly, you should feel comfortable in what you’ve got on. If someone’s self-conscious or fidgeting in their shirt, that will show up in the photos.

I am there every step of the way for my families. I send out a style guide with colour palettes and a few pointers before every session, and I am on hand for them to send me photos of what they are thinking so I can guide them in any way I can.

The goal is coordinated tones, not matching. Comfort always comes first, because if someone feels good, they look good, and that’s what actually matters. When people are wearing something they genuinely like, and the colours sit well together across the group, the photos feel pulled together without ever looking staged.

How I Structure the Session So Nobody Feels Overwhelmed

One of the things I always do before a session is let the family know exactly how it’ll flow. I have found that when people know what to expect, they relax, and relaxed people take brilliant photos!

This is roughly how my family sessions go:

Portraits with a natural feel. We start with a mix of more traditional portraits, people looking at the camera, blended with lifestyle shots: laughing, talking and natural interactions.

All the groupings. I keep a mental list of every combination the family wants, grandparents with grandkids, siblings together, the full group, and work through those without it turning into a military operation. I guide people gently from one grouping to the next.

My favourite part: pure documentary. Once I know I’ve got everything the family needs, the last stretch of the session is entirely led by them. I step back and just document. Kids playing in the water, grandparents watching on, siblings mucking about. This is real life, honestly captured.

Having said that, I am super flexible and mainly led by the children. I build the session around how they’re feeling, and if a baby needs a feed or a toddler needs a wander, we do that. It’s not a disruption, it’s just how it goes.

Every family is different and therefore every session is different.

The One Thing I Wish Every Family Knew Going In

This applies to every family session I do, not just extended family shoots.

You do not need to make the children smile for the camera. Pretty please, if there is only one thing you take away, it is this.

I know it feels helpful, especially when there’s a little one who’s gone a bit shy, or a toddler who’s lost interest, the instinct is to stand just off to the side and pull faces or call their name to get them looking and grinning.

But what actually happens is the child ends up laughing at you, and not connecting with whoever they’re supposed to be snuggled up to. There’s no eye contact with grandma. There’s no cuddle happening. The connection, the whole point of the photo … just disappears.

When I’m working with children and grandparents, or any family grouping, I give the prompts and guide the interactions. I know how to get a genuine smile without pulling focus from the people who are actually meant to be in the frame together.

Your job is simply to enjoy the moment with them. Trust me on that one, the smiles will come.

Why This Kind of Session Is Worth the Effort

Getting everyone together is no small feat. People have busy lives, kids have nap schedules, and coordinating eleven people’s diaries is its own challenge. But when it comes together and you’re all there at golden hour, babies fed and toddlers running and the grandparents watching it all, those photos become something else entirely.

They’re not just nice pictures for the wall. They’re the images your kids will look at when they’re grown up and they’ll feel the memories. They capture a season of your family life that won’t last forever, and that’s worth doing properly.

If you’re thinking about organising a session like this, I’d love to be part of it.

Let’s Stay Connected

P.S. Want to see more fun family photos and behind-the-scenes moments from my sessions? Come and say hi over on Instagram @amyclairebarnes_photography – it’s where I share recent shoots, little glimpses of everyday magic, and lots of inspiration for your own relaxed family photoshoot. ✨