When planning an extended family session it is very important to start early. Finding the right photographer to photograph a large group can be challenging. Not everyone photographs large groups, and usually these sessions happen during the holidays and not all photographers shoot during the holidays. It is also important to speak to all of the family members that will be photographed and get their availability so when the time to book comes you are ready with several dates to provide to your photographer. Extended Family Sessions can be challenging and you want to be as prepared as you can. Scheduling is usually the first challenge since you might be navigating family's travel plans. The earlier you schedule the better. This will allow any cancellations, reschedules that may arise.
The Details
Once you have found the Style of Photography that you are looking for, it is very important to contact the Photographer and find out what their policies are for shooting large groups. Most photographers have a separate fee for groups larger than 6. They require a specific length time for these sessions. Reach out to your photographer and be transparent on how many people you plan to have in the session. Everything from how many different families, groupings you are wanting. I encourage my clients to write a list of all of the different group poses they are wanting so it is easier to determine the amount of time needed for an Extended Family Photo Session. Some families can range from 8 to 20 and there is a huge difference in the amount of time that is needed for a session of 8 versus a session of 20 family members. Ages of the children are also important because we all know the Littles loose their cooperation or focus a lot quicker. I also ask if Family such as Parents or Grandparents have any movement restrictions because this will also affect where you choose to do the session and how long it will take. I like to address it all. I know that if I have small children they will probably be photographed first. I also advise parents to bring snacks or toys to keep them busy while the rest of the family is being photographed. For family that can't ambulate or have restrictions, I ask them to bring a chair or to use a location where I know seating is available. I recommend a minimum of 2 hours for an Extended Family Session based on previous experience and making sure that we include all of those must have poses and restrictions my clients may have.
Location
Selecting the perfect location for a large group is super important. You want to make sure that you have plenty of room for all of the family members. Open spaces work best. Locations like parks where kids can run and sit on grass are perfect. If you want something more traditional to Arizona, the desert is nice an open but you do have to consider the cacti and our desert natives such as scorpions or snakes that like to hang out in the desert. Obviously the best times for these desert photos are sunset times so you just want to be cautious and make sure you look at your surroundings. I personally do not like taking little ones to the desert so much without making sure that their parents have constant eyes on them. There are a lot of sharp cacti or bushes that we have to watch for. Arizona has a variety of beautiful locations and upon booking with me I share my most favorite Photography locations with my clients. I make recommendations for large families based on my posing and workflow. I like to have fun with these poses and we need room to move. Some of my favorite poses for large groups are those candid shots where family is walking, talking, laughing and not looking at the camera. These tend to be everyone's favorite poses.
Wardrobe
What to wear is always a question asked by clients and I suggest my Select & Style tool. All of my clients get access to my Styling Tool. Style and Select is a service that guides you with coordinating color palette and options of styles of what to wear for each member of your family. I also suggest you create a Pinterest board for inspiration. The days of all match outfits are over!! If you have no idea on what to wear. I have a variety of guides, to help you put together the best outfit for your photos. You should consider the colors in your home since these photos may be printed and put up on your walls. You should also consider what colors work well at the specific location you are being photographed at. Lastly, remember to stay away from any super bright or neon colors since they will create a color cast on your face. Either way I've got you and I am here to guide you through the process.
Just Have Fun
Lastly, Just come to have fun and make the best memories with your loved ones! I am here to make this a memorable experience. I will guide you every step of the way hopefully taking away any of the stresses that come with the daunting task of coordinating and planning an Extended Family Photo Session. These photo sessions are rare because getting everyone together if often hard. I hope that this information has been helpful and when you ready to book your session, I am here for you!!!
