Summer is here! Which brings us to a time when families get together and family reunions are planned, so hopefully someone is capturing those memories! Whether you book a session with a photographer, grab a friend or set up a self timer, you won’t regret the family keepsake.
One of photographer partners of Allison Beauchamp Styling is the fabulous Kami Shaw Photography. If you are local to Coeur d’Alene or love seeing beautiful images in your feed you should check out her Instagram here! I recently styled a 24 person extended family photo session she has planned for early July. I believe that was my largest group yet!
Many of the same styling guidelines work for extended family photo sessions as smaller sessions. However, there are a few things that can help everyone coordinate and relieve some stress with a bit of direction leading up to the day.
I suggest a color palette with shades of blue and white as these colors are often already in your closet and most everyone can find a shade of blue that they feel fabulous in! This can also include many shades of denim, which simplifies it as well. Unless you want to look like a 90’s Gap commercial, I would steer away from telling everyone to wear jeans and a white shirt.
You could also add in a blushy pink or coral and beige/tan, like I did for this larger group. Feel free to mix it up with different hues, patterns, styles and textures to add interest and individual style.
Often these larger group photo sessions take place outdoors, so this color palette is beautiful against the green of a field or complimenting the shades on the beach, or of course in your favorite urban areas as well.
There are other color palettes that would work too. Many times, I find my color inspiration from floral arrangements. They are a wonderful example of colors and textures that don’t match, yet work really well together.
Some would say to stick to similar intensities when it comes to the overall colors. For example, if you are going with lighter shades, try to stay on the lighter side, and vice versa for more saturated hues. This is all personal preference of course!
Usually the extended family photo includes smaller family units so when providing styling guidance, I make sure those groups look just as good apart from the larger group. I also like to consider individual style and personal preferences.
Climate is also a factor, so if needed, swap to shorts or short sleeves, or add a layer.
If you have an extended family photo session this summer, here are some examples of smaller groups that would look amazing together as a large group. Feel free to click on the images to shop the style boards directly or use them as inspiration to find something similar in your closet.
And finally, often the extended family photo session includes grandparents, so I made sure to add some inspiration for them too:
Please remember, the links on the style boards and throughout the blog post are affiliate links. This means that while the product is the same cost to you, I may make a small commission and it allows me to continue to provide this inspiration for free. Thank you for supporting me, I really appreciate it! Happy Summer!
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