SAN CLEMENTE | ORANGE COUNTY
EXTENDED FAMILY &LEGACY PORTRAITS
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Four generations all together at the same time is rare. The portrait of it is the part that lasts.
multi-generation | in-studio & on-location | 20 years
A SEASON WORTH DOCUMENTING
for the family that's finally in the same room
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You know the kind of visit I'm talking about. The grandkids are little. Your parents are still here. Everyone is healthy enough, in town long enough, in the same room long enough, that for a few days the whole family exists in one place at one time.
A visit like that doesn't come back the way it was. An extended family portrait in Orange County, studio or on location, is how you hold onto it.
A NOTE FROM JULIE
I lost my father unexpectedly.
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A few months before he died, I took portraits with my brothers and their families, my parents and my husband and kids. All of us together, not knowing it would be the last. I have those pictures. I have him with my children. I have my mom sitting in his lap with a pure expression of love. I have my whole family in one frame.
I think about that almost every time I pick up my camera.
A lot of people don't have these pictures. They know they don't.
And one day, someone is going to wish they did.
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You will never look at a portrait of your family and wish you hadn't done it.
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In-Studio Sessions
In-studio extended family sessions take place at the private San Clemente photography studio. The light is consistent, the wardrobe curated for your decor and needs, and the whole experience feels editorial and unhurried. Studio sessions tend to age the most beautifully because they aren't tied to a season or a setting.
EDITORIAL | TIMELESS | WEATHER-PROOF
on-location Sessions
On-location extended family sessions happen at the beach, at a park, on a property meaningful to the family, or at the home itself. These sessions feel more relaxed and lifestyle, with golden-hour coastal light and the sense that comes with photographing a family where they actually live their lives or visit often. Common locations include San Clemente, Dana Point, Laguna Beach and Newport Beach.
lifestyle | coastal | at home
HOW A SESSION WORKS
HOW AN EXTENDED FAMILY SESSION WORKS
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Extended family sessions are planned around the people, not the calendar. Whoever is in town. Whatever weekend works. We talk through who's coming, where they're traveling from, who needs the most help getting ready, and what the day should feel like before anyone arrives.
The session itself is calm. Everyone is directed, including the husbands who don't want to be there. The kids have fun. The grandparents feel taken care of. Nobody is left standing in the wrong spot wondering what to do with their hands.
You'll get the full family together first, then the generations, then the couples, then the individuals. By the time we're done, every relationship in the family has its own portrait.
01
CONSULTATION
We talk through who's coming, the timing, the location, what everyone should wear, and what you want to walk away with. Pricing is discussed thoroughly.
02
session day
Hair and makeup is available for the women who want it. The session runs in a clear order so nobody is wondering what is going on. We build a clear plan so you don't have to manage anything that day.
03
ordering & design
Two weeks after the session, the decision makers who can come to studio will meet there to see their images. Others can join by Zoom. We design wall art, albums, and prints together.
04
delivery
Digital images delivered within three weeks of payment. Wall art and albums arrive within 5 weeks or less of image approval. Then they go on the wall.
the result
WHAT YOU WALK AWAY WITH
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Portraits meant to be lived, not stored on a phone.
01 Framed wall art for your home
02 heirloom albums for each branch of the family
03 matted prints in portfolio box
04 fully edited digital files of every image you select
05 a complete record of who was here, all together, at one time
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Albums are popular for extended family sessions for a specific reason. Each adult child can take one home.
The grandparents keep one. Everyone has the same family in their hands.
the investment
NO SURPRISES.
DISCUSSED UP FRONT.
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$395
SESSIONS BEGIN AT
$1,590
IMAGE COLLECTIONS - FROM
Most extended families invest between $3,500 and $15,000.
There is always something for everybody. Some clients walk away with a single portrait for the mantel. Others fill albums for every branch of the family and redecorate the wall in the dining room. The investment is yours to set, and we talk through it before the session, never after.
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who this is for
for the woman bringing the family together
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This is for the woman who is usually the one holding the family together. The one who notices when nobody has had a real picture taken in years. The one who books the trips, sets the table, and remembers the birthdays.
It's for the family with everyone in town for a weekend, a holiday, a milestone, a celebration, or no reason at all except that the calendar finally lined up.
It's for the matriarch who knows what these portraits will mean in twenty years, and who isn't waiting for someone else to make it happen.
If that's you, we should talk.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
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How far in advance should I book an extended family session in Orange County?
Six to eight weeks is ideal, more if it is during a holiday, and especially if family is traveling in for a specific window. Holiday weekends and summer fill up first. If you have a hard date, call as soon as you know.
Where do extended family sessions take place?
Most happen at the studio in San Clemente or on location at a home, beach, or a property meaningful to the family. Common outdoor locations include San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Irvine and Newport Beach. We discuss this at the consultation and choose what works best for the group.
What's the difference between an in-studio and on-location session?
Studio sessions feel more fine art and editorial and timeless, as well as weather-proof. The light is controlled, the wardrobe sits cleanly against different backdrops at the studio. The experience is more relaxed and unhurried. On-location sessions feel relaxed and lifestyle, often at the beach or a private property. Both produce beautiful results. The right choice depends on the family and the look you want.
How many people can be in the session?
There is no hard limit. Extended families ranging from eight to twenty-five people have been photographed. Larger groups simply take a little more time and a little more direction. Both are built into the session.
What should everyone wear for an extended family portrait session?
Wardrobe is discussed in detail at the consultation. As a general rule, coordinate without matching. Soft neutrals, ivories, denim, and warm earth tones photograph beautifully and read as timeless rather than dated.
How long does the session take?
Plan for a minimum of ninety minutes and up to two hours. The full group, every generation, each couple, and the individula portraits are all captured in that window. By the end, every relationship in the family has its own image.
What does an extended family session in Orange County typically cost?
Most extended families invest between $3,500 and $15,000 once wall ar and albums are included. Session fees start at $395 for weekday sessions and $495 for weekend sessions. Image collections start at $1,590. Pricing is discussed thoroughly at the consultation so there are no surprises.
Can each adult child receive their own album from the session?
Yes, and many families do exactly this. Bonus albums are offered at fifty percent off the original album price, which makes it possible for every branch of the family to take one home.
My parents are getting older. Is it too soon, or are we waiting to long?
If you're asking the question, it's time. The right time to take these portraits is while everyone still has the opportunity to be together, and you never know when that will change.
Photographed by Julie Boucher. 15 years in San Clemente. More about Julie ⟶
areas served
extended family portrait sessions across orange county
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san clemente | dana point | laguna niguel | laguna beach |
san juan capistrano | newport beach | irvine | mission viejo | aliso viejo | COTO DE CAZA | LADERA RANCH | RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA
CONTINUE READING
FROM THE JOURNAL
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BEGIN YOUR EXPERIENCE
while everyone is still here
Book a consultation and we'll talk through who's coming, when, and what you want to walk away with. Twenty years of experience. A private studio in San Clemente. A small number of families on the calendar each month.
Julie Irene Photography captures maternity, newborns babies, family, fine art and headshots in Orange County
san clemente, ca
Follow @JULIEIRENE
Dr. Christina Jenkins is a board-certified colorectal surgeon who also runs an aesthetic medicine clinic in Irvine. She built both practices around one idea: that patients deserve to feel heard, safe, and genuinely cared for.
She came in a little camera-shy. She left with these.
That`s the job.
She Means Business sessions booking now. Link in bio.
@NuVieMD
#shemeansbusiness #sanclementephotographer #brandingphotographer #ocwomenentrepreneurs #orangecountyphotographer
This is what an extended family session actually looks like before you see the final images.
Two strobes on the beach are a must with this many people if you plan on getting that gorgeous sunset perfect. Twenty-some people in eucalyptus trees requires hauling some stools.
Then you have me trying to get everyone to look the same direction at the same time, which never happens.... but good thing I know how to head swap!
Swipe to the last slide.
That`s the part they actually hang on the wall.
#extendedFamilyPhotography #SanClemente #OrangeCountyPhotographer #familyportraits #southOC
Yesterday I took a mental break. I’ve been dealing with some perimenopause symptoms for the last few years and the worst part of it all has been my sleep.
2am. Wide awake. Again.
my mind goes from thing to thing – nothing important, not one clear thought I could actually grab onto. I’m laying there doing breathing exercises, hoping that will help but sometimes that just makes me more aware that I’m still awake. My heart’s going a little faster than it should be. I’ve read enough about cortisol at this point to understand why, but understanding something and being able to fix it are two different things.
I have been doing everything. Functional medicine appointments, every few months, bloodwork, daily workouts because they’re supposed to help, supplements I could fill a small cabinet with. I just received a cooling mattress pad last week in hopes that will help as well. I cut off all caffeine after 10 AM. Even warm showers at night. Next step I’m gonna consider acupuncture.
Some months are great. Then all of a sudden weeks will go by without one good night sleep.
The thing that nobody told me about Perry menopause is that it’s different for everybody. Nobody hands you and manual, and most of the advice you get doesn’t actually apply to you.
I’m figuring it out. Slowly. Some nights are better than others.
If you’re in the same place, I generally love to know what’s helping you. I’m sharing this for another reason then I know I’m not the only one lying awake at 2 AM doing math and how many hours of sleep I can still get.
The women who book She Means Business sessions are usually the ones who have been doing kick ass things for years and still don`t have images that show for it.
They`ve got speaking gigs, writing books, and clients who trust them — and a headshot from 2016 they`re quietly embarrassed by every time they have to use it.
The session is a full day at my San Clemente studio. Hair and makeup. Multiple looks. Behind-the-scenes footage they can use for their businesses. A feature in the She Means Business Orange County magazine at the end of the campaign. As well as an invitation to the campaign-end Gallery Exhibition.
We still have space for 17 more amazing women. If you`ve been meaning to do this, this is the one for you!
Link in bio to start the conversation.
Summer is almost upon us. This is the time of year the whole family may actually be in the same place.
Cousins running around and having fun. The grandparents getting all their hugs and snuggles in with the grandkids. Someone is grilling and there is always that one complaining about the sand or heat. And sadly, nobody has thought about portraits — because why would they? The moment feels infinite.
It isn`t.
I`ve been photographing families for almost 20 years, and the sessions I think about most are the extended family ones. Not because they are the most complicated to coordinate (they are), but because I feel they are the most important. From personal experience I had these done before my father passed and those photos I treasure the most.
If your family is together this summer, it`s worth a conversation with everyone to make it happen.
My studio is in San Clemente. Sessions booked by retainer, and summer fills faster than people expect. If you`ve been thinking about reaching out, the sooner the better.
