Extended Family Photography in Indianapolis | The Davis Family at Coxhall Gardens

Just recently I photographed my first extended family photo session of the year at none other than the lovely Coxhall Gardens in Carmel, Indiana. I get the opportunity to shoot a few of these extended family sessions each year and savor every tiny moment of them. They have become something I truly treasure, even when meeting folks for the first time when I arrive. I think it’s because the longer I am in this business, the more and more it resonates with me that when we take photos with the ones we love, those photos are not just for us, but for the generations that surround us, as well. These are how we document our stories, our changing lives. It’s how we show we were here, we lived, we loved, and we laughed.

It was something I had been thinking on for a while, but it really hit me when a client and friend shared with me a few years ago that she had lots of photos of herself growing up, but none of them were with her mom and she wanted to make sure that she was in the photos with her kids as they grow. My own mom, who is reading this now (Hi, Mom!) just LOVVEEESSS having her picture taken. Nope, just kidding. She hates it. And her mom before her hated it and the truth is, I’m not always so fond of being in front of the camera myself, but I’m working on that. So, at least once a year now, I pull out the tripod and remote and convince her to get into the frame with me and my siblings. The photos are silly, they’re not all in focus, but their filled with laughter and I think they are absolutely perfect… because it’s US. And as we grow and change, I can look back fondly on these times and see that we were all together, in one shot, just our family and at all stages of life.

I feel the same way about these extended family photos whether it’s my family or yours. So when Courtney and Jared reached out last fall to book some surprise sessions as gifts to their family, my heart just about melted. They recently got married in December and wanted to make sure there was plenty of time for family photos. What better way to do so than with a separate session? It’s not too often you get grandkids and parents and grandparents all in one photo and I love when it happens! This is the result!

CAN’T. STOP. GIGGLING.

casey and her camera offers extended family photography in Indianapolis and specializes in couple, lifestyle, senior, wedding and family photography for Indianapolis, Indiana and the surrounding areas.