Tips for an Extended Family Photoshoot
One request I get a lot as a family photographer is to photograph extended family sessions. Extended family sessions can be quite a bit different than regular family sessions because the number of people can range greatly. Managing large groups of people (including kids) for a photo, has it’s own challenges. Here are some tips to make your extended family session a success.
Ask the client for a list of names and groupings
Prior to the session, I ask the client to list all of the family members names and relationships to each other. I will also ask her to make a list of all the groupings they are hoping to get during the session. Some examples of groupings unique to extended family sessions might be all the grandkids, grandparents and grandkids, all the boys, all the girls, etc.
Prioritize group photos
The client probably hired you for an extended family session because they are hoping to get at least one good photo of the whole group. This photo should be a priority at the beginning of the session. I typically start with the larger groupings and work my way down to smaller groupings and individual families from there to increase my odds of making sure everybody is happy for that main group photo.
Choose an appropriate location
One thing that is different about choosing a location for extended family photos is that you need to choose a location that has space for everybody. I also like to choose locations that aren’t going to be heavily trafficked so that we aren’t getting in other peoples way. I also try to choose somewhere that is easy to find and access so that we are eliminating the possibility of somebody getting lost, or not being able to find or access the location. Sometimes with grandparents, we have to find locations that are more accessible and not a hard walk.If a client does choose a location that is a bit of a walk, I will just mention this to them as a heads up to make sure it won’t be an issue for anybody.
Be Flexible
Flexibility is key for extended family session, as it is with any family session with small children. However, with extended family, I plan to be able to switch gears at any point. If we plan to start with a group shot, but Uncle Bob hasn’t arrived yet, we aren’t going to wait around for him to get there, rather, we can start with one of the smaller groupings that doesn’t include him and get those out of the way while we are waiting for him to arrive.
Another example of when flexibility is needed is if there is a child who is having a rough time. I will often give this child a break or a chance to compose himself with the parents while doing other groupings that don’t include him. Typically it only takes a bit of time for a child to work through it and come back to the photos with a fresh viewpoint. The little girl in this family was a good example of that. She wasn’t quite ready for photos at the beginning, but towards the end we got more sweet smiles from her.
Pose in groups and layers
When I am posing large group photos, I always start with putting the patriarch and matriarch (i.e. Grandpa and Grandma) at the center of the photo. Then I build around them with posing individual family units around them. I always try to keep the children with or close to their parents and have children in front of or being held by the parents (for smaller children)
One thing I like to do for extended family sessions to add variety and interest is pose the group in layers. This may mean that grandpa and grandma are at the front, while everybody else is further back, or each individual family unit is spaced out in their own area. Another example of layering is using grandpa and grandma as a frame in the foreground while the rest of the group is in the background.
Do Mini Shoots for Individual Families
My last tip is something I always try to include for extended family clients and that is a “mini shoot” for each individual family unit. Once the group photos and groupings with the extended family are out of the way, I will work my way through photos of each individual family unit. This may include a family photo of everybody, just the kids, individuals of the kids, or just mom and dad together.
