When you’re photographing a full family with lots of kids, one of the biggest goals is making sure the session feels fun instead of like a long stretch of “everyone smile at the camera.” This Tony Grove family session was a perfect example of how a little variety—and plenty of time—can make all the difference.
With adorable matching outfits, multiple locations, and lots of room for the kids to move and play, this family session was full of the kind of moments I love capturing.
Start With the Trail
We started this full family session at a trail in Tony Grove. The mountain scenery immediately gave us a beautiful backdrop, but starting somewhere the kids could move around also helped ease everyone into the session.
When you have a lot of kids in one family, it can take a little time to get everyone looking, smiling, and ready for the camera at the exact same moment. That’s why I love having a full session instead of trying to rush through everything.
We had time to let the kids warm up, capture individual families and smaller groupings, and get plenty of those big full-family photographs along the way.
And the matching outfits? Absolutely adorable.
A Change of Scenery Helps Kids Stay Engaged
One of my favorite parts of this session was that we didn’t stay in one spot.
After photographing at the trail, the whole family piled into their big van and we drove together to Tony Grove Lake.
That little change was actually really helpful. When you’re photographing a family with several kids, moving to a new location gives everyone a chance to reset. Instead of asking kids to stand in the same place and smile for an extended period of time, we get a fresh backdrop and a new reason to explore.
Tony Grove makes this especially easy because there are so many beautiful areas close together.
Why Full Family Sessions Are Worth the Extra Time
For a large family, I love having enough time to photograph more than just one big group portrait.
A full session gives us time for the whole family, individual family units, siblings, parents with their children, and all of the little combinations that you might not think about until you see the finished gallery.
It also gives kids time to be kids.
There were plenty of opportunities during this session to get genuine smiles and playful moments because we weren’t trying to squeeze everything into a few rushed minutes.
Sometimes the best way to get a great smile is to stop trying so hard to get one.
Let the Kids Have a Reward at the End
And then came the reward.
After all that smiling, moving, and cooperating, the kids got to do what they really wanted to do: throw rocks.
Honestly, this is one of my favorite approaches to family photography. Kids don’t need to be perfectly behaved for an entire session. Give them something to look forward to, let them have some fun, and suddenly getting through family photos feels a whole lot easier.
And sometimes those end-of-session activities create some of the most memorable images.
Family Photos at Tony Grove
Tony Grove is one of my favorite places for mountain family photography in Cache Valley. Between the trails, trees, mountain scenery, and Tony Grove Lake, there is plenty of variety without needing to spend the entire session driving from one location to another.
For larger families, that variety can be especially valuable.
You can start with more traditional family portraits, move into playful interactions, change locations, and finish with the kids exploring and having fun. The result is a gallery that feels like your family—not just a collection of everyone looking at the camera.
Planning Your Tony Grove Family Photos?
If you’re looking for a Tony Grove family photographer, a full session can be a great option for families with multiple children or anyone who wants more variety in their final gallery.
I’ll help you make the most of the location, build in enough time for everyone to warm up, and keep the session moving so your kids aren’t expected to stand still and smile for an hour.
Because the goal isn’t just to get one perfect family photo. It’s to document your family exactly as you are right now—including the matching outfits, the mountain adventure, the van ride, the smiles, and maybe even a little rock throwing.
Kylee is the owner and founder of Kylee Ann Studios, where she’s spent more than 15 years building a photography business rooted in creativity, connection, and serving her clients well. She’s a mom, business owner, and photographer who loves making people feel comfortable and capturing the real moments that make their stories unique.
She specializes in commercial and brand photography, family photography, weddings, and more throughout Cache Valley and Northern Utah.
October 1, 2026
Kylee Maughan
