Extended family sessions can be intimidating! I'm going to share 5 tips on how you can capture large groups like this family of 33!
Tip #1
- Arrive early so you're set up on time
- Make sure everyone knows the session time
Tip #2
- Have them coordinate their outfits so you have a cohesive image. This family chose blue and white, but they've chosen different shades of blue which really makes a nice color palette.
Tip #3
- Be organized! I usually ask someone in the family (normally the person who hired me) to have a list of each family group they want photographed. This not only makes the session move along quickly, but it ensures that they get all the shots they want. And then I usually throw in a few more options I've thought of.
Tip #4
- Bring stools or chairs to create height for some of the smaller children.
Tip #5
- Check your settings! For the whole family, my aperture was at 5.0. Other settings were 1/125 sec and ISO 250. That was enough to get everyone sharp even with some images being three people deep, but also a good setting to have a nice little blur in the background. I could have gotten more blur if I'd had more space between the family and the trees, but we were limited on space in this beautiful lemon grove.
Bonus Tip
- I check my images here and there throughout the session ... especially one where I'm shooting anywhere from 2-33 people. You want to make sure you make the appropriate changes with each group!
As always, thanks so much for stopping by! If you have any questions, please comment below or send me an email. 🙂
Also, fill out the form below to get my Portrait Tips sheet and follow my blog so you can get more tips and inspiration for your own work.
