Ideas for a big family photoshoot

Ideas for a big family photoshoot

Many people contact me for big family photoshoots. When people get together, it’s a wonderful chance to celebrate the whole family, especially – but not only – when people live far away from each other.

Often people say “we just want a few photos”, and of course that’s fine. But the more people there are,  the more groups, couples, siblings etc in other words relationships there are to honour and capture. The relationships between grandparents and grand kids is a special one. And what about the couples? Without them, no children! And the grand parents, when was the last time they had a photo together? And the parents with their adult children? Whatever the age, they’re still “children”..

So we do groups, we play games, so people are laughing, having fun, but  it’s only one side of these people: the posed groups can only be natural up to a point..

So I like getting people to have fun, chatting to them, taking time, capturing their expressions when not looking at me, getting to know them a tiny bit, the shy one, the one who’s always on show, but who has her quiet moments too, the love the cousins share..

And what best than to be childlike and have fun, it’s “the end of the photoshoot” so it doesn’t matter and if leaves cover the heads, well it’s ” extra warmth” was I told. These are the photos you look back on and smile again, the silly face dad makes when under the leaves, the fun we had that day.

And suddenly, even the groups become more natural, more relaxed, because people actually want their photo taken. It affirms their relationships with each other, the bond they share. And it’s great to ask everyone for their ideas-  the young ones too-  what they want, who they want to have a photo with, it gives them the chance to show their love and receive it too.ideas for a big family photoshoot

And even the quiet ones come out of their shell, stop hiding, brought out by the love of their little sister, who however different, confident, bossy may be, is ever so proud of her, ever so loving.

big family photoshoot

So yes I do offer a 5 photos package for families too but usually it’s impossible to choose 5- that cold day in derbyshire, we only stayed one hour and they had 91 photos to choose from. That’s why I do albums and collages, because I can’t choose!