Extended Family Photography: How to Coordinate Large Groups

An extended family photography session — grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles across multiple generations — requires more planning than a standard family shoot. But when it comes together, it produces images that carry extraordinary emotional weight: the whole family, in the same place, at the same moment in time.

Start planning early

Extended family sessions need more lead time than typical bookings. You're coordinating the diaries of potentially 20–40 people across multiple generations and households. Give yourself at least 6–8 weeks to find a date, and use a scheduling tool like Doodle to identify overlapping availability quickly.

Book your photographer as soon as you have a confirmed date — extended family sessions often happen around Christmas, Easter, or summer reunions, when photographers' calendars fill fast.

Choosing the right location

For large groups, location logistics matter as much as aesthetics. The ideal location for an extended family session has:

• ◆Wide open space: You need room to arrange 15–30+ people without the group feeling cramped. Large country estates, parkland, and house gardens all work well.
• ◆Accessible for elderly relatives: If grandparents or elderly family members are attending, avoid locations that require significant walking or uneven terrain.
• ◆Shelter nearby: English weather is unpredictable. A venue with indoor space available as a backup prevents a rain shower from derailing the day.
• ◆Parking for many cars: With a large family group, everyone driving independently is almost always the practical reality. Good parking is essential.

Coordinating outfit palettes across families

You won't get matching outfits from an extended family — nor should you try. The goal is coordination, not uniformity. Share a colour palette of 3–4 tones with all family branches and ask each household to choose clothing within it.

Neutral palettes work best for large groups: warm whites, navy, sage green, warm greys, and earth tones age well in photographs and don't clash dramatically even when individual choices vary. Ask everyone to avoid very bright colours, bold patterns, or large logos — the effect across 25 people is chaotic.

Planning the shot list

The most important step before an extended family session is agreeing a shot list with your photographer. At minimum, cover:

• ◆The complete family group (all generations together)
• ◆Each nuclear family unit separately
• ◆Grandparents with all grandchildren
• ◆Each generation together (all cousins; all parents; all grandparents)
• ◆Individual couples or households if time allows
• ◆Candid moments during any gathering or meal

Allow 3–5 minutes per setup — more for very large groups where getting everyone positioned takes time.

On the day: keeping it running smoothly

Designate a family "organiser" — not the photographer — whose job is to assemble people for each grouping. This keeps the session moving and stops the photographer from having to manage logistics while also taking photographs.

Call groups together before they're needed so nobody is missing when the photographer is ready. A family session with 30 people can lose 10 minutes waiting for someone who didn't hear they were needed.

How long does an extended family session take?

Realistically, plan for 2–3 hours for a group of 20+ people. This allows time for the large group shot, all the sub-group combinations, some candid family time, and individual couple or nuclear family portraits if wanted. Rushing these sessions always shows in the results — allow proper time.