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Example Family Groupings Shot List

ByNikki

Family Groupings Shot List: What I Capture During Family Sessions

Large family sessions are my favorite kind of organized chaos. Typically we have multiple generations, kids of every age, at least one person who’s “not a photo person.” On top of that, we’re working outside where there’s sand, ocean, heat, maybe a rainstorm we’re trying to beat. In order to make the most of the chaos, I come in with a plan.

Before every family session, I build a shot list based on your family’s structure – the units, the combinations, the grandparent moments, the cousin pile-ons. Nothing gets left to chance (except maybe the four-year-old).

Here’s a look at exactly how I work through a session, using a sample family so you can see how it all comes together.

The example family

  • Grammy (Jen) + PopPop (John) Rose – the grandparents
  • The Roses
    • Oldest son Johnny + his wife Moira
    • David (22)
    • Alexis (20)
  • The Middletons
    • Middle daughter Kate + her husband William
    • George (12)
    • Charlotte (10)
    • Louis (7)
  • The Halperts
    • Youngest daughter Pam + her husband Jim
    • Cecelia (6)
    • Phillip (4)

That’s 14 people across four family units – a totally typical extended session for me.

How I sequence the session

I always start with the shots that require the most people and the most cooperation – while everyone still has energy and the littles are still listening. As the session progresses, I work toward smaller groups and candids, which gives kids more freedom to just be themselves.

Here’s how the groups break down.

  • Full group shots
  • Grandparent portraits
    • Grammy and PopPop alone
    • Grammy and PopPop with all grandchildren
    • Grammy and PopPop with all of their adult children and their spouses
    • Grammy and PopPop with each individual family unit (one with the Roses, one with the Middletons, one with the Halperts)
  • Individual family units
    • The Roses (Moira, Johnny, David, Alexis)
      • Full family
      • Moira and Johnny
      • David and Alexis
      • Moira + kids
      • Johnny + kids
      • Candids of this family
    • The Middletons (Kate, William, George, Charlotte, Louis)
      • Full family
      • Kate and William
      • All three kids together
      • Kate + kids
      • William + kids
      • George
      • Charlotte
      • Louis
      • George and Charlotte
      • George and Louis
      • Charlotte and Louis
      • Candids of this family
    • The Halperts (Pam, Jim, Cecelia, Phillip)
      • Full Family
      • Pam and Jim
      • Cecelia and Phillip
      • Pam + kids
      • Jim + kids
      • Phillip
      • Cecelia
      • Candids of this family
  • Cousin combinations
    • All cousins together
    • Candid cousin moments
  • Adult sibling combinations
    • The three siblings together (Johnny, Kate, and Pam)
    • The in-laws / partners together (Moira, William, and Jim)
    • All six adult children and spouses as a group
  • Candids
    • I weave these throughout the session, but especially toward the end when the light is at its best and everyone has loosened up.

A few things worth knowing

We start big and work small. The full group shot comes first. Always. Little kids have a finite amount of cooperation and I’m not gambling on it.

Every family unit goes home with their own photos. Even though this is one extended session, I treat each household as its own portrait session within the bigger one.

The shot list is customized to your family. The structure above is a template. I welcome any thing that would be particularly special to you (just the women, birth-order siblings, whoever’s visiting from out of town, etc.).

Golden hour is non-negotiable. All of this happens in about 60 minutes, with the best light of the day. It moves fast and that’s why having a plan matters.

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