Getting the whole family together for photos – grandparents, parents, kids, cousins, and everyone in between – sounds like a beautiful idea right up until someone asks, “Okay, but how do we actually pull this off?” Between coordinating schedules, figuring out what everyone should wear, and wondering whether Grandpa will cooperate, it can feel like a logistical puzzle with too many pieces. But here’s what I’ve seen time and time again: when families come into a multi-generational session with a little bit of a plan and a whole lot of enthusiasm, something genuinely wonderful happens. This guide walks you through exactly how to set your session up for success – from the first phone call to the moment you see your photos up on the wall. Multi-generational family photo session planning doesn’t have to be hard.

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The Secret Ingredient Most Families Overlook

I’ve photographed a lot of extended family sessions, and the ones that go smoothly share one thing in common – and it’s not matching outfits or a perfect location.

It’s buy-in.

When everyone shows up because they want to be there, not because they feel obligated, the whole energy shifts. I once photographed an extended family before a party, and what struck me immediately was the mood in the group. Everyone was treating the session like a gift for grandma. She genuinely values family, and the people who love her knew that. They were happy, eager, and ready to participate. The photos absolutely reflected that joy.

Nine times out of ten, it’s either a grandmother or one of the moms who really wants that photo of the entire family together. When the rest of the family understands why it matters to her, the session becomes something everyone is doing for someone they love – and that changes everything.

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Set Everyone Up to Actually Enjoy This

Once you’ve got the whole crew on board emotionally, the practical pieces fall into place much more easily. Here’s how to approach the planning process without turning it into a second job.

Talk to everyone before the session day

A quick group text or family chat goes a long way. Share the location, the general timeline, and what to expect. When people know what’s coming, they’re less likely to show up anxious or unprepared.

Give outfit guidance early

You don’t need everyone in matching clothes, but a little coordination helps the photos feel cohesive. Think of a color palette rather than a uniform. Share ideas ahead of time so no one shows up in something that clashes – or in Crocs. You can find a lot of styling inspiration on Style & Select’s Instagram Page!

Plan around your most important subjects

If grandma has trouble standing for long periods, or the youngest grandkids have a hard stop at nap time, build that into the schedule. A session that works around real people’s real needs runs so much smoother than one that ignores them.

Smaller groupings make the full group easier

I always find it helpful to break a large extended family into smaller groupings throughout the session – just the grandparents, just the siblings, just the cousins. It keeps things moving, gives everyone a moment to breathe, and often produces some of the most meaningful images of the day.

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Know What You’re Shooting For (Before the Session, Not After)

This is the part most families don’t think about ahead of time, and it’s the thing that tends to cause the most stress after the session is over.

You know you want the photos. But what are you actually going to do with them?

The biggest challenge I see after extended family sessions isn’t choosing favorites – it’s figuring out what to order and how to display everything once the images are ready. When we haven’t talked about that ahead of time, the ordering appointment can feel overwhelming.

Here’s what I recommend thinking through before we even pick up a camera:

• Is this session a gift? If the photos are intended for grandma, think about what format she’d actually display – a framed print, an album she can flip through, a canvas for her living room wall.
• Who else is taking photos home? In extended family sessions, multiple households often want their own prints. Knowing this in advance helps us plan the session to capture images that work for everyone.
• Where will these photos live in your home? A large wall display looks different from a set of small framed prints on a console table. Having a general sense of this before the session helps us shoot with intention.

When we know what we’re working toward, the session has a clear purpose – and the ordering appointment afterward feels like a celebration instead of a homework assignment.

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Why These Sessions Are Worth Every Bit of the Planning

Multi-generational sessions are some of the most meaningful work I do. There’s something about a photo of four generations in one frame – or a grandparent’s face lighting up while a grandchild tugs on their sleeve – that no other kind of session can replicate.

These moments don’t stay the same. Kids grow up fast. Grandparents get older. The window for certain photos is smaller than we think, and the families who prioritize capturing it almost always say the same thing: they’re so glad they did.

When a session is treated like the gift it truly is – for grandma, for the whole family, for the years ahead – the photos show it. And those are the images that end up on walls, in albums, and passed down through generations.

That’s what I’m here to help you create.

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Ready to Start Planning Your Session?

If you’ve been thinking about getting the whole family together for photos – whether it’s a milestone birthday, a holiday gathering, or simply because grandma has been asking for years – I’d love to help you put it all together.

I work with families all across Geneva, Batavia, St. Charles, and the surrounding Fox Valley area, and I’ll guide you through every step: from coordinating outfits to planning your wall art before we ever pick up a camera.

Reach out here and let’s figure out what this session could look like for your family.

Because some photos are worth every bit of the planning it takes to get everyone in the frame.