Three Generations, Seven Little Ones & a Sunset on Mille Lacs Lake
Some photography sessions are special because of the location. Some are special because of the people. And every once in a while, you get a session that is meaningful for both.
Over Labor Day weekend, I had the absolute joy of photographing three generations of a very special family at their lake place on Mille Lacs Lake.
This one was especially meaningful to me because the family I was photographing belongs to my best friend from high school, Christine. Her family has a long history with this lake place. It originally belonged to her dad, who passed away 25 years ago, and today it continues to be a place where family gathers, memories are made, and the next generation gets to experience a little piece of that family history.
And what better way to celebrate that legacy than with photographs?
Seven kids. Six and under. Let the chaos begin. ❤️
I'm not going to lie—photographing seven children age six and under is an adventure!
There was plenty of movement, plenty of personality, lots of laughter, and more than a few moments of beautiful chaos. But honestly, that's exactly what I love about family photography.
Real families aren't perfectly posed all the time.
Kids wiggle. They run. They laugh. They look in completely different directions. They make each other laugh. Sometimes they cooperate beautifully, and sometimes...well, we just go with it!
And those are often the moments that become some of my favorite photographs.
Three generations together
We made sure to capture the whole family together, along with special photographs of the grandparents with their grandchildren.
There is something incredibly special about seeing multiple generations in one photograph. These aren't just pictures of people standing together—they're photographs that document a family story.
The grandparents will be able to look back and remember what those little personalities were like at this age. The kids will eventually be able to look at these photographs and see themselves surrounded by the people who loved them most.
And someday, they'll be the ones telling their own children about the lake where their family gathered.
Each family got their own time, too
In addition to the large family photographs, we spent time photographing each individual family— DJ & Deja and Anthony & Sarah with their children.
|
|
These smaller groupings gave us a chance to capture each family's own personalities and connections while still being part of the larger family story.
|
|
|
|
Because with a family this size, you definitely want more than just one photograph of everyone together!
And then came the sunset...
As the evening went on, Mille Lacs Lake gave us the most beautiful gift—a gorgeous sunset.
The light stretched across the water, turning the sky into shades of blue, orange and gold. The kids, the lake, the family and that beautiful evening light all came together in a way that you simply can't manufacture.
But even more than the beautiful light, I loved knowing what this place represents to this family.
A lake place that belonged to Christine's dad.
A place that has been part of her family's story for decades.
A place where her children and grandchildren are now creating their own memories.
And now, these photographs will become part of that history, too.
More than just family pictures
That's what I love about family photography.
It's not really about getting everyone to smile at the camera.
It's about preserving who you are right now.
The little faces. The crazy hair. The toddler personalities. The way grandparents look at their grandchildren. The way siblings interact. The hugs, the laughter, the chaos—and even the moments when nobody is looking at the camera.
Because someday, these ordinary moments won't be ordinary anymore.
They'll be memories.
And I'm so grateful that I got to be there to capture a little piece of this family's story.
