A Rainy Family Photo Session

December 26, 2025

Some sessions stay with you a little longer than others.

This one started with a DM from one of my parents’ close friends, Chrissy and Travis. Fun fact, I was a flower girl in their wedding when I was like 6 or 7. The whole thing felt a little full circle, and I felt so honored that they thought of me. Anyway, Chrissy’s sister Adrienne and her family were flying in from Tennessee, and they wanted to plan a session for their whole family.

We planned the session at the Lott Home in downtown Oroville on the 26th. At first the forecast showed a slight chance of rain. As the date approached, that chance grew… and grew… until it reached a very confident 100% chance of rain.

I offered a studio backup at Indy Rose & Co just in case. But after talking it through we decided to keep the session outdoors, trusting that we’d make it work no matter what the weather decided to do.

And somehow, almost miraculously, the rain cleared for just the right window of time. Long enough to laugh, connect and capture all the special moments we came for.

The Beauty of Extended Family Sessions

Extended family sessions have a rhythm of their own. They’re layered, dynamic, and full of little in-between moments, almost like hosting several sessions at once.

During our time together, we photographed the full family, sibling groupings, couple portraits for the three couples, and a special set of images of each of the sisters with their mama. Adrienne had three of her four children at the session, sadly one of her sons was not able to make the trip to California. As hard as his absence made it, you could still feel the love and connection in their family.

Overcast Skies and Soft Light

The weather ended up being quite perfect. The overcast sky gave us soft, even light. The air was cool but comfortable. The ground was a bit damp, so we skipped the sitting poses. But honestly, it didn’t matter. Everyone stayed present, close, and engaged with each other, which always makes for better photos.

The session was a reminder of why I believe so deeply in documenting families as they are, right now, messy weather, full calendars, missing siblings, and all. Because when everything aligns, even briefly, the result is something that’s timeless, something they will cherish for years to come.

And sometimes, the sessions you almost doubt the location choice, you’ll be glad you didn’t change at all.

Thanks for reading

xoxo Kayla