Why Multi-Generational Family Photos Matter | Family Photographer Brisbane

Every second January, the March family gets together. And every second January, I get to do the thing I love most: photograph the people I love most.

I am not just the family photographer Brisbane locals book for their sessions. I am also the daughter-in-law, sister-in-law and mum standing behind the camera at my own family reunion. And as someone who has photographed over 1,600 families across 14 years, I can tell you: there is nothing quite like photographing your own.

The Crew

This year we were in Geraldton, WA for the Christmas holidays, which meant packing the camera gear in with the beach towels and sunscreen.

Nanna Vicki gathered her two sons, Travis and Mitch, along with their families. Four granddaughters: Abbey, Layla, Sophie and Charlotte as well as the boys dad Jim and his partner Jude. Gees talk about a roll call! (aka my MIL, FIL and partner, husband, brother in law, nieces and daughters)

What Made This Session Special

There is a moment in every extended family session where something just clicks. For this one, it was watching four cousins, all girls just be together.

They did not need to be told to hug or stand close. They naturally gravitated toward each other, laughing and talking while I worked around them. That easy, familiar cousin energy that you only really see in families who make time to be in the same room together.

And then Nanna Vicki pulled out her brooches.

She had brought a brooch from her personal collection for each of her granddaughters. One for Abbey. One for Layla. One for Sophie. One for Charlotte. We stopped everything for a moment while she gave them out, and I photographed it quietly from the side. Four girls looking down at something small and precious and so VERY Vicki. Their grandmother watching them with that particular kind of pride that only grandparents seem to carry.

It is one of my favourite images from the entire session.

The Bit Nobody Tells You About Photographing Your Own Family

As the photographer, I am always the most nervous at my own family sessions.

There is a specific pressure that comes with photographing the people who matter most to you. The outfit stress is real when you are on holiday with limited luggage.

Getting everyone in the same place at the same time without it feeling like a military operation is a genuine skill. And the fear of missing something never fully goes away.

The outfits always come together in the end. Everyone shows up. And the session always has that loose, easy energy that comes from people who are genuinely comfortable with each other.

The vibe this January was exactly that. Relaxed. Beers in hand for the adults. Girls doing their thing. Nobody performing for the camera, just a family being a family, with me moving quietly around the edges to catch it.

Why I Do This Every Year Without Fail

Seeing my own girls in these photos is something I cannot fully put into words.

Sophie and Charlotte were radiant. Suddenly teenagers, growing into actual young women, their childhood very visibly sliding into their past.

There is something about seeing it in a photograph that hits differently to watching it happen in real life. In real life it is gradual. In a photo it is undeniable.

But what got me most was thinking about what these images mean in 20 years. Not just for me. For them.

Having photos of my girls with their grandparents matters more to me than almost anything.

Because the hard reality is that our grandparents will not always be here. I wish I had more photos of my own grandparents. I wish I could see, clearly and beautifully captured, the love and pride and quiet leadership they brought to our family. That particular way a grandparent looks at a grandchild. That feeling of being completely safe in someone's presence.

That is what I am photographing when I photograph a family like ours.

What this means for you - Family Photographer Brisbane

If you have been sitting on the idea of a family reunion session, for your extended family, your parents, your siblings and their kids, this is your nudge.

Not because photos are important in some abstract way. Because the people in them will not always be at the same table. Because your kids are already different from who they were this time last year. Because one day you will want to show them exactly how it felt to be all together, in that season, at that age.

As a family photographer in Brisbane with over 14 years experience, I have seen what happens when families finally get around to booking. They always say the same thing: I wish we had done this sooner.

Book your own extended family session here before the next reunion sneaks up on you.

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About the Author

Natarsha March is an award-winning Brisbane newborn, baby and family photographer with over 15 years of experience and more than 1,600 families photographed. She is known for her relaxed, stress-free sessions where mums and kids actually enjoy themselves (yes, it is possible). Based in Bunya, Brisbane, Tarsh creates natural, heartfelt images that focus on real connection, not stiff poses. If you are looking for a trusted photographer in Brisbane who makes the whole experience feel easy, Family Photography by Natarsha March is your girl.