Planning an Extended Family Session? Read this!

It’s officially summer! If you’re a part of a growing extended family, you may be planning a family reunion later this year, or even preparing to attend one this summer! Many families decide to get pictures taken of the full group during this time to help document the family as the children grow up and new members are added. And while the saying goes “the more, the merrier”, there are certain challenges that come along with photographing a large group. Let’s discuss some tips for planning an extended session and help set expectations for those who have never done one before!

Tip #1: Make sure everyone comes on time.

We know this is a tall order when you have multiple families coming from different areas, but trust us, it’s worth it! Extended sessions tend to go smoother when we get the group shots out of the way first. Your photographer’s jokes will be fresh for the whole group, meaning, better smiles for everyone! It’s essential that we get the group shot done before young kids lose their patience and attention span. Account for traffic and tantrums and get there a bit early!

Tip #2: Come prepared with a shot list.

Having a shot list of the different groupings you would like helps your photographer budget the session time accordingly. We know there are certain shots that every family tends to request: full group shot, grandparents with grandchildren, individuals of families, the grandchildren together, etc. However, your family and your preferences are unique! Communicating those needs to your photographer will help us deliver a final product in line with your vision. Identify your priorities! Knowing what you want most will give your photographer a roadmap to follow in case time starts to run short. This leads us into our next tip…

Tip #3: Don’t go overboard on poses.

We have an image count of 60-75 edited images included in our extended session package. And while this is a lot of photos, sometimes it can fill up faster than you’d think! Photographers will often put a cap on the amount of photos they can give a session to pace themselves and price themselves appropriately and consistently. The more poses you do in your session, the less pictures you’ll get of each pose. Having more than one photo of each pose allows you to pick your favorite expressions and have variety, such as the addition of lifestyle and interactive shots.

Tip #4: Stay away from monochromatic color schemes.

Now, we’re not saying it can’t be done….but it can be hard to pull off. One problem people run into when having a monochromatic color scheme, or matching outfits, is that the photos turn out less dynamic because of the low contrast between subjects. Certain colors may stick out from the background and some may look lackluster. This can also lead subjects to blend into one another. For example, if everyone wore black tops, shorter members of the family or members sitting on stools might look like a floating head—only the subject's skin and hair will provide contrast in that section of the photo. Picking a few colors that look cohesive with one another but provide contrast is a great way to go! If you like the idea of a neutral, monochromatic feel, don’t go for white tops and matching denim. Instead, mix in light browns and lighter denims with the white. This maintains the low contrast feel of a monochromatic color scheme while providing enough visual interest and difference between subjects.

Tip #5: Let go of the stress!

When we say to let go of the stress, we want you to remember that certain things are going to be out of your control. Don’t get hung up on it! It can be an amazing feat just to get everyone together, make sure you’re enjoying your time together. Things will go wrong: someone might scrape their knee in the parking lot, someone might not be having a good smile day, the toddlers or babies might be crying after a missed nap. Your photographer will do the best they can to circumvent those things, but it’s good to remember that it’s all part of your life right now. When the grandkids have grown, we promise, it’s easier!

It’s a treat to see your families grow year after year during our extended sessions. So, what does an extended session look like at Camera Shy? Instead of 60 minutes to capture everything, we give your family 80 minutes. We find these extra 20 minutes are very helpful when taking the big family pose. We also give 60-75 edited images rather than our normal 30-60 edited images. Our extended sessions cover groups of 9-20 people. After 20, it will be an additional $15 per head. Pricing for studio extendeds start at $411.82. If you’d like to schedule an extended session with Camera Shy, you can call the studio you would like to book with to get information regarding availability and capacity restrictions. If you would like to book with our offsite team to take pictures at a location of your choice, you can reach out at offsite@camerashy.com. Happy picture taking!