Some sessions are just built for joy from the start, and this one was one of them.
Alison found me through a referral from a longtime client (hi Jen — thank you!), and when she told me what she had in mind, I was so honoured and excited to be part of it: a family session for 12 people, planned as a gift for her dad’s 70th birthday.
Twelve people. Grandma and grandpa, their three kids and spouses, and four grandchildren, all gathered at Centennial Beach for an evening of photos to mark a milestone birthday. That’s the kind of session that could easily feel chaotic — but with this crew, it was just plain fun.
The light had other plans (but we made it work!)
It wasn’t the sunniest or warmest day down at the beach, but sometimes that works in our favour. The clouds gave us soft, even light across the whole session, and whenever the sun peeked through, I chased it, angling for those moments where it broke through the clouds and added a little glow to the group.
Three boys, a hundred questions, and zero dull moments
Alison’s three boys were an absolute delight to work with. Friendly, chatty, and full of personality, especially her youngest, who had a question for me about pretty much everything. That kind of energy makes my job so much easier. Genuine, authentic moments happen naturally when kids feel comfortable enough to just be themselves, and this session had that in spades.
Every combination, covered
With a group this size, there’s a real art to making sure everyone gets the shots that matter to them. We worked through it all: each individual family unit, all four grandkids together, grandpa with all his grandkids at once, and then grandpa with each grandchild individually. Those one-on-one grandparent shots are always some of my favourites; they’re the ones that tend to mean the most once framed and hung on the wall.
It was a fast-paced, high-energy evening, but that’s exactly what a session like this calls for. Big families bring big love, and my job is just to keep up and capture it as it happens.
Happy 70th birthday to Alison’s dad. Such a gift to be surrounded by this much family, and a true honour for me to help capture it.
Thinking about a multi-generational family session of your own? Whether it’s a milestone birthday, a reunion, or just a “let’s finally get everyone together” kind of day, I’d love to help you capture it. Book a session →
Eran Sudds is a Tsawwassen photographer who specializes in fun & natural sessions for you and your entire family. She is available for maternity, newborn, family portraits and headshots at locations in South Delta, or anywhere in the Lower Mainland. Contact her to book your session!
