Extended Family Photos in Hawaii Marissa HB Photography

Traveling to Oahu with your extended family? Grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins — a multi-generation trip to Hawaii is exactly the moment to get everyone in one beautiful photo, and it happens less often than any of us would like. I photograph extended families all over Oahu, and large groups are truly my favorite sessions: the energy, the teasing between siblings, grandparents watching grandkids play in the sand — that’s the good stuff.

This session — a wonderful 11-person crew spanning three generations — took place near Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore, one of my favorite home bases for big family groups: gorgeous photo locations are steps from the rooms, which matters more than you’d think when you’re moving eleven people at sunrise. (Staying on the North Shore? You can learn more at this Turtle Bay family photographer page.)

What we capture in an extended family session

With a large group, I structure our time so nobody’s standing around and everyone has photos that matter to them:

The whole crew together — the big group photo that ends up on everyone’s wall (and holiday card)
Each individual family unit — every household gets their own set of family portraits
The grandparents with all the grandkids — often the most treasured photos of the entire session – imagine a snapshot of the grandparents faces seeing their grandkids running to them!
Couples and individual shots — anniversaries, proposals, new baby announcements, new parents, seniors, whoever has a milestone to mark, we can capture that as well!

The photos in this post show a few of those setups from one session — and we captured even more than what’s pictured here.

Can you really photograph a group our size?

Yes — happily. The family in this post was 11 people across three generations, and I’ve comfortably photographed extended family groups of up to 30 with my NIU collection (additional family members beyond the included 13 are easy to add). The more family members, the less time we have for each group, but it is possible. Years of multi-generation sessions on Oahu’s beaches mostly come down to this: keeping things moving, keeping the kids happy, and knowing the group arrangements that flatter everyone. If you have a large family — you are exactly who I love to photograph, and no, your group is not too big.

Tips for a smooth extended family session

Book early. Big groups have complicated calendars — lock the session the moment your travel dates are set, and I’ll help you pick the best morning of your trip.
Sunrise is your friend. jet lag will work in your favor if you schedule it early on in your trip, littles do much better in the morning, there are empty beaches for a group your size which is what we need, and it is still during golden hour – just like sunset! Whether we have complete direct light vs. indirect light just depends on the side of the island we’re at. For the north shore at Turtle Bay, we would have direct lighting at sunrise.
Coordinate, don’t match. A palette (soft neutrals, blues, creams) across households looks intentional; identical outfits look dated. Booked families get my full styling guide with links!
Assign one point person. One organized auntie coordinating outfits and arrival time makes everything effortless. There’s always one — you know who they are. Just make sure everyone reads the Styling guide, the session prep guide, and the information on where to meet!

Ready to get everyone in the photo?

If you’re planning extended family photos on Oahu, fill out my inquiry form here with your travel dates, group size, and where you’re staying — I respond to every inquiry personally, usually within hours and always the same day. If I do not answer, the quicker way is to text me! 808-997-4642.

Also planning photos for just your own household while you’re here? Visit my Oahu family photographer page for everything about standard family sessions.