Recreating an old family group photograph during a reunion

A reunion is often the first time in years that the family is together, and an old photograph can become a reason to stand in line again. A recreation can be one of the best-loved images of the day. It works best when it is small, planned and optional.

This page is part of our overview of family gathering and remembrance photography. To plan the wider record of the reunion, see choosing a photographic family record from one reunion.

Recreation or documentary?

These are two different kinds of photograph. A recreation is a deliberate arrangement that echoes an earlier image. Documentary photographs show what actually happened at the reunion, including the people, the conversations and the setting.

Both have value, and the recreation does not replace the documentary record. Decide how much time each deserves, and keep the recreation short so that it does not take over the day.

The reference photograph

Bring the original, in as good a condition as you can, or a clear copy. It guides the arrangement: who sits, who stands, where the hands go and how the family are grouped.

Before you share it, check who owns it. Our guide to copyright ownership and permission to use event photographs explains why ownership of a print is not always the same as the right to copy or use it. Tell us if you are unsure, and we will not reproduce a reference image beyond what the owner permits.

Who stands where?

List everyone in the original and everyone who will be at the reunion. Some people will be missing; some will be new, such as spouses or children who were not yet born.

Decide what to do about gaps. Some families leave a space, some place a framed photograph, and some add new members around the edge. Our group photograph planner helps you list positions, and you may wish to appoint a relative who knows everyone to gather people.

The location and conditions

If the original was taken in front of a house, a tree or a doorway, think about whether you can return to that spot. If not, a similar background will do. Light also matters: midday sun is harsh, and shade or later light is kinder for a large group.

Keep the arrangement simple. A short, easy-to-repeat pose leaves everyone cheerful, and a stool or bench helps older relatives.

Keeping it optional and kind

Not everyone enjoys being arranged. Some relatives will decline, and some may feel the recreation highlights people who are absent. The host can say that joining is optional, and the photographer can work around anyone who prefers to watch.

Our guide to camera-shy adults at a photographed event offers further ways to make participation comfortable.

An example scenario

For example, imagine a family of forty who have an old photograph of three generations on the steps of a family home. At the reunion, the host plans a recreation at ten in the morning, before the heat. A cousin brings the original photograph, and the owner has agreed that a copy may be used.

The photographer takes about ten minutes, arranging the family in similar positions and adding the younger children at the front. The rest of the day is documentary. This is a hypothetical plan.

What we confirm

We confirm the date, venue, crew, deliverables and quotation in writing. Ask us whether a printed side-by-side or other output can be included; we confirm what is possible for your date, and use the reference image only as the owner permits.

Questions to settle before the day

Ask the family whether the original pose should be copied exactly or only echoed. A faithful copy needs careful positioning and more time, while a looser echo is quicker and often more natural. Ask whether anyone has changed so much, or moved so far, that a simple version is kinder.

Agreeing the level of detail in advance helps the photographer plan the time, and keeps the recreation a happy interlude rather than a test.