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Extended Family Sessions

black cursive logo reading "Laura Priestley Photography"
an extended family poses together in front of a row of Christmas trees on a tree farm in Fairmont, WV
grandparents pose with their grandchildren sitting on an antique truck
a father and his adult daughters pose for a portrait
four generations of family pose together on benches, chairs and standing, for a family portrait
four little cousins sit in the grass and laugh
a grandfather makes his grandson laugh while parents and cousins look on
a grandchild sits on a bridge and laughs
a mother and her adult daughters pose for a portrait
grandparents, great-grandmother, children and grandchildren pose on a tree-lined street for a family portrait
grandparents, children and grandchildren stand in front of beautiful autumn leaves
a large family poses with grandparents, parents and children in front of beautiful waterfalls
three generations of family gather in a grassy field with trees in the background

Portraiture for extended families

requires a different approach and skill set than a typical photo session with a nuclear family does. There are typically many moving parts to orchestrate during a session with so many subjects (and-- if your family consists of young family units with small children-- some of those "moving parts" are tiny humans who have zero desire to stand still and pay attention for any great length of time!)


An extended family session that is enjoyable for clients and productive of beautiful images requires a photographer who possesses much more than technical competence in photography itself. A successful session also requires a photographer (or photography team) that is skilled in managing and directing crowds, understands posing a large, diverse group that may have various physical needs and limitations, and is flexible and creative to be able to adapt their plan and poses as needed in the moment.


With extensive experience caring for and teaching children, years of experience shooting weddings (which require those same management and crowd-control skills) and nearly two decades of work in various client care fields, I'm here to provide your extended family with a portrait session that is efficient, professional, and compassionately tailored to best serve each member of your family, whatever they may need.


I have had the honor of serving portrait clients with a wide range of special needs, medical conditions, and disabilities; I am confident that a wonderful plan can be made to serve your family as well!


Extended family sessions are offered both in beautiful outdoor locations as well as in a comfortable indoor studio environment. Not sure which setting is best suited for your family's needs? Get in touch, and I can help you sort out the best plan for your specific situation!


Send me a message when you're ready to discuss your hopes for your family's portraits, and we'll make it happen!

three cousins sit on a little sled on a tree farm while a fourth cousin strains to pull the sled
Image of a great-grandmother with her adult children
grandmother poses with her daughters and granddaughters with beautiful hills in the background

Extended Family Session Pricing


Every booking starts with the session retainer fee, ($400 for extended family sessions)

which is your only up-front cost prior to seeing your images.

The session retainer fee is paid when you book your session; it covers my time, talent and equipment, all the costs of planning and preparing for your session, and the session time itself. No digital images or print products are included in your session fee.


I do not place a time limit on your session; my focus is on creating beautiful images to fill your gallery. A typical family session usually takes around 45 -60 minutes; sessions with small children may be shorter or longer depending on their attention spans.


Two weeks after your session, it's Gallery Day!

You will receive an email link to your proofing gallery full of all the final, beautifully-edited images we created during our session together.


In the comfort of your own home, with your proofing gallery in front of you on your device, you may then choose exactly the digital image and/or print products you would like to purchase from your session, and order those directly from your proofing gallery in a few clicks of your keyboard.


Some of my clients prefer to have professional guidance in choosing and ordering physical products from my pro lab connected to their gallery. (Canvases, wall art, etc.)

For these clients, I also offer complimentary in-person ordering services (according to my seasonal availability.) I can come to your home with size and paper finish samples so that you can visualize exactly what you want to order for your home, and help you with the design and ordering process from start to finish.


Prices of physical/printed products vary widely according to the specifics desired.

If you have questions about a specific print product, please let me know and I will source the information you need!

Start the Booking Process:

four young cousins hug and smile for a portrait