Extended Family Sessions on the Central Coast

Evin first reached out in the fall while planning to have her entire family together for Christmas — the kind of gathering that doesn’t happen often and deserves to be documented. They wanted their family photos taken on their own property, tucked into the rolling hills of the Central Coast, which immediately felt meaningful and personal.

Like many winter sessions, we had to stay flexible with the weather. After days of rain before and after their session, we landed on the warmest afternoon available, even with a little intermittent drizzle. I always leave room in my schedule to adjust for weather, especially during seasons like this, and it paid off beautifully. The recent rain paired with warm days had transformed the hills into an early spring dream — lush, green, and absolutely magical.

A Central Coast Family Full of Connection

From the moment I arrived, it was clear how close this family is. The cousins genuinely enjoy being together — no forced smiles, no awkward moments. With most of the kids being older teens and the youngest around 12, their joy and comfort with one another was effortless and contagious. Those are the sessions that flow easily and result in the most authentic images.

How We Tackled a Large Family Session Smoothly

One thing that made this session especially successful was preparation. Evin provided a list of family member names and relationships ahead of time, which allowed me to arrive with a clear plan and move quickly without confusion. For large family sessions, this is truly a game changer.

If you’re planning a big family session, feel free to steal my go-to grouping list — it helps keep things efficient while making sure no important combination is missed:

My Large Family Photo Grouping List

• Grandparents

  • Add original kids (adult children)

  • Add spouses

  • Add grandkids

• Grandparents with grandkids

• Individual grandkids with grandparents

• All grandkids together

• All guys

• All girls

• Sibling photo

Then we move into:

• Each individual family

• Each couple

• Individual kids

• Any special requests

  
  

This approach keeps sessions moving quickly, minimizes downtime, and ensures everyone feels included — especially important during holiday gatherings when time together is limited.

A Session Worth Remembering

Between the glowing green hills, the laughter shared between cousins, and the intention behind gathering everyone together, this Central Coast family session felt incredibly special. These are the moments that become part of a family’s legacy — not just photos, but memories tied to a season, a place, and being together.

Plan My Shoot!