The More the Merrier | Why You Should Hire a Photographer for your Next Family Gathering
I’m always reminding people, moms especially, to make sure they exist in photos, it’s just so important! With the holidays here, it’s a great time to also ask: Are you documenting the times when the whole family is together?
When was the last time your whole family was in one place all together at the same time? Whether it’s a family reunion, thanksgiving, Christmas or some other celebration, it’s important to take a moment to document the occasion with a photograph. A portrait with multiple generations are absolutely priceless and often there’s no way to recapture it later on.
This year we celebrated an early Christmas with just about every one, save my two cousins and my husband, who were all working. It’s pretty much monumental to have that many of us all together at one time. As kids grow up and move away and start their own families it gets harder and harder to coordinate having everyone all together. When you have that many people to photograph it gets a little tricky and there’s a lot to consider.
First, you want to make sure everyone is visible, so it’s important to position the group in a way that everyone’s face is visible, while secondly making sure the lighting is even and flattering. Third, you want to make sure everyone is facing the camera and making eye contact. This is easier said than done. Do you know how tricky it is to get that many people’s attention without half of them blinking?! You need to pay attention to details and make sure everyone looks good. You don’t want anyone in the middle of a sneeze or talking or moving and end up blurry or making a weird face.
Lastly, if there are children involved, you better just say a prayer and good luck to you! Ok, it’s not impossible but you will need loads of patience. Oh, and all of this needs to happen in 1/100th of a second, so you better be quick and on your toes!
I do have a super easy solution: just call me so I can do it for you! I’d love to help you make a priceless family portrait that you will cherish for all time.
Hope you enjoyed a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes when doing a large family portrait. It’s basically like herding cats. Actually, that’s mostly what a photographer’s job entails on just about every shoot! And I do love it so much!
