Each formal grouping takes about 3 minutes, so the above list usually takes right around 30 minutes. Despite how simple changes between groupings are or what your list ends up looking like, use the 3min/grouping as a solid rule of thumb to plan your photos. Of course families aren't always this simple and there's blended families, step families etc - this list is just a guide. Feel free to adapt however you need/would like to especially if there's folks with mobility issues or kiddos we'd like to get photographed first so they can move along.

The process is smoother, more fun, and sometimes quicker if there's someone who can be our "wingman" and call out from the list. It's helpful if that person knows a lot of the folks involved. With someone else holding on to our list we can focus on just the individuals in the photograph making sure there's no cellphones in pockets, sunglasses on, blinking faces, jackets mis-buttoned etc. There really is so much to fuss about in these photos so that everyone in them feels and looks their best when they get a copy.

We don't typically recommend you posing for family photos for longer than 30 to 45 minutes because if you've ever tried smiling for that long it's kind of hard and smiles get harder and harder. It doesn't seem like it would be but we promise you'll be done posing by the end of it and we'd like to still have some smiles in the tank.

For any groupings that feel special but aren't fitting into the timing of formal portraits we can always do "Grip and Grin" photos. These typically take place on the fly and are a nice, close, less formal but still posed photo of folks.