We do quite a few big family photo shoots during the summer. Whether it’s family reunions, families vacationing together, or former clients deciding it’s time to redo those family portraits, the summer keeps us hopping!

Not all photographers do large family sessions, but we enjoy capturing all the love and fun when families get together. Larger photo sessions have their own challenges, so we’ve come up with some great tips to ensure you have a great time, and we come away with some amazing photos.

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6 Steps To Take For Your Upcoming Big Family Photo Shoot

If you’re planning a big family photo shoot, it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed. Coordinating schedules, outfits, and keeping everyone happy and looking good in front of the camera can be a daunting task.

But with these 6 steps, you can transform chaos into a classic, stress-free photo session.

First, choose the right photographer who has experience with big family photo shoots. Communicate your vision and expectations clearly to them. Then, plan ahead and schedule the shoot at the right time of day. Make sure everyone knows what to wear, and prepare backup outfits in case of any accidents.

During the shoot, keep things fun and lighthearted to keep everyone relaxed. Bring props or activities to keep young children engaged. And most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy the moment and let your family’s personality shine through.

Step 1: Make a shot list

This is important for most photo sessions but imperative when we have multiple families coming together. We recommend putting the list in order of priority and keeping in mind the amount of time we have will determine how many poses we’ll be able to capture. 

Yes, we can capture some candid moments, just keep in mind candid moments take a bit more time than posed shots and can take even more time when we have quite a few people in a session.

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Step 2: Tell your photographer about limitations

When making your shot list, keep in mind we’ll want to get photos with small children and those with mobility issues first. Let us know if there is anyone in your session with mobility issues so we can ensure we don’t have to travel too far to the spot where we’ll be doing the photos.

Step 3: Pick a point person

Usually this person has a loud voice and is known for being able to get everyone’s attention. It usually helps to have that additional voice to quiet down the crowd.

Step 4: Discuss the game plan

Make sure the entire family knows what the schedule looks like on the day of your big family photo shoot. It helps to get everyone on board with what our goals are for the session. Review the shot list with everyone, so we don’t have to spend time during the session making changes.

Step 5: Coordinate outfits

Wondering what to wear? Review our What to Wear Guide. When working with a large group, we recommend picking 3 or 4 colors and encouraging everyone to pick from that palette. 

Step 6: Temper expectations

Large family photo shoots are full of moving parts, wiggly kiddos, and because we’re in natural environments, they are also full of distractions. Your photographer should be able to get the shots requested, but don’t expect the little ones the be looking at the camera and smiling in every photo. 

Most importantly, remember to stay calm and enjoy your session. Our goal is to ensure you have fun while we capture Moments that Last a Lifetime.