Extended Family Photos at Henderson Beach State Park

Destin, Florida is a great place for extended families to vacation together. From fishing and parasailing to relaxing by the beach and trying amazing seafood, there are a variety of activities that the whole family will enjoy. As a Destin photographer, I’ve had the opportunity to photograph many extended families while they’re visiting. These end up being some of my favorite sessions because there are so many combinations of people to capture such as immediate families, cousins, and grandparents with the little ones. When Sadie reached out about photographing her family, she mentioned how she and her sisters are best friends and their kids were all 4 and under. I was immediately excited about working with her because I’m also really close to my sister and our kids are the same ages. I could easily picture the kind of photos I would want if I were in her shoes and was excited to make those come to life.

We took their photos at Henderson Beach State Park. It is one of my favorite photo shoot locations in Destin because there are several backgrounds to choose from including the beach, sand dunes without condos in the background, and a nature trail with white sand and greenery (you can see more photos I’ve taken there in this post). Also, it’s less crowded than public beaches and has plenty of parking. We had the most beautiful evening with little wind, a few clouds, and a stunning sunset. Their dresses picked up the pink and purple tones in the sky perfectly. I love when clients wear shades of pink because it pops really well against the white sand and blue water. These long, flowy dresses also added some movement with the beachy breeze.

At all of my shoots I get a mix of posed and candid photos. One of the most challenging parts of extended family photo shoots is getting everyone to smile and look at the camera in the same picture. Thankfully with photo editing I’m able to swap heads and faces to compile a perfect picture if needed. This is especially helpful when toddlers and babies are involved! I find that letting little ones play is the best way to get natural smiles. Plus capturing their sweet interactions is so special. Below are additional photos from this extended family photo shoot in Destin:

Is your family visiting the Emerald Coast soon? I’m a Destin photographer and would love to capture your extended family! Click here to let me know about your upcoming trip.