Photos & Memories
How to hire the right photographer, what to budget, DIY tips for family photographers, the complete must-have shot checklist, photo booth setup, group photo timing, and how to collect everyone's photos after the event.
2-hour session
$200–500
Half-day (4–5 hrs)
$400–900
Full day
$800–1,500
Per-family split (50 guests)
$8–30/family
Budget tip: Book for 2–3 hours during your peak moments (group photo + lunchtime candids), not the full day. The first 2 hours capture the most important shots. Spending on a professional just for the group photo session is worth it — the rest of the day can be covered by family photographers.
🎉 With Reunly
Set up your reunion — then focus on the photos
Reunly keeps your guest list, schedule, and day-of details organized.
Print this list and give it to your photographer or designated family photographer. Check off shots as you go.
Modern smartphones are capable of excellent photos when used correctly. These tips apply to iPhone and Android alike.
Modern smartphones (iPhone 12+, Samsung Galaxy S21+) have excellent portrait mode. Use it for close-up group photos and individual portraits — it blurs the background and makes subjects pop.
Move your group photo to the shaded side of the pavilion or under a large tree. Open shade provides even, flattering light. Direct midday sun causes harsh shadows and squinting.
Scout the photo location before the event starts. Find where the light is best, check the background (avoid parking lots, trash cans, or distracting signage), and mark the spot.
For large group photos without a professional, use a phone tripod (under $25 on Amazon) and the self-timer. This lets the person who would be operating the camera also be in the photo.
Designate one family member — ideally someone with a good eye and a newer phone — as the official candid photographer for the day. Give them a shot list. Not organizing, just shooting.
Elders tire more quickly. Schedule their photos — both formal portraits and in the group photo — early in the event while everyone is fresh. Don't put the elder photos at the end of the day.
A DIY photo booth adds a fun, active photo station that runs without the photographer present. Guests love it — and it generates hundreds of candid photos.
Tell everyone the group photo is happening at exactly [time] and where to gather. Announce it twice — once at the start of the event and once 15 minutes before.
Designate one outgoing family member to physically round people up and get them to the photo location. The organizer is too busy — this needs to be someone else's specific job.
Shortest in front, tallest in back. Seat elders in chairs in the front row. Use steps or bleachers if available to create visual levels for large groups.
Take 15–20 shots rapidly. In any group photo with 30+ people, someone will be blinking, looking away, or making a face in any single shot. Burst mode gives you options.
After the formal group photo, announce: 'One more — everyone do something silly!' The serious photo is for the memory book. The silly one is what people share on Instagram and treasure for decades.
The best photos from a reunion are usually taken by family members, not the professional. Here's how to collect them all in one place.
Free, easy to use on Android and iPhone. Share the link before the event. Guests upload directly from their phone's camera roll. Best for tech-comfortable families.
Good for uploading from desktop as well as mobile. Allows high-resolution uploads without compression. Better for families with older members who prefer desktop.
Many older relatives already use Facebook. Create a closed group before the reunion and have family members join. Works especially well for ongoing communication beyond photo sharing.
Ask key photographers to gather their best photos and send them via WeTransfer. Good for collecting from 5–10 designated photographers without requiring everyone to join a platform.
Professional gallery platforms designed for event photo sharing. The photographer sends a gallery link and family members download their favorites. Best when you've hired a professional.
🎉 With Reunly
Keep Every Photo, Schedule the Shoot
Reunly's schedule lets you block the group-photo window and share it with the family ahead of time.
A professional family reunion photographer typically costs $200–500 for a 2-hour session, or $400–900 for a half-day (4–5 hours). Full-day coverage runs $800–1,500. Prices vary significantly by region — photographers in major metro areas charge more. If your budget is tight, consider booking a photographer for just 2 hours covering the main group photo and mealtime, then rely on family members for candid shots throughout the day. Divide the photographer cost among attending families to reduce the per-family expense.
Schedule the group photo 30–45 minutes after the official start time — early enough that everyone is fresh and dressed well, but late enough that most guests have arrived. Never schedule it at the very end of the event when people are tired and some have left. If you're using a professional photographer, coordinate the group photo time with them in advance so they can set up the angle and lighting. Schedule it before the meal if possible — people look their best before they've been eating and sweating for three hours.
Create a shared Google Photos album and share the link before and during the event — guests can upload directly from their phones. Alternatively, use a service like Pic-Time, Dropbox, or a private Facebook group. Send a reminder message one week after the reunion asking everyone to upload their photos to the shared location. Designate one family member as the 'photo collection coordinator' who follows up with the most prolific phone photographers in the family. For best results, set up the shared album before the reunion and share it at check-in.
The 'golden hour' — one hour after sunrise or one hour before sunset — produces the most flattering natural light for outdoor photos. Midday sun (10am–2pm) creates harsh shadows and causes people to squint. If your reunion runs during midday, look for open shade (under a large tree or pavilion roof) for your group photo — shade provides soft, even light without direct sun. Overcast days are actually ideal for photography — the clouds act as a giant diffuser.
From photo schedules to guest lists to budget — Reunly keeps every part of your reunion organized.