If you are looking to book Family photos for your big family, you may be wondering what exactly happens during a large family session, also known as an Extended Family Photo Session. Here’s a general rundown, from an Arizona Photographer:

• Group Photos First: Your photographer will likely start with the whole group together, ensuring you get a few solid shots of everyone in one frame. This is especially important if you have little kiddos, and elderly family members in attendance!! We want to make sure we get the littles while they are interested and excited, and that we get photos of elderly family members while energy is high as well!
• Break Into Smaller Groups: After the big group shot, your photographer will break everyone into smaller groups (e.g., grandparents with grandkids, siblings with their kids, etc.). This ensures you get plenty of variety in your final images. I personally start with Grandparents and Grandkids together, then just Grandparents, and any other breakout images that are wanted with the Grandparents first. That way if they need to sit and rest, or begin to make their way back to the car, they can be “done”, or they can sit and watch the rest of the photos take place! 
• Candid Shots: In addition to posed photos, your photographer will likely capture candid moments—laughing, chatting, or even a fun activity like walking or playing with kids. Even with large groups, it’s so fun to get interactive images too, they really showcase personalities of everyone, and tend to be really cherished images in the galleries!
• Plenty of Time: A large family session can take a bit longer than a typical family shoot, but this is your chance to enjoy the experience and get those stunning photos! I generally tell my clients to expect 90 minutes of session time. It takes a bit longer than most people think to get everyone situated in a big group photo, and then to make sure we get all the breakout images you want, too! 

Need a quick list breakdown of images? Here’s my go-to:

• FULL family portrait (the big group)
• Grandparents with all Grandkids
• Grandparents with each family unit separately (and with each family’s grandkids)
• Grandparents together, and solo
• All the Ladies in the family 
• All the Men in the family
• Each Family Unit (Whole family, Mom + Dad, just the kids, each kid solo, and if time more playful images like walking and movement)
• And of course any special requests! 

Showcased here is a darling Large extended Family Session, where we had the sweetest news of a new baby coming that we got to celebrate, too!

Book Your Arizona Large Family Session Today

Large family photos are a meaningful way to celebrate your loved ones and create lasting memories. Whether you’re planning a family reunion, celebrating an anniversary, or just want to capture your family as it is right now, the right photographer can make all the difference.

If you’re ready to book your large family photo session in Arizona, I’m here to help! With experience working with families of all sizes, I can guide you through every step of the process—from choosing the perfect location to creating a relaxed, enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

Let’s work together to create beautiful, timeless photos that you’ll cherish for years to come. Contact me today to schedule your Arizona family session!

Ready to book your Large Family Photos with me? Submit a contact form here

See more family images by Trisha Here