Coordinating everyone for your extended family photoshoot in Perth sounds daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! As your family photographer, I have photographed many extended families and know what works and what doesn’t.

Firstly, let’s talk location.

Extended family sessions tend to lend themselves to outdoor locations. We want a space that is not too cramped, not going to have distracting features in the background but rather be natural and simple. Open fields, quiet beaches and larger bushy areas are great for this as the background stays neutral.

The reason is we don’t want everyone to be squished together as it feels awkward and uncomfortable. Having a simple background also means the eye is drawn to you as the subjects, and with so many of you in the frame, that’s what we want!

Now, let’s coordinate outfits.

Less is more. My guide on what to wear to your family photoshoot is a great guide for dressing everyone. The best tips to follow are to pick one or two main colours and then some complimentary colours for everyone to follow. For example, your two main colours could be dark brown and orange. Then your complimentary colours are neutrals like white, cream, tan, etc.

Everyone will wear a variety of this and that ensures a cohesive look while not being ‘matchy matchy’.

Next is a shot list.

Before we even get to your session, I will send a questionnaire. This will cover a range of things from whether you like colour or black and white photos or a mix of both, to getting everyones names, ages and what they like to do/play. This allows me to plan for the session with games and prompts that will get natural smiles and giggles going, so you can relax.

The other thing I will ask is for a list of combinations you would like to get. This not only allows me to prepare but also means you won’t have to think about it on spot during our session and possibly forget certain combinations, meaning you won’t have any regrets later on.

Lastly, have fun!

Let go of any expectations! With so many of you in one spot, let’s not get hung up on whether everyone is smiling in the photo or whether the little ones want to run and play. Lean into the experience and let me bring everyone together with cheeky questions to get people laughing and games of chasey that believe it or not, will gather people together! I have tricks up my sleeve to make this happen and I know how to reel any rogue toddlers back in. So relax and enjoy your session 🙂

I have done many an extended family photoshoot in Perth. I can help you with everything from choosing a location to finding what works for your family’s outfits and what makes you laugh.

Get in touch today and let’s make magic happen!