Getting an entire extended family together is no small feat. Between different schedules, different cities, busy kids, and everything else life brings, there are plenty of reasons to keep putting family photos off.
That’s why a family vacation or reunion at Bear Lake can be the perfect opportunity to finally make it happen.
I recently photographed an extended family session at Bear Lake, creating a collection of portraits that documented everyone together in one of the most beautiful settings in Northern Utah.
As a Bear Lake extended family photographer, I love helping families turn their time together into something they can keep long after the vacation ends.
Why Bear Lake Is Perfect for Extended Family Photos
Bear Lake gives us so much variety without requiring a complicated photography location.
The beach creates a relaxed, natural setting for large group portraits, while the water and surrounding mountains add beautiful depth to the photographs.
It’s especially convenient when your family is already gathering in Garden City for a vacation. Instead of adding another destination to everyone’s schedule, we can simply make family photos part of the trip.
And because the setting is naturally beautiful, the photographs don’t need to feel overly formal.
Extended Family Photos Don’t Have to Be Stiff
With a large family, it’s easy to picture everyone lined up in rows for one giant photograph.
We’ll definitely get that classic everyone-together portrait.
But that’s only part of the session.
I also like to photograph smaller combinations throughout the time we have together:
- Grandparents with grandchildren
- Individual families
- Siblings
- Cousins
- Couples
- Individual portraits
This gives everyone photographs that feel more personal and tells a fuller story of the family.
Make Family Photos Part of the Vacation
If your family is already traveling to Bear Lake, scheduling photography can be one of the easiest ways to document your time together.
You don’t need to plan an entire weekend around the photo session.
Choose an evening, gather everyone together, and let me handle the photography while you enjoy being with your family.
A few years from now, those photographs can become a reminder of the vacation, the people who were there, and the season of life your family was in.
What to Wear for Bear Lake Family Photos
For a large group, coordinating outfits is usually easier than trying to match everyone exactly.
I recommend choosing a small color palette and letting each family choose clothing within those colors.
Soft neutrals, blues, greens, warm earth tones, and other colors inspired by the natural surroundings at Bear Lake tend to photograph beautifully.
The goal is to look cohesive without making everyone look like they’re wearing a uniform.
Your Bear Lake Family Photographer
Extended family photography is about more than fitting everyone into one photograph.
It’s about documenting the relationships within your family and preserving the rare occasions when everyone is together.
As a Bear Lake extended family photographer, I love creating galleries that give families both the classic group portrait and the smaller, more personal photographs they’ll treasure.
If you’re planning a family reunion, vacation, or gathering in Garden City or around Bear Lake, I’d love to help you turn that time together into photographs you’ll have for generations.
McKayla is a Brigham City photographer, wife, and mom who has loved photography since receiving her first camera at 14. After five years as a history teacher, she followed her passion and now photographs full-time, bringing her natural storytelling skills and love of people to every session.
She specializes in weddings, family and extended family sessions, and commercial photography throughout Brigham City, Cache Valley, Logan Canyon, the Wellsvilles, Mendon, and Bear Lake.
September 17, 2026
McKayla Vincent
