Not your average family reunion photos

Family reunions are a uniquely beautiful opportunity for photos: not only do you have everyone gathering in one place, but they are full of joyful connection, reflection, and fun that are delightful to photograph.

Late in 2023, I had the opportunity of photographing the families connected with Robinwood Farm in Pepperell, MA. They were celebrating the farm’s 100th anniversary with a poignant, joyful family gathering and I was delighted to be there, not just to photograph the event, but to revel in the beauty and wonder that is multiple generations coming together to celebrate the past and look forward to the future.

I’ve talked about the uniqueness and joy of telling your story elsewhere on the blog; this was a classic example of a unique story! The gathering was centered around a beautiful time capsule ceremony, where family members took turns sharing meaningful memories, tokens, and hopes for the future, and stored them in a special spot on the farm. I got to be a fly on the wall and document the laughter, the tears, the connection - it was beautiful.

How to get the best family reunion photos

TL;DR: for the best family reunion photos, hire a storytelling photographer, like me! ;)

Whether you’re hiring a photographer or not, here are some tips to the best family reunion photos:

• Plan a few simple group activities. Being engaged in an activity helps people relax and enjoy being together, which makes for great photos. Plan a mix of large-group activities and smaller-group activities, like the hayride some family members enjoyed at Robinwood’s celebration.

• Designate a photographer. If you’re not hiring a photographer, designate 1 or 2 family members to take photos and ask the rest to put their phones/cameras away! Pick 2 so that both family members can be in at least some photos.

• Think about what matters ahead of time. What’s the story behind your gathering? Is it an anniversary, a birthday, a just-because? What do you want to remember about the time together? What moments or places or buildings or specific people do you want to make sure are in the story?

• Give the gift of presence: hire a photographer! You had to know it was coming to this. ;) Give everyone the gift of being present in the moment and hire a photographer to be the fly on the wall, photographing those key moments and guiding you through the best ways to preserve them after the event.

What to do with the photos after the reunion

Family reunions are a special time - don’t let your memories of the time together disappear into the noise of digital life! The best way to remember & honor your time together is by bringing your digital photos to life in an album or printed product. Nothing beats the feeling of flipping through old photos, remembering the quirks and personalities of the different family members, or the story of what happened when you were gathered together.

(Forgive the quality of the handheld, iPhone video below - the polished photos I took of the album got lost in the shuffle of family illness this winter, but I had to at least give you an idea of what it looked like!)

Short video showing the embossed, linen, heirloom-quality album made with these photos.

Family reunion photos that tell your story

Your family story is unique; you deserve beautiful, high-quality photos that tell that story! Reach out today to explore your session.

How do I make my family photos unique?

I get this question never (lol), but it popped up in a recent Google search and I decided to write about it!

I’ve talked about the uniqueness and joy of telling your story earlier on the blog (and there’s a great example there of a creative photo session), but maybe you’re like me and need a few more concrete ideas to kick off your creativity. Before we get to the specifics, though, start here:

Ask yourself a few questions

I’m a big fan of self-reflection - part of brainstorming a unique family session is considering what makes your family unique! - but if you’d rather just jump to the concrete suggestions, skip down to the next section.

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to get started:

• What do you and your family love to do when you have down time?

• What are your kids’ favorite activities?

• What’s special to you in this season, or unique to your story? Sidenote: it doesn’t have to be unique compared to other people, it could simply be unique for your life right now. What’s happening that you’ve not gone through before? Or that’s meaningful, whether it’s unique or ordinary?

• What are your values? Do you love time together? Racking up adventures? Exploring the world? Quietly making your community a better place? Celebrating your identity? Brainstorm some ideas to memorialize that through photos!

This is just the start, but take a few moments to think through what matters to you, what’s happening in your lives in this season, and how you’d like to remember it, and the concrete ideas will start flowing!

Consider some of these ideas

Now that you’ve thought about what matters and is unique about your story in this season (or you skipped that part and went straight for the concrete suggestions!), here are some ways to bring some uniqueness to your family photos:

Have photos done at home.

It’s uniquely yours, no matter what state it’s in! And it doesn’t have to be Pinterest worthy to be worthy of remembering. Mine certainly isn’t!

Build a favorite activity into your session.

Go for a walk or hike; break out the books, board games, soccer ball, or family olympics; plan a baking activity (*so* many great photos here!) or family picnic; or head to the beach! Other fun ideas include roasting marshmallows in your backyard or favorite camping spot, paddle boarding or kayaking with your teens, going indoor rock climbing…if your family (especially your kids) love doing it, you’ll get great photos and have a blast.

Get kooky (or coordinated!) with outfits

If you have young children who love playing dress-up, your family is really into Halloween or cosplay, or you just love bringing a unique voice to the world through your clothes, plan a session around that! Or dress for your setting - I loved these nap dresses from a beach session!

You make your family photos unique by being you.

It sounds cheesy, but it’s true. No one else does family just like you do, so your photos will be unique no matter what. But if you want to mix it up and try something new this time, let’s talk!

Family photos *your* way, not mine

I love a good family session in the woods or by the beach - there’s plenty of gorgeous scenery, beautiful light, and loads of opportunities for natural moments of play and connection and joy.

But you know what else I love? When a family comes to me and wants to tell their story their way. Maybe that’s the forest or the beach, but maybe you love the city and want photos there (with an edgy, editorial feel like @drmramas’ family session in this reel!); maybe you just renovated your home and want to document your daily life there; maybe your house desperately needs to be renovated but it’s home and you love it and you want to remember the little, mundane moments you’ve spent there.

Maybe you’re anticipating loss and you want to remember something about *this* season, before the loss. Maybe you don’t love how you look on camera right now but your family loves you as you are and you want to remember that care and connection for years to come. Maybe your family isn’t a traditional one (whatever that means) and you want to celebrate them anyway!

There are all kinds of things about your story that make it unique; let’s tell them! Book a call to explore the options (no pressure or hounding or anything like that afterwards); head to my Inquiries page or click the “Get Started” button below!

Why is photography language SO violent??

My mission to change it.

Why is the language of photography so harsh, extractive, violent even? For example: Headshot. Photo shoot. Take/get/shoot a photo. I was curious about it, so I did a little research. According to Wikipedia, early film (video) cameras had a hand-crank mechanism similar to machine guns of the same era; a camera operator would “shoot” film the same way a machine gun operator would “shoot” their gun. 

Finding the explanation behind headshot is harder, but the term started in the acting & modeling industry, so the origin isn’t hard to imagine. If a camera operator “shot” images, then it’s easy to imagine how someone started calling a photo of an actor or model from the shoulders up a “headshot.”

There’s also all of the terminology around taking photos (vs. making). Taking implies a transfer of ownership, and can have extractive, power-oriented overtones. It’s also a distinctly American way of talking about photography (sidebar: don’t get me started on the history & experience of violence in America and how it infiltrates so much of our culture today). Case in point: in at least several European languages, for example, they use “make” instead of “take”, as in, “can I make your portrait?”.

My mission

Not one to shy away from challenging tasks, I’m on a mission to change the way we talk about photography in America, away from an extractive, forceful, and even violent vocabulary to a more inclusive, collaborative one. Here’s a quick cheat sheet for the most common terms:

• Portrait, not headshot

  Instead of “headshot”, use portrait, professional portrait, LinkedIn portrait, actor/modeling portrait, business portrait

• Photo session, not photo shoot

  Instead of “photo shoot,” try photo session, collaboration, photography project, work, etc.

• Make photos, not take photos

  Instead of “take photos,” use make, create, or collaborate on photos.

• Client, not subject

  Instead of “subject,” which has unfair power dynamics at its core, use model, collaborator, client, or talent.

I’m not alone in this or original in my idea: Carolyn Fong first inspired me to it and Diversify Photo has a much more comprehensive list that’s especially helpful for photographers. It may seem like a small thing, but I firmly believe that our words have implications (positive and negative). Being thoughtful and intentional about how I talk about the work I do is my first step towards a more inclusive, collaborative world.

What to do with your Digital Originals

You’ve downloaded your beautifully-edited Digital Originals (full-resolution JPGs always! Plus some smaller files for social media sharing) - now it’s time to think about prints!

I absolutely love creating wall art, albums, greeting cards and other photo gifts with my own family photos, to bring them out of the digital world and into our everyday lives. They’re tangible, my kids can pull books off the shelves or point to photos on the wall, and we can all reminisce together about the adventures we’ve had. There’s nothing like it!

Lucky for you, I’ve created a few ways to do the same thing with your images. Read on to learn more!

Order heirloom-quality prints & wall art through your gallery

Did you know that you can order prints of any of the images in your gallery, not just the ones you downloaded? Head to your gallery, add your favorites to your cart, and boom! you’ve got printed images.

And don’t forget to get them framed! I’m working on offering framing in 2022 but, for now, I love Frame Theory in Milford, NH (tell them I sent you!), or American Frames online.

Get a custom, keepsake photo book or album

There’s nothing quite as special as having your family story printed in book form. I’ve got two options: a layflat photo book that looks and feels just like the other books on your shelves, but with gorgeous photos of you! [Photos coming soon!] Option two is a stunning, linen-covered and embossed album - a beautiful family heirloom gift for all occasions. Pricing starts at $250; Contact me directly for more info.

Shop consumer-quality prints, wall art, and other photo gifts through mPix.

There is no denying the quality of prints you can order from your gallery - the colors, textures, and durability are the best of the best. That said, I want everyone to be able to get their images printed, and if custom, heirloom-quality printing just isn’t in your budget, mPix is for you! Their prints are the best consumer option out there in terms of color & print quality, and they have dozens of fun photo gifts. Upload your Digital Originals directly, or contact me to get your full gallery uploaded.

I get a small commission on purchases here, but it doesn't affect your price.

Shop eco-friendly greeting cards and other photo gifts through Paper Culture.

I love Paper Culture because they’re committed to creating photo cards & gifts sustainably, using recycled paper and responsibly-sourced wood for their products. And their gifts are gorgeous!

I get a small commission on purchases here, but it doesn’t affect your price.

Share your favorite images on social media.

Don’t forget to tag me when you do (@lynnaeday on Insta, @lynnaedayphotography on FB)! I can’t tell you how much it helps my new little business grow when friends see your beautiful images. If you loved them and you love sharing family images on social media, share away!

Not sharing personal images on social media, but want your friends and family to see them anyway? Share your gallery link! Simply forward it to them in an email and they’ll have instant access.

How will you use your family session photos? I can’t wait to see!

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P.S. If you choose to print/use your photos elsewhere, that's perfectly fine (you do you!), just know that I stand by the quality of these recommendations over all other printing services and I want you to have the best! If you still want to use your own favorite printing sources, just be sure to use your Digital Originals, *not* any social-media-sized images (although do feel free to share those on social media & tag me!), to get the best print quality.

Why "light and loveliness"?

Ever since I picked up a film camera waaaaay back in 2003, I've always been drawn to finding beauty. Photography has been a solace, a comfort, and even a spiritual discipline in hard times, helping me remember that no matter what is going on around me, there is light & loveliness all around me.

I don't dive into the hard a ton around here because it's too easy for me to get stuck in it, but always, always, always I am looking for the light, looking for the loveliness, searching for beauty in brokenness. Whether you feel like your family "has it all together" (who does??) or you're really, really struggling, or somewhere in between, I'd love to come alongside you and capture the light & loveliness in your story.

Why family photography?

Ever since my kids were born & I started taking more portrait photos, I knew I wanted to try a family photography business. These moments with our kids FLY BY - I'm only five years in and while most days still feel really long, I'm already super aware of how soon they'll be headed off to college. 😭

I knew if I started a family photography business, I could help local families preserve some of those fleeting moments, naturally, simply, and honestly. Also? I absolutely LOVE meeting new people and catching up with friends.

So, after a year+ of being home nearly all the time, plus a few photography classes to level up my editing, portrait, and business skills, I'm finally ready to take the plunge!

I work with families of all types in New Hampshire and Massachusetts who love to laugh and who want to remember the little things. I work with you to create simple, honest, and beautiful images that reflect you and your family as you are, in this moment; that bring joy to your hearts & a smile to your face; that help you remember these fleeting moments for a lifetime.