Three Generations, One Purdue Story | Extended Family Photos at Purdue University

Extended Family Photos at Purdue University West Lafayette campus

This Purdue extended family photography session celebrated three generations whose story began on the very campus where we created these photographs.

Some Places Become Part of a Family's Story

Every family has places that become woven into their story.

Sometimes it's a family farm where generations have worked the same land. Sometimes it's a little country church where weddings, baptisms, and funerals have quietly marked the passing of time. Sometimes it's a lake cottage where summers have been spent making memories together.

For this family, that place is Purdue University.

Long before there were grandchildren laughing beneath the Bell Tower or cousins teasing one another outside Hovde Hall, two Purdue students met here, never imagining the family that would one day gather on the very same campus for an extended family photo session.

We rarely recognize the moments that will change the rest of our lives while we're living them.

Most of the time they seem wonderfully ordinary. A conversation after class. A first date. An introduction from someone who simply has a feeling that two people should meet. We don't know, in those moments, that they will shape generations still to come. It isn't until years later that we look back and realize one seemingly ordinary moment quietly changed everything that came after it.

That was the thought I carried with me throughout this extended family session at Purdue University.

The Purdue Story That Began More Than Fifty Years Ago

More than fifty years ago, Randy arrived at Purdue to study Chemical Engineering. Gail came to earn her degree in Early Childhood Education. One of Randy's high school classmates happened to work with Gail and quietly decided the two of them needed to meet.

As it turns out, she was right.

They fell in love, married, built a life together, and raised a family. Decades later, they stood beneath Purdue's Bell Tower surrounded by children and grandchildren, celebrating a family story that all began with one introduction on this very campus.

As we walked through campus together, I realized we weren't simply taking family pictures at Purdue, but rather we were photographing the place where this family's story began.

Three Generations of Purdue Graduates

As Anne shared why Purdue was the obvious choice for their extended family photographs, it became clear that this campus has been woven into their family's story for generations. It isn't simply where family members earned degrees. It's where relationships began, traditions continued, and another generation is beginning to write its own chapter.

Purdue continued shaping their family long after Randy and Gail graduated. Anne and her husband, Scott, both earned bachelor's degrees in Elementary Education before returning for master's degrees in Educational Administration and Supervision. Andy followed a similar path, earning both his bachelor's and master's degrees at Purdue, while his wife, Allison, also graduated with a degree in Elementary Education.

Now the next generation is writing its own chapter. James is studying Engineering, following in his grandfather's footsteps, while Lindsay is preparing for a career in Elementary and Special Education. Looking at everyone together, I couldn't help but notice something. Purdue didn't simply educate this family. It helped shape a family committed to serving others through engineering, education, leadership, and the lives they continue to influence every day.

As a third generation Purdue graduate and a photographer who has photographed hundreds of Purdue graduates and families, I've walked this campus more times than I can count. Some visits were my own. Most have been with graduates and their families as they celebrate one of life's biggest milestones. This evening was different because instead of celebrating where the journey was leading, we were celebrating where it all began.

What I Noticed During This Purdue Family Photography Session

One of the questions I've started asking myself after every session is, What did I notice?

I noticed a family that genuinely enjoys being together.

Lilly and Gwen laughed together while James, Lindsay, and Cole slipped effortlessly between teasing one another and posing for pictures. Scott and Andy kept everyone entertained with their playful competition, giving the rest of the family plenty to laugh about. There wasn't any pressure to be perfect or stress about getting every pose exactly right. Everyone simply seemed grateful for an evening together.

What caught my attention most, though, were Randy and Gail. They didn't need to be the center of attention. They seemed happiest simply watching their children and grandchildren enjoy one another. As I photographed them together, I couldn't help but notice the quiet pride in their expressions. Not pride because of accomplishments or degrees, although there was certainly much to celebrate. It was the kind of joy that comes from watching your family grow, seeing your children become wonderful parents, and realizing that the story you started decades ago is still unfolding.

Watching Randy and Gail surrounded by three generations, I couldn't help but think that the greatest legacy they created wasn't simply a Purdue tradition. It was a family that genuinely enjoys being together.

The Photo That Made Everyone Laugh

Toward the end of the evening, everyone changed into Purdue gear for a few final photographs near Purdue Memorial Union. Then one granddaughter appeared wearing an Indiana University sweatshirt.

If you've spent much time around Purdue families, you can probably imagine what happened next.

The playful thumbs down, the laughter, and the joking rivalry quickly became some of my favorite moments of the evening. Those photographs will always make me smile because they captured something just as important as the formal portraits. They captured this family's personality. Years from now, I have a feeling they'll laugh just as hard when they see those images again because those photographs will remind them not only of what they looked like, but exactly what it felt like to be together.

Why Meaningful Locations Make the Best Family Photos

One of the things I love most about extended family photography is that it preserves every relationship within a family, not just the whole group. Along with the traditional family portrait, we photographed grandparents with grandchildren, each individual family, siblings, cousins, couples, and individual portraits. Those smaller combinations often become some of the most treasured photographs because every relationship tells part of the family's story.

I've learned that photographs become more valuable with time, not less.

That's one of the reasons I always encourage families to choose a location that already means something. Beautiful scenery is always a bonus, but meaningful places tell stories that no scenic overlook ever could. They remind us not only where we were, but why that place matters.

One Simple Introduction Changed Everything

Randy's 60th high school reunion was held the day after our photo session. Sixty years ago, he was a high school student with no idea where life would take him. Somewhere along the way, one of those classmates introduced him to a young woman at Purdue because she thought they would be perfect for one another.

I found myself wondering if this friend ever imagined what would grow from that introduction.

Could she have pictured three generations gathering on Purdue's campus decades later? Could she have imagined children and grandchildren who genuinely enjoy being together, a grandson following his grandfather into engineering, and another generation continuing a Purdue tradition that started with two college students?

I doubt anyone could have imagined all of that was waiting on the other side of one simple introduction.

Maybe that's one of the reasons I love photography so much.

Whether I'm photographing a graduate celebrating years of hard work, a couple beginning their marriage, or a family returning to the place where their story first began, I'm reminded that the photographs we make today often become far more meaningful than we realize. They help us return to the moments and places that shaped our lives, even when those moments seemed wonderfully ordinary at the time.

Preserve Your Family's Story

Every family has places that become part of who they are. Maybe it's Purdue. Maybe it's the family farm where generations have gathered. Maybe it's the church where your family has worshipped for decades.

Whatever place has shaped your family's story, I'd be honored to help preserve it. If you're looking for a Purdue family photographer or want to create photographs that tell the story of your own family, I'd love to hear from you.

Why would a family choose Purdue University for extended family photos?

Every family has places that become part of their story. For some families, Purdue is much more than a college campus. It's where parents met, degrees were earned, traditions began, and new generations continue that legacy. Choosing a meaningful location adds another layer to your photographs because the images preserve not only the people you love, but the place that helped shape your family's story.

Can we take extended family photos at Purdue even if no one is graduating?

Absolutely. Graduation season is one of the most popular times for family photographs, but Purdue's campus is beautiful year round. If the university has played an important role in your family's story, it makes a wonderful location for extended family portraits, anniversary sessions, or multi generational photography.

How do you photograph large extended families?

Every extended family session begins with a plan. Before your session, we'll discuss your family members and create a list of the different groupings you'd like photographed. We'll capture the full family, grandparents with grandchildren, each individual family, siblings, cousins, couples, and individual portraits while keeping the session relaxed and organized.

What are the best locations at Purdue for extended family photos?

Some of my favorite Purdue locations include the Bell Tower, Hovde Hall, Purdue Memorial Union, Engineering Fountain, University Hall, and the Engineering Fountain area. The best locations depend on your family's story. I always help families choose places that are both beautiful and personally meaningful.

How long does an extended family photography session take?

Most extended family sessions at Purdue last between one and two hours, depending on the size of your family and the number of groupings you'd like photographed. I build enough time into the session so no one feels rushed and everyone has a chance to enjoy being together.

What should we wear for extended family photos?

Coordinating colors always photograph better than matching outfits. I recommend choosing a color palette that complements Purdue's beautiful architecture and greenery while allowing each family to express their own personality. After booking, I'll help guide you through outfit planning so everyone looks cohesive without looking identical.

Why are extended family photographs worth investing in?

Life changes quickly. Children grow up, grandparents age, and families rarely have everyone together in one place. Extended family photographs preserve relationships that become increasingly valuable over time. Years from now, these photographs won't simply remind you what everyone looked like. They'll remind you what it felt like to be together.

Why choose Heather Corbin as your Purdue photographer?

As a third generation Purdue graduate, I know this campus from both personal experience and hundreds of photography sessions. More importantly, I believe the best photographs tell a story. My goal isn't simply to create beautiful portraits. It's to preserve the relationships, places, and moments that matter most so your family can return to them for years to come.