You may recognize a few faces in this extended family session- Amber and Chris were some of my first clients, and I have had the joy of capturing their family every year as their family has grown.

This time, Amber brought the whole clan!

We were really worried about the weather on this one- the forecast suddenly changed, and we were looking at downpours at the time of their session!

It’s so difficult to get everyone’s schedule to line up for an extended family session like this, so postponing was the last thing we wanted to do.

After discussing the possibility of rain, frizzy hair, a shorter or interrupted session, and wet grass, we decided to push back the session by thirty minutes- when there was supposed to be a break in the storms. We even brought clear umbrellas just in case the rain started up again.

It ended up being the best decision! The rain was basically done by the time everyone arrived, and the cloudy sky added in a little bit of drama in the background.

With so many little kids, I brought my husband, Allen, along for backup support. He did a little bit of everything for me this session. He took pictures, carried all of the equipment, ran the bubble machines, and helped keep the kids focused and entertained.

We borrowed a bubble machine from my sister-in-law- it seriously made the best bubbles! We also had a bubble gun that gave lots of giant bubbles. We used the bubbles as an incentive for the kids to smile and pose, and then let them go crazy! It was a blast! We even managed to use it for a few posed pictures. We decided we definitely needed to invest in a few bubble machines for future sessions.

Towards the end of the session, the sun finally came out! Not only did we get some beautiful sunlight to add some variety, but a rainbow appeared right over Lake Michigan!

Of course, we had to get a few photos before it disappeared- the guys even got a little silly with it. This is why I try not to cancel based on the weather. Unless it’s truly dangerous out, we almost always have a gorgeous outcome when we push through and just have fun- even in the rain!

Enjoy these pictures from the extended family session- complete with bubbles, rainbows, and sunshine!

Thanks for reading!

~Carissa