Search Results for: blog tips on how to plan a family reunion

Chase Away The Chill and Plan A Family Reunion – Part 1

If the cold, gray days of February have you wishing for warmer weather but a trip to a sunny locale is not possible right now, planning a family reunion for this summer may be a fun way to get your mind off of winter. Summer is a popular time for family gatherings both large and small. Whether you want to invite just a few people from one branch of your family tree or a large group of family who have not seen each other for a long time is up to you. Since it takes a few months to plan … Continue reading →

Family Reunion Shots

Summer reunions are a tradition for many families across the globe. In addition to allowing multiple generations the opportunity to get to know each other a little better, reunions are also a prime chance to snap keepers of each family member. We all know that family photos are invaluable, but only the best ones are passed down from generation to generation. So, what do you need to do to ensure your family reunion shots are frame worthy? For starters, a family portrait should reflect a cohesive structure, regardless of how many subjects appear in a single shot. Whether you are … Continue reading →

Family Reunion Shots

Have you ever attended a family reunion, taken a million photos, and then returned home to find that you are not in a single frame? Such is life as the family photographer. You are the one with the upgraded camera, the skills, and in many cases, the willingness, so by default you are bestowed the title. However, in the process of pointing and shooting at everyone else you often find that you are left out of the action, and most definitely the shot. Summer is primetime for family reunions. If you are planning to document the annual event for your … Continue reading →

The Family Reunion Shoot

Summer is primetime for family reunions. The gatherings are designed to reconnect with distant relatives and often yield awesome photographs of two, three, or four generations of family members. My mom’s side of the family has massive family reunions every other year. The food is catered, the decorations are done by a party planner and there’s always some sort of live entertainment, so everyone can concentrate on having fun instead of worrying about cooking, cleaning and chasing after kids. In addition, there’s always a professional photographer on hand to document the reunion. Even if your family reunion doesn’t feature a … Continue reading →

Preparing for and Processing a Reunion: Expectations and Emotions

My last blogs talked about children’s experience of open adoption and possible advantages of a meeting between the child and birth family members. Counselors and social workers familiar with adoption issues can provide invaluable help in preparing for and dealing with such a reunion. Adoption workers may help birth and adoptive parents share and manage expectations, and help them process their own adoption issues so that they can be focused on the needs of the child. For one birthfather, these sessions covered the circumstances of his daughter’s birth and adoption, his feelings for her then and now, his relationship with … Continue reading →

Large Group Photo Tips

Family reunion photos are great for those “remember when” conversations. What family reunion is complete without the large group photo? Plan the large group photo in advance. You will want to keep the background simple if at all possible. Or use your background to highlight something about your location. My extended family reunions are usually at Wayne and Elsie’s cabin on the Mississippi River. The river makes a good backdrop for our family reunion photos. Avoid using the side of a house for your background it flattens the photo and is very uninteresting. Rather than lining everyone up like they … Continue reading →

Organizing Your Photos: Part One – Planning

There are so many ways to organize your photos. There is no one wrong or right way, just the way that is easiest and most convenient for you. Please take away from these articles, what will work for you, whether it is only one way, or a combination of organizational methods. It is not necessary to have all your photos sorted and organized before you put together your first album. However, the photos you choose to put in that album need to be organized. You will also find it less overwhelming to begin with your most recent photos and work … Continue reading →

Dog Days of Summer: Pets on Vacation

Pet owners face a unique situation when making our summer travel plans: we have to worry about our pets. Do we only go places where we can take our pets, or do we try to find care for them while we’re away? Website Pet Relocation released its third annual Summer Pet Travel Survey. They found that 70% of the people questioned plan to travel with their pets. If you want to take your animals along with you on vacation this summer, there are a few things you have to consider. Make sure you can bring your animal with you where … Continue reading →

Inexpensive Road Trip Boredom Busters

According to AAA, a record number of Americans will be hitting the road during the upcoming Fourth of July weekend. Whether you are planning a two-hour car ride to grandma’s summer cottage or you are embarking on a 10-hour haul to a family reunion in Omaha, you’ll want to make sure that your youngest passengers are entertained during the trip. The following sanity savers will help you survive the ride without a single headache: Disposable or Digital Cameras: Purchase a disposable camera for each child (depending on age), so that he or she can take pictures on the road. Snapping … Continue reading →

Digitage Heritage Scrapbooks

A few weeks ago I posted about scrapbooking your old family photos and memorabilia. Today I want to also mention the idea of creating a digital heritage scrapbook (also called a digital family tree or digital genealogy scrapbook). A digital scrapbook is made on a computer using an image editing software, such as Adobe Photoshop or Coral Paint Shop. Items that can be made into a digital scrapbook include vintage family photographs, old letters, vital records, and heirlooms. Before you begin, you will need to convert your photos and memorabilia into a digital format by scanning them into your computer. … Continue reading →