Spring is in full swing and we are already midway through May. One of the best things about Spring is that cherry blossoms are in bloom. These beautiful trees are only in bloom for a short time, so planning a family session at a location replete with blooms involves some planning ad flexibility. This year the cherry blossoms seemed to bloom later than usual and then once they did bloom, we had consecutive days of wind and rain, which can damage the blooms. Fortunately, I found a location that worked well for this recent family session.

I photographed this family last year for a family photo session in a family member’s lovely yard. This year, my client wanted to do a session beneath the cherry blossoms and include her parents and sister. This was a gift that she and her sister gave to their mother and I can’t think of a more thoughtful gift for any grandmother. After all, this gift is one that not only grandma will cherish, but also you and your children.

I started this particular session with the large group “posed” photo. I always start with this image because typically this is one that requires all eyes on camera and I like to capture this when the children are most attentive. Many times an larger family session like this will involve slightly more posing than a standard family session with me. Most grandparents want the traditional photos, but I also leave time in the session to also capture more interactive and connected images. It really depends on what types of “must have” images are requested by the family.

When photographing extended families with young children, it is always important to have a plan together, but it is equally as important to be flexible enough follow the lead of the children. Prior to an extended family session, I send out a questionnaire so that I know what the “must have” shots are. That allows me to make sure I can capture those during the session. With that being said, it is always important to have realistic expectations with toddlers. We may need to pivot our plans based on their mood. This means we may need to capture the children running hand in hand, or mom cuddling and consoling a crying baby, or grandma hugging the little ones. At the end of the day, these are the images that mean the most.

Here are a few images from his beautiful family’s session.