Hello Guys..

I normally don't post a lot.. But this is to show.. hope you enjoyed it!




thanks!

The style is very traditional.. but its was hard to do it other ways..

wow you did a GREAT job
they will cherish this image.

that had to be hard

Thanks!

Rock star! It is almost impossible to get a group of 26 (with little ones) looking pleasant. Well done!

wow...love it. Hopefully there is a photo like that in my future...I have 6 kids.

Laurie

You did a great job.

Not a fan of the uniform, but you did an excellent job with the execution!

GREAT work!
Are you willing to drive down to San Diego for big family groups??? I get SO many "family reunion" type requests, and I turn them down because I can't stand those shoots. If you like it, and you're clearly GREAT at it, I can give people your info!
Let me know!
~Carey

I think you did a great job! Especially with that many children.

Thank you Lisette, Carey, jules, Laurie and tess...

You guys just made my Sunday!

Don't mean to threadjack, but I get tons of those request too and pretty much hate them. But how do you say no? It's SO hard to say no.

"Sounds like you have a fun family reunion planned! I specialize in sessions for single families -- mom, dad and their kids (2 generations, not including cousins, aunts, uncles, etc). If you'd like the contact info for some photographers who do great work with large groups, let me know!"

When I was just starting, I took any client who would call.

I learned that I HATE:
-weddings
-family reunions & large groups
-posed sports team & indiv. pics
-indoor studio stuff

I'm pretty confident that if I turn down a big family reunion shoot, a smaller single family private shoot will come along, and I'll enjoy it more, do better at it, and still have the income w/out the headache of the big group. If another session doesn't come along for that day, oh well! fine by me.

Ok, thanks for that, but don't you develop relationships with people, like shooting the same family every year or every couple of months or whatever, and then because you've developed a relationship with that family, that you feel weird saying no when they ask if you'll shoot, I don't know, something like when all the cousins come to town?

Ok, that was a really long sentence.

But, um, that's my real issue. I have no problem saying no to new inquiries, but when an old established client asks me to shoot her great great grandmother's 100th birthday party, and she won't trust anybody else to do it, I just don't know how to say no to that. And, like, they're going to schedule the party for when *I'm* available. Don't know how to say no, so I just do it even though I don't really want to.

Then again, I do sort of "sell" myself like that -- "your lifetime photographer" so I guess I dug my own grave on that one. Still, I wish I could find a way to tell people I don't do ANY parties. CAREY! HELP!

That really is phenomenal! I can't imagine successfully wrangling that many people!!

Thank you Carrie,
I been doing this for a while.. for my it comes naturally I guess.. I didn't have a difficult time with my clients.. but I have to say they where very cooperating and fun..

Thank you all for stopping by!

Gloria Mesa
http://www.gloriamesa.com

wonderful job! I'm so glad you posted this, hard to imagine actually doing this!

Thank you Jessica.. I think it can be done.. You just need to put it in your mind..

Great job. Cool fogginess in the background.

Oh, I forgot about this among all the other stuff today. You did a great job here. It's hard to get kids, and adults to, to focus on the camera. Great image, and they should put a big one on the wall.

Thank Jennifer and Mark.. Yes I am working on this... remember 5 different families combine and I took photos of everyone.. so 5 different sales.. so far excellent!

Great job, Gloria! I love the way you positioned everyone! Way to go

Thanks Nat! how was your B-day?

it doesn't get much better than this! I had a hard time with 13 the other day!

Seriously!!! This is perfect! How do you do it? Do you have any tips??? This would make me sweat!

Did you enjoyed it? I bet you did!

did you have any little one's in the shoot?

Hello katie,

Thanks for your rad comments ok..

Any tips? Mmmm! I think when you are shooting a lot of people is to have total control over every one in a nice way.. If you let other people move you around in the session.. believed me no one will listen to you..

about the kids is being so patient and funny! Moms always like that..

I really hope this helps you..

Your angles are perfect though...how do you organize by height? Do you just wing it or do you actually have a method you follow? I asked a while ago for a book on posing or something that could help me "see" how everyone could look nice together but didn't really get too many resources. Did you learn how to do this or is it just practice? I need a good rule of thumb to follow in situations with tons of people relying on me to arrange them in a good way! Aaahh!

Thanks for the good vibe Katie..

Yes it takes some practice.. well tons of practice. Now I always try to hide the people with the most weight that is a #1 rule.. then just playing and seeing how this developed.. I personally always explain to my clients what I am doing and tell then "I just may need to adjust the group a bit".. then everything comes in to place.. put the group of families together that helps a lot..

But I think every one works different now..

Hope this little explanation helps you..


Gloria
http://www.gloriamesa.com