Family Portrait Ideas - The Large Group Shot

It is often easy to come up with or find family portrait ideas when it only involves the immediate family: parents and children. It gets a little bit more difficult to come up with a good idea for a large group family portrait such as those taken at the family reunion.

With larger groups, photographers spend quite a bit of time setting up the scene, letting everyone know where the boundaries of the shot are, and trying to get everyone to have a flattering expression at the same time. With a little planning, these shots can be relatively easy to prepare for.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Background - Luckily most large family events are held outdoors. Since there are no backdrops large enough for these kinds of pictures, the outdoor location should offer a nice natural background. Scout the area ahead of time to find an area to take the portrait that is large enough to accommodate the size of the family. Be sure that the area is clear of objects that may appear as a distraction in the frame.

Perspective - Too many photographers still use the straight on staircase perspective. Unless bleachers are set up, this will soon become physically uncomfortable for those that have to squat or kneel. Instead of doing that, try changing the perspective of the photographer. Have the photographer take the shot from a raised platform or tall stable ladder. This way everyone can stand comfortably and it is more likely that everyone's faces will be seen.

Theme - Traditional family portraits are usually pretty boring: everyone dressed nice, smiling and saying 'cheese' to the camera. This has been done to death. One of my favorite family portrait ideas is to have a theme that reflects the general character of the family.

One way to pull this off with a large family is to have a theme based costume contest as one of the event's activities. Pick something that the majority of the family will participate in and have fun with. Last year my family did pirates and it turned out great. Bring some extra costume accessories for those family members that tend to forget.

I hope this article has shown that doing large family portraits does not have to be a dreaded event. Get creative, expand on these concepts, have fun and develop some of your own family portrait ideas.