Be Prepared for Your Large Group Photo Session

Are you planning a family gathering? I think you’re so smart to include a photographer. You are gonna be so glad that you are setting aside a little time to document this special gathering. The photos you get from this time will be cherished for years to come. Also, this is a very efficient way to get a variety of photos taken in a short amount of time. Can you spot my family in these photos?

Here are my best suggestions for preparing for your large family photo session.

Make a shot list. Get a list going of all of the photos you’d like to have taken. Grandparents with all the grandkids. Aunt Lisa with her namesake niece. You get the idea. We will start with the large group and break it down from there. I prefer to take the most important photos first followed by all the photos including toddlers and little ones. We’ll make the most of everyone’s attention span.

Start a conversation about clothing choices. Let the most opinionated person make the call on what color scheme to work with. Everyone else will appreciate the direction. I give lots of tips on clothing choices here.

Appoint one group leader. This will be the person who has a loud voice and knows everyone’s name. That person will work with me to make sure we get everyone where they need to be at the right time.

Give a pep talk. Let the people participating know that we’re going to set aside some time for family photos. We will spend an hour or so working together. If everyone is dressed and ready with their internal dial turned to the participation setting, our time will go by quickly and easily. 

Prep the little ones. For this kind of event I recommend planning from the shoot start time and working backwards. If you are a parent or planner of any kind I’m sure you know how this works. Think about all the things happening before the shoot time and make a mental plan on how to get your kiddos in the best mood at the time we begin our shoot. They should be well fed, well rested and the last ones dressed. A mom recently brought clothing she had purchased and opened the bags and pulled the tags off right before we started taking photos. She’s next level BA and I took note.

Are there any elderly family members that need a chance to sit down between shots? Appoint someone to have a chair handy for this family member.

Have some snacks and drinks available right before and right after the shoot. This one isn’t essential, but it does help keep everyone pleasant and cooperative.

It’s okay to laugh. When you’ve got a big family there are going to be plenty of jokes and lots of love. Once we’ve got all the “perfectly posed” photos done let’s have some fun and let everyone relax for a few minutes. These will produce the photos that you pass around and point out the best faces and the most fun memories.

I know this shoot takes a ton of planning. Getting everyone together, dressed and in a good mood is no small feat. I’m cheering you on. Let me know what I can do to help!

Text me or set up a time to chat with all of your questions! I’m always happy to help you be ready for your photo shoot so that we can make the most of your time.