Large Family Sessions Can Be Magical

Large family sessions can feel stressful for those that organize the details, from making sure everyone is on time, dressed, happy, and ready (mentally). I wanted to highlight this large family session because it was magical. There are a few things that made this go smoothly so I wanted to share my thoughts as to why this was so successful.

For starters, the session was at one of the family member’s home. Being in your own space has many advantages for large families. If someone needs a bathroom, it’s right there. If someone needs a snack (including the grown ups) it’s right there. If someone needs a drink (of WINE) it’s right there!! You get the picture. Convenience is the key.

Second, be flexible and let me work it (snapping fingers in a zigzag fashion). You might be worried about the one person that HATES being photographed. Like, hates it more than the average person. It’s my job to get them to relax. So, leave that part to me and watch me get them to smile or be their authentic selves in front of the camera. The less pressure they feel from other family members, the better. 🙂

Plan for at least a 90 minute chunk of time. I will use every minute to engage fully with each person and if someone isn’t happy, guess what, we don’t force anything. We can move on to another family member and then come back when that little person (or big person) is more relaxed and ready.

When shooting at one location with multiple families, I will often use similar areas for backgrounds. This creates a gallery of images that go together well. I am consistently thinking about how the images will display on a wall in someone’s living room. Shooting in the same area with similar lighting, creates the opportunity for these images to become pieces of art and photos that will look amazing together.

Here is a highlight of the Hart family session where I photographed five separate families/couples and then all of them together. You will see slight differences but similarities that makes all of these images compliment each other.