One of the questions I get asked all the time is:
“How much time do we actually need for family photos?”
The answer is…it depends.
If you’re wondering how long a family photo session should be, the answer depends on your children’s ages, your family size, and how much variety you want. Some families only need a handful of updated portraits, while others want a relaxed experience with plenty of variety and room for little personalities to shine.
Over the years, I’ve learned that the amount of time we have together can completely change the feel of a session. Sometimes a shorter session is exactly the right choice. Other times, giving ourselves a little extra breathing room makes all the difference, especially with younger children.
Let’s look at the options.
Family Essential Session
The Essential Session is exactly what it sounds like.
It’s perfect for families who want updated portraits without spending a long time in front of the camera. We move efficiently while still making the session fun and relaxed.
This option is great if:
your children warm up quickly
everyone cooperates fairly well for photos
you’re mainly looking for updated family portraits
you don’t need a huge variety of poses or locations
Even in a shorter session, we’ll still capture genuine smiles and sweet moments together.
Full Family Session
If your children are toddlers or preschoolers, this is often the session I recommend.
Little kids rarely perform on a schedule.
Sometimes they need a few extra minutes to get comfortable. Sometimes they want to explore. Sometimes they decide they’re absolutely not interested in having their picture taken…until five minutes later when they’re laughing and having the best time.
A longer session gives us room to let those moments happen naturally instead of feeling rushed.
It also allows us to capture much more variety, including:
your entire family together
siblings together
individual portraits of each child
parents with each child
playful candids
genuine interactions that tell your family’s story
For larger families of seven or more people, I also recommend a Full Session simply because there are more combinations to photograph without feeling hurried.
Extended-Family Sessions
When multiple generations come together, we need time to tell everyone’s story.
An Extended-Family Session isn’t just about taking one big group photo.
We’ll photograph the entire family together, grandparents with grandchildren, cousins, siblings, each individual family, and all of those meaningful combinations that become priceless years from now.
One of my favorite parts is that every family still gets their own dedicated time instead of feeling like they’re simply part of the larger group.
If you’d like to see one in action, take a look at one of my Legacy Sessions Here.
Why More Time Can Actually Mean Less Stress
This might sound backwards, but having more time usually creates a more relaxed session.
When parents know we aren’t racing the clock, everyone tends to breathe a little easier.
Kids get breaks.
We can be playful.
We can follow their curiosity instead of forcing smiles.
Some of my favorite photographs happen after everyone thinks we’re “finished.”
Those are the moments that feel the most like your family.
Which Session Is Right for You?
If you’re simply updating family portraits, an Essential Session may be exactly what you need.
If you have younger children, want lots of variety, have a larger family, or simply want a more relaxed experience, I’d encourage you to choose a Full Session.
We’ll have more flexibility, more genuine moments, and a little extra room for personalities to shine.
At the end of the day, there isn’t a wrong choice. My job is simply to recommend the session that gives your family the best experience and the photographs you’ll love for years to come.
