I sincerely love photographing a family more than once over the years. You get to see how everyone has grown and changed, and you get to pick up right where you left off. That’s exactly what happened when Tina and her crew met me at Centennial Beach this August.
Two years later, and so much has changed
The last time I photographed this group was two years ago, also at Centennial. One of my favourite shots from that session was the whole family posed with Tina’s husband’s Jeep. It’s still one of those images that makes me smile every time I see it.
A lot has happened since then. Tina and her family have moved back home to Tsawwassen from Hong Kong. Her eldest is now part of Delta Youth Theatre alongside my son, and the two of them have become great buddies. So this session felt a little like catching up with friends, which is the best kind of session there is.
The whole crew
This was a true extended family session. We had Tina’s parents, Tina with her husband and their three kids, and Tina’s sister with her two kids. And of course, the family dog, who absolutely earned a spot in the gallery.
What stood out right away was how much fun this group has together. There was lots of laughing, teasing, and silliness, and nobody was taking themselves too seriously. Every one of the kids has their own distinct personality, and each one is perfect in their own way. My job was just to keep up and catch it all.
Exploring new corners of Centennial
Since we’d already done the classic Centennial shots last time, we switched things up. We wandered the trails, found some new spots among the trees, and spent time on my favourite boardwalk area. Centennial has so many different looks packed into one park, and it was fun to show this family a few new sides of it.
Every combination we could think of
With a group this size, I always try to capture every combination possible, because you never know which one will end up framed on the wall. We got:
- The whole crew together
- Each individual family
- All the grandkids together
- Grandparents with the grandkids
- Grandparents on their own
- Individual portraits of the kids
- And plenty of the family dog
These groupings matter. Years from now, the photo of the cousins squished together or the grandparents surrounded by all their grandkids might be the one that means the most.
An afternoon full of joy
This was just a genuinely joyful afternoon. Thank you, Tina, for trusting me with your family again. I loved seeing how everyone has grown, and I can’t wait to see what the next two years bring.
Thinking about photos with your whole family? Extended family sessions are some of my favourites to photograph. Get in touch here and let’s make it happen.
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!
