dhmeir Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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Bluerunner,
These comments are based on your post question. In other words, I may be making assumptions you didn't address in your question.
Try not to dwell too much on your equipment. You're much better off using the body and the lens you're comfortable with. Two23 is correct - if you have the ability - use your flash off camera. But for this session, if it can only be on camera that's fine. With regard to the lens, use the longest focal length you have wherein you can still capture the whole group. Don't use a wide-angle and come in close.
Photographing families is more about the pose, the light and their experience. As Gunslinger says, make sure everyone has a blast.
If you can find an area of open shade that would be great. Not sure where you are but by 10:00 am the light may already be getting too far overhead. If you have a bright sunny day and can find the open shade you can use the ambient light for your overall exposure and add some direction with the flash - even if it is on camera. If you're comfortable using your flash on automatic then do that - but set it to minus one or so - just not full power. If possible also set the flash head to wide angle to get the most coverage.
When you start posing the group let them know this is the most time-consuming part. Get the adults posed first and then put the kids in at the end - especially if they're young and squirmy. Pose each person so they'd look good - even if it were just a portrait of them alone. Try and vary the head heights if you can. Use chairs or foot-stools, chunks of wood, retaining walls, steps - whatever you can find to give you some variety.
Again, don't dwell on your equipment. Take a couple images to check your exposure and then forget about it. Concentrate on your subjects, talking to them, acting goofy. If they have a good time during the session there's a good chance they'll love the images.
All I got. Good luck.
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