Skokie and Chicago North Shore
Extended Family Photography
Everyone in one frame, and then the small groups that matter just as much.
Plan the Session
What an extended family session looks like
Extended family sessions are for the times everyone is in town: grandparents visiting, cousins together for a holiday, a reunion, a milestone birthday. We start with the whole group while everyone is fresh, then work through the smaller groupings that families actually frame: each household, the grandparents with every grandchild, the siblings, the cousins.
I photograph large family groups outdoors at North Shore parks and beaches, in backyards, and inside homes when the group fits. Sessions are natural light and gently guided, so the photos look like your family on a good day rather than a line-up.
Extended family sessions are the 90-minute Full session, $500, with 30 edited images and full print rights included. Groups of six or fewer usually fit the 60-minute Classic.
Planning the groupings
Before the session we make a short list of the groups you want, from the whole family down to each pair of siblings. That list is the difference between a relaxed session and one where someone realizes on the drive home that there is no photo of grandma with the baby.
Ten to twelve groupings fit comfortably in a Full session with time left for candid moments and for the kids to run.
What you get
- A grouping list in advance: so nobody is missed and nobody waits around
- The whole group first: while toddlers and grandparents are both at their best
- Every household on its own: each family gets its own set of photos in the same gallery
- Candid time: kids running, cousins piling on, the moments that only happen when everyone is together
- Wardrobe guidance: a simple palette so twelve people look coordinated without matching
- Professionally edited images: 30 in a private online gallery with full print rights
What makes large family photos work
The whole-group photo has about ten good minutes. Toddlers, teenagers and grandparents all have limited patience, so the full group is photographed first, at the best light and before anyone is tired.
Big groups need open shade and even light. Twelve people across a frame means the light has to be even from end to end. I pick tree lines and golden hour rather than dappled light or midday sun.
A palette beats matching shirts. Two or three coordinated colors in soft, warm tones look like one family. Identical outfits flatten everyone. I send a palette in advance.
Location matters more when mobility varies. A short walk from parking, a place to sit, and no stairs make a big difference for grandparents and for parents with a baby. I plan for the least mobile person first.
Home is often the best studio. For a holiday or a visit, the living room, the porch and the backyard are where the real photos are. In-home extended family sessions work when the space has one bright room.
Extended family session pricing
Most extended family and multigenerational sessions are the $500 Full session: 90 minutes, one location and 30 edited images. Smaller groups of six or fewer usually fit the $325 Classic. Every package includes professionally edited images in a private online gallery with full print rights. Sessions within 10 miles of Skokie carry no travel fee.
View Full PricingRecent sessions
Outdoor family session at the Skokie Public Library
Relaxed outdoor direction in the heart of Skokie.
Family session at Keay Nature Center in Wilmette
Wooded paths and even light, the kind of spot that works for big groups.
In-home family session in West Rogers Park
What an at-home session looks like when the family gathers.
Common questions about extended family photography
How much does an extended family photoshoot cost?
My extended family sessions are $500 for the 90-minute Full session with 30 edited images and full print rights. Published 2026 cost guides put typical professional family sessions in the United States between about $300 and $750, and large groups with multiple households usually sit toward the top of that.
How many people can be in an extended family session?
There is no hard limit. Groups of ten to twenty are common. The Full session gives enough time for the whole group plus ten to twelve smaller groupings.
What should a large family wear for photos?
Pick a palette of two or three soft, warm colors and let each household choose within it. Avoid logos, neon and everyone in white. I send wardrobe guidance before the session.
Where do you photograph extended family sessions?
At parks and beaches in Skokie, Evanston, Wilmette, Glenview, Northbrook and across the North Shore, or at a family home. Sessions within 10 miles of Skokie carry no travel fee.
Can each family get their own photos from the session?
Yes. Every household gets its own grouping in the session, and the whole gallery is shared so each family can download and print what they want.
Where I photograph
Is everyone going to be in town?
Tell me the dates, roughly how many people, and whether grandparents or a new baby are part of the group. I will suggest a location, a start time and the grouping list.
Plan the Session