Looking back at my settings and metadata for this session I can see that we started this first part of the session at 8:00pm sharp with sunset that day being 8:29pm. I'm using a Nikon D750 body, and a 135mm Sigma Art lens at f/4 + 1/640 for group shots. I always start with sun setting behind the dunes, mostly because people can't usually take the direct sun in their eyes without squinting or their eyes watering but also because it gives a chance for a classic backdrop. These are almost always the images that people frame for their walls. If I'm doing a single family I'll often do a standing and sitting pose here by the dunes. The sand is also dry here so it's easier to brush off and then move on to the shots along the water. We start by doing alllll the groupings here. Full family, grand parents with the grandchildren, grand children alone, then we move on to individual families and the sibling shots there. If we started a little earlier than I would like I will sometimes also do couples, individual shots of children, and any special request shots.
There are two major things I'm accomplishing here:
1. Creating wall-worthy images with the same backdrop to look flawless on any wall or in any album.
2. Buying myself a little bit of time until the sun is just low enough to move closer to the waterline.
Pro-tip for a good posing flow:
1. Start with all standing side by side, then create a second post with more of a stacked or pyramid pose utilizing taller children or parents kneeling or sitting.
2. When moving from group to grandparents and grandchildren all you have to do is remove the other adults.
3. When moving from grandparents with grand children all you have to do is remove the grandparents.