Dania Beach Lifestyle Family Photography | Extended Family Photo Session

I love our local photography community, and how we are there for each other when scheduling conflicts don’t allow us to be there for our clients. That was the case this summer when one of my photography besties needed me to capture this extended family.

I had just purchased the Fujifilm X100F, and LOVED it, so I decided to shoot this entire session with that camera. It’s fun to shoot with, and I was in the mood to have some fun!

I get asked about extended family photos a lot, and while they can be challenging, they can also be fun. As a portrait and event photographer, gathering and posing an extended family for a family formal is an easy no-brainer. And as a lifestyle family photographer, I love that I can get even a large group of people to relax and enjoy each other in front of the camera. Because the way you look at each other is always more magical than the way you look at me!

So when you get the extended family together, reach out! Because I’d love to be there to capture those memories for you.

Lifestyle Family Photographer | Fuji X100F

Every summer before we travel, I look into adding a mirrorless camera body to supplement my DSLR and lighten my load. But to save 1 lb and some size, I can never justify it when I’m just going to add a bulky DSLR lens. This year, when I was reading reviews, one mentioned the Fuji X100F. I looked it up, since several photographers I know use small Fujis as travel cameras. The models I’d looked into prior also had larger interchangeable lenses, increasing the size and the investment. However, this model, had a 35f2 fixed lens. Which is what I take when I travel, anyway! I asked around for an endorsement and looked online for reviews, and, satisfied with my research, made the purchase.

The camera arrived this afternoon. Since my favorite muses, my kids, are at sleepaway camp for the summer, I contacted one of my clients who lives nearby to see if I could borrow her kids to try out my new equipment! I know it was a long day for this mama, and I hope the extra entertainment with the kids was just the extra fun they needed to blow off some steam!

It took some research for me to figure out what all of the buttons do, and which settings will be easiest for me to work with, but by the time I headed home, I felt like I had a pretty good handle on the equipment and would feel comfortable leaving my DSLR at home for our upcoming travel. I came home and edited a few images. Here are some of my favorites from my first time using this camera.

In Home Lifestyle Photo Session | 1st Birthday Cake Smash

This family always has so much fun in front of my camera, and it always shows in their photos! This year, when we were deciding on a location to celebrate their daughter’s first birthday with a cake smash as we did for her older sister, I suggested doing the session at home. I think every family should have at least one in-home photo session. They tend to be relaxed and bring out the best in your children, because that is where they spend the most time and are the most comfortable. It also makes the logistics easy for you, and is a great way to document your home.

I’ve been looking through old photos from my grandparents, and when something familiar would appear in a photo, or the living room is where they took fancy photos and it appears over and over again, that all has meaning, and I am grateful those memories of my grandparents home are preserved. And I’m grateful I was able to preserve some memories of this awesome family in their home!

Ft Lauderdale Lifestyle Family Photographer | S Family Vacation Photo Session

This mama was one of my High School friends, who’s left The Sunshine State and resides in The Empire State. I had the pleasure of photographing her family when they were in Florida for the Spring holidays 3 years ago, and when she said they wanted to work together to capture their family’s growth, I was so excited! I love how photography allows me to stay connected to people from my past, and also, it’s always a privilege to document the same families as they evolve.

Mom sounded concerned with what to wear for their family photo session, so I suggested she send me a photo of what she had in mind. She was off to a strong start, and I replied with some suggested links and photos from Old Navy and Children’s Place to complete their look. I’m always happy to help my families style for their sessions, but I definitely try to make it easily accessible and convenient.

Next up was deciding where. Since we were photographing a morning session, it had to be somewhere with shade, so that ruled out the beach. I’m typically able to find shade in urban locations, so we met in downtown Ft Lauderdale to enjoy the morning, and their enjoyment is evident in these images!

So if you’re not local, next time you’re in the area, message me to schedule your Ft Lauderdale vacation photo session!