Multi-Generational Family Photoshoot: Capturing a Grandfather’s Wish
This summer, I had the joy of photographing a multi-generational family reunion—a truly special gathering that only happens once a year. One family lives in the U.S., another travels constantly for work, and another calls Spain home. Their annual holiday is the one time they can all slow down, reconnect, and spend meaningful time together. It was the grandfather who insisted on this extended family photoshoot, knowing how important it would be to capture this chapter in their family story.
Sessions like this are at the heart of what I do. As a specialist in multi-generational and extended family photography on the Mornington Peninsula and in Gippsland, I follow a process designed to ensure every branch of the family is celebrated. With this family, we followed that rhythm: beginning with playful moments, moving through each immediate family, and layering in the grandparents, cousins, and finally everyone together. The result is a complete tapestry of their connections—images that capture not just faces, but the warmth, joy, and love that define them.
Related: How to Plan a Stress-Free Extended Family Portrait Session near Melbourne
Extended Family Portrait hangs in their grandma’s home
Pool and Candid Moments:
Building Trust
We began with playful poolside shots of the kids, capturing their laughter and energy. This isn’t just about fun photos; it’s an intentional way to build trust. The children get to see me as just another part of the day, while I quietly document their personalities in a natural, fly-on-the-wall style. For families planning a multi-generational holiday—or what some in the travel industry are lately referring to as 3G holidays (three generational)—this is the perfect, relaxed way to begin their photoshoot.
Immediate Family Portraits:
Carving Out Time for What Matters
As always, once everyone was relaxed, I took time with each immediate family—the parents with their children—for portraits they might otherwise struggle to schedule. Between school commitments, work, and the distance that separates them, booking a separate family session during the year can feel impossible. But during an extended family photoshoot, you’re already together, dressed, and in the right mindset—so why not capture those portraits now? We’ll photograph individuals, siblings, parents and your family of course!
This approach also gives the session a natural rhythm. While I’m photographing one household, the rest of the family gets a break—whether that’s cousins playing, grandparents relaxing, or siblings catching up. By the end, each family has portraits of their own, as well as the larger group images that brought everyone together.
Grandparents:
Capturing their decades-long love
One of the most meaningful parts of this session was photographing the grandparents together—a quiet moment to recognise that, after all these years, their love is what created this beautiful family they cherish.
In many of my multi-generational sessions, there is only one grandparent left, so it’s always especially special to have the matriarch and patriarch of the family in the spotlight. These portraits are cherished by the grandparents themselves and become treasured heirlooms for future generations.
Cousins:
A Favourite for Proud Grandparents
Although these photos are appreciated by the whole family, I mostly take the “cousins” shots for the grandparents—a lively snapshot of their growing family that they love to share with friends and display at home. For that, I make sure to grab a posed shot where everyone’s smiles are on display, but we also need a fun version—for everyone else, and to add some playful energy back into the shoot!
With lots of kids spanning a wide age range in this session, we were able to really embrace the chaos and turn it into a fun break from posed portraits for the little ones. A running shot is always my go-to, and it worked perfectly for this family—while the youngest loved sprinting around, the older kids happily joined in, entertained by the playful energy. The deliberate mix of posed and candid moments like this is one of the reasons my multi-generational portraits consistently feel effortless and full of life.
I also photographed a version including the grandparents, surrounded by the laughter and personalities of the youngest generation, because I know how much these moments will be cherished by the grandkids. My own personal collection of photos with my grandparents holds a very special place for me, and I love creating that same lasting connection for the families I photograph.
The Original Immediate Family:
Siblings and Parents
Many families don’t think to include the original immediate family—adult siblings with their parents—on the shot list. Often, the only version they have is a rushed photo taken at a wedding, with the bride and groom in the center and everyone else around. I love taking a moment during a dedicated family day to do this properly, with the parents at the heart of the image.
It only takes a minute, since it’s just a semi-formal shot—and by this point, everyone is practically a pro in front of the camera! The result is a portrait that truly tells the story of the family’s foundation. Without these people, the rest of the family wouldn’t be here, and capturing them together is a beautiful way to honour that.
I love seeing the parents display this portrait in their home, often beside an older version from decades earlier. It’s a tangible connection between past and present, showing the family as it is now while also celebrating the legacy that brought them here.
The Big Group:
The Reunion Highlight
After photographing the cousins and enjoying some playful moments, we moved straight into the full family group—the main image for this extended family photoshoot. I don’t always shoot in this exact order—my approach is flexible, constantly evaluating the energy around me. I make sure to capture this shot before the grandparents get too tired and while the kids are still happy and energized, so everyone is at their best and the portrait feels natural, joyful, and relaxed.
For this image, I love placing the grandparents at the heart of the composition, surrounded by their children and grandchildren. To get it right, the posing can take a few minutes, so we add the grandparents and little ones last. As soon as I’ve got the shot, I have everyone to strut toward me like they’re on their own catwalk—a perfect way to finish this grouping on a high with lots of laughs!
The posed photo is the one that typically ends up framed huge on the grandparents’ wall (see first photo!)—the image that truly celebrates the family as a whole. By capturing everyone together at the perfect moment, we create a visual record of all the connections, personalities, and generations in one place—a memory to be treasured for years to come.
Families love finishing off the posed group shot with something fun to make everyone laugh.. it’s also a great last page in an album.
Preserving the Story:
Albums and Wall Art
By the end of the day, this family had a collection of portraits that told their story from every angle. There’s the stunning, conversation-starting piece hanging on the grandparents’ wall, and the fine art album holds all the other favourite memories—and duplicate copies for each household. Over the years, these albums will become a collector’s set, added to at every reunion, so their story can be relived again and again.
This family’s reunion is a beautiful example of why I offer extended family photoshoots and multi-generational portraits on the Mornington Peninsula and in Gippsland. My process is designed to capture not just the faces, but the connections, traditions, and love that define a family—preserving a legacy that will be treasured for generations.
Whether your family is visiting the Mornington Peninsula or Gippsland for a reunion, or you live locally and don’t want to put it off another day, a dedicated extended family photoshoot is the perfect way to preserve your story.
From playful cousins to timeless multi-generational portraits, I’ll help you create images your family will treasure for years to come.
Hi, I’m Kirstie
Photographer and adventurer
Some of my favourite childhood memories are long weekends at my aunty’s place in Mt Martha and school holidays on the family farm in South Gippsland—moments spent with cousins, siblings, and grandparents that stay with you forever.
Those memories inspire the way I capture multi-generational and extended family connections today, focusing on laughter, love, and the little moments that make your family unique.
since 2012 I’ve helped families and pet-parents preserve these memories through heirloom albums, wall art, and timeless portraits on the Mornington Peninsula and in Gippsland (and beyond), so you can relive them for years to come.
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