3 Tips For Taking Multi-Generational Family Portraits and Photos

If you’re a photographer who’s wanting to make your career off of taking family photos and portraits, one of the biggest things you’re going to need to know how to take photos of is large groups. However, getting a good photo of a big group of people, especially when it includes kids and older adults, can be a real challenge.

To help you with this part of your photography, here are three tips for taking multi-generational family portraits and photos. 

Finding The Right Place For The Photoshoot

Once you have a family photo session booked, the first thing you’ll need to figure out is where you’re going to go for the photoshoot. 

If that family you’ll be photographing has kids or older adults that will be there, you’ll want to pick a location that won’t require too much travel for these people. Having kids in the car for extended periods of time can make them too tired or rambunctious for photos. And with older adults, having to travel too far away from their home or assisted living facility can be very inconvenient. 

Along with proximity being part of the equation, you should also try to choose a place that’s going to be visually pleasing to look at and give you the space you need to work without being interrupted. This might mean a park or other outdoor location where there is space to roam. 

Take Photos Involving Seniors And Children First

When the day comes for the actual photoshoot, you’ll want to be strategic about who you take photos of and when. 

Ideally, you should try to get all the photos involving kids and seniors done first. This way, you can get these subjects when they still have a lot of energy. The longer the shoot goes one, the more antsy both of these groups can get, so keep this in mind when shooting large and small groups. 

Plan Candids Around An Activity

For many family photoshoots, the candid shots are the favorite ones. However, staging candid shots usually won’t work. Instead, you should try to take candid shots around an activity you’ve planned as part of the shoot. Some options you might want to try could include planning a family picnic, sitting around a campfire, or just playing around in the natural environment. 

By giving people something they can do together, you’ll be taking their mind off of trying to pose for the camera. This will enable you to get some great candid shots of your subjects and allow them to relax a little more and display their true selves and relationships. 

If you’re a photographer trying to get better at taking family photos, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you do this. 

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