The hard truths about those big extended family sessions.

Big extended family photography Northamptonshire

Not many families manage to make this happen. It isn’t the easy option, we often live far apart from each other, lots (all?) families have someone award who can’t conform or commit to the idea… but for those unique families that bring the idea to life, it can be really magical

I get so many enquiries about these sessions every year, so this blog post is seriously over due! Here are the main reasons people consider a big extended family photo shoot:

:: Parents round milestone birthdays and/or anniversaries.

:: Family members living abroad is coming home to visit.

:: Family members is about to move abroad and/or kids are getting old and about to leave for Uni/work/travel.

:: Sometimes there are sad reasons behind these, like a heartbreaking medical diagnosis. If this is you, I’m dreadfully sorry for your situation, and while I can’t do much to help, I’m here for any conversations around what you might need. Always happy to work around suitable locations and venues if people are struggling to walk or need wheelchair access etc.

Maybe you are the family who is really good at getting everyone together, and this is absolutely something that feels achievable, but maybe it feels huge? Let’s have a look at the PROs and CONs to help you work our what would suit you best.

PROs

:: You get that rare portraits with EVERYONE (that hardly anyone gets). The one that will stay up on your parents wall and never be replaced.

:: You get great pictures of your parents, and when did that last happen? We go around completely taking for granted that parents are here forever, somehow we don’t prioritise getting good pictures of them, they are almost invisible on our “to photograph” list, it’s just full of our kids, holidays and big events.

:: The individual family units get family pictures too. So you, your partner and your kids will get time for your family pictures, as will the other units. We can get the grandparents with all the grand kids, all the kids together and of course we still get individual portraits of the kids.

:: It’s a great, and sort of easy, present for your parents.

:: Perfect to add onto that vent where you will all be together anyway.

CONs

:: It can feel impossible to organise! If you haven’t got that gathering happening due to a celebration, then getting everyone on board can be hard. People think their kids swimming lessons and football practise are important, but I’m here to tell you there is far more longevity in skipping one of those to get these rare big family pictures,
If you are in a family with that awkward person who will simply just not conform and go along with this, I highly recommend you plough ahead with your own mini session, or go right ahead with a session just for your family and your parents, do not let that one awkward sibling prevent you from having amazing memories. I do this for a living and I never managed to make this happen in my own family, my brother simply will not comply! Same on my husbands side, we tried it and just couldn’t make it happen so we went ahead just us and his parents.

:: You do typically end up with more “official” somewhat posed pictures and less loose in-between moments because everyone will be keen to get their preferred combination of people. Time will go crazy fast, and their just isn’t that down time where kids ease into something and I can just hang back and capture them being sweet in the moment, because I’m constantly photographing someone and not able to be watching everyone at the same time!

:: This one can feel embarrassing, but it happens often! Maybe there are partners in the family that you worry might not stay around (those young relationships can be turbulent), it’s totally ok – just tell me in advance, we laugh about it and we just take some different combinations. You are not bad for thinking this, and your family is not the only one in this situation.

What do you think yay or nay??

Next time you are all together, maybe bring a photographer along? Meet an hour before that meal starts? Make it into a picnic?

Also, I have done this for many(!) years, I can roll with those family members, I very often get told a little “heads up” before these sessions and it all turns out great… I don’t mind if you go for this big extended family option or you just bring your parents to your own session, but do make sure you get your parents in.