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!