Families come in all shapes and sizes, and you may find yourself stumped for posing ideas when having to photograph large families of 6 or more people.

We’ve asked students from the Family Retreat to share some posing inspiration for large families.

The formal portrait

Start with posing the parents (or the central figures for extended families), and then add the children in groups around them. Use the posing rule of forming triangles to decide who goes where.

Use props

Posing families with many members can be hard because the height difference between the family members may be significant. Use props, either manufactured like apple boxes or chairs, or natural like logs or rocks, to prop up the little ones. Chairs can also be used to draw attention to the central figures – in extended family sessions, grandparents are often the center of attention.

The candid shot

Once you have the “everyone looking at the camera” photo out of the way, use prompts to let the family relax and interact naturally. It may be a prompt for the parents to tickle the kids, or have different groupings of families interact with each other. Sometimes, letting everyone do their own thing is exactly what brings out the individual personalities!

Spread large families out

The walking together pose works especially well with large families. Tell everyone to hold hands, and capture them from the front, or from the side. Mix it up with a less formal, more spread out group walking shot.

Change the angle for large families

Looking at a family from a different angle is a great way to keep things fresh and your gallery interesting.

For more posing inspiration, be sure to check out our blog post about family posing with babies. If you are new to family photography, we think you would find “Getting started with Family Photography” super helpful!