My tips for family photos with your adult children.


Every life stage is worth capturing! Yes, the newborn cuddles are sweet, the preschool tickles are fun and the teenage years may be full of sassiness... but there's something so amazing about photographing a family with adult children. Every family, no matter the age, can have their tenderness documented! I met up with this sweet family in the Issaquah Highlands one summer evening. This location was quiet and offered a lot of variety. There were tall grasses, mountain views and plentiful trees. Let's walk through my tips for photographing a family with adult children.

Issaquah highlands family portrait by Issaquah Family Photographer
Brother giving sister a piggy back in Issaquah
Black and white photo of sister laughing on brothers back in Issaquah Highlands by Redmond Family Photographer
Brother sister laughing in a photo taken by Redmond Family Photographer

To hug or not to hug?


This will vary from family to family and relationship to relationship. Some adult children like to hug it out with siblings, mom and/or dad. Others prefer their space. In my pre-session family questionnaire, I ask this question in order to avoid awkward prompts to hug it out if you prefer space. Or to know that hugging is one of your love languages and to give lots of opportunities for this to happen. Many close knit families are cuddly...but many close knit families are also not affectionate. There is no right or wrong and your adult children family photos will be great either way.

Father daughter portrait at sunset in Issaquah
Mother surrounded by her adult children
Black and white photo of mother with her adult children in the summer
Father daughter share a tender moment at Issaquah Highlands
Father looks lovingly at daughter at Issaquah Highlands by Redmond Family Photographer

Pay attention to what people are wearing.


I have a style guide that I provide each family as a general idea of what to wear. I love it when a family's personality shines through their outfit choices...hats, bold patterns, and jumpsuits made this family's outfit choices so fun! When posing people together, I pay attention to what people are wearing. If there are patterns, I try to balance it out by placing a solid colored outfit in between them. I also don't pose people in the exact same configurations each time. Sometimes mom and dad will be in the middle. Sometimes the adult children will be in the middle. This adds variety and variety is the spice of life!

Candid family portrait in a grassy field at sunset in Issaquah
Headshot of father in Issaquah
Headshot of son in Issaquah
Headshot of smiling daughter in Issaquah
Headshot of mother smiling at the camera at sunset

Get moving!


No matter the age, everyone likes to move around during a family session. Moving around sheds that nervous energy and relaxes the body. Movement is incorporated throughout my family sessions. Sure, adult children don't like ring around the rosy, but we can walk from one spot to the next while chatting about your favorite restaurant. I can give you prompts or you can let the natural conversations flow. We can do silly walks, race to see who jumps the highest or even high five each other; all are fair game. Adult children family photos do not need to be stiff!

Redmond family photographer captures family hold hands and walking in Issaquah
Brother sister do a jumping shot at Issaquah Highlands by Redmond Family Photographer
Brother and sister high five at Issaquah Highlands by Redmond Family Photographer

Let's do this!


Time doesn't slow down. One moment you're changing diapers and the next, you're looking up at your adult children who are now taller than you are. There's so much pride seeing your child's growth... from being completely dependent on you, to now being completely independent and fantastic citizens of society. Let's capture these moments, because your children don't keep.

Family poses together at Issaquah Highlands by Redmond Family Photographer