Photographing Group of 11. Ideas, suggestions?

[monicastanner]

I have done random photo shoots for friends & family over the years. A few paid gigs here and there. I'm still a learning newbie with a passion and a decent eye. Usually family shots of 4ish. This weekend I am taking pics of our 4 nieces & nephews with spouses. (8 total) With 3 kids (5 mths, 9 mths & 2 and a half) It should be interesting. We're gonna try for the front porch of an extended family member that is nice for this sort of thing. Hoping for good weather!

Anyway, tips, ideas, suggestions. Anyone have pics they've taken of groups of 11ish or so, adults & kids. I've been online gathering ideas of positioning. I can copy and build on things in a great way, thinking of things on my own... not so much.

And... I need a tip for de-fogging my lens which is sure to be foggy on a cold morning.

.... I spend endless hours surfing this board for ideas, tips, suggestions and inspiration.... you guys and gals rock.......

 

[handicap18]

Your probably going to have to bump your ISO up to at least 800 because your going to want a small aperture to give you deeper depth of field to be sure everyone is in focus.

Try to get the light as even as possible. Try to have at least 1 other person on your side of the camera to help get the small childrens attention. Stress to the adults in the picture NOT to look at the kids and to KEEP THEIR FOCUS ON YOU NOT THE KIDS. The last thing they want is for you to get the kids to smile and/or look in your direction but 2 or 3 of the adults are looking at the kids to get them to smile and tell them where to look. Yell at them if you have to! My father-in-law ALWAYS looks at the kids when he's in the picture to get them to look at me. I'm ALWAYS YELLING at him, LOOK AT ME NOT THEM. THE CAMERA IS OVER HERE! I'll worry about the kids. Ok, enough on that.

Unless you have more than 1 a flash may not help with that size group. Try to have the family wear smilar colors. No stripes, no multi colored shirts, etc... Keep it plain and simple.

Thats all I got right now.

 

[Experiment_626]

Try to have the family wear smilar colors. No stripes, no multi colored shirts, etc... Keep it plain and simple.

Or, if not similar colors, at least try for colors that are similar in tone, and as close to complementary as possible. Also, make it clear you'll take multiple shots, or otherwise some of your group are likely to try to disperse as soon as they know you've fired the shutter. Take multiple shots because, as the size of the group increases, so does the chance that at least one person will have his or her eyes shut or mouth open in any given exposure.

One more trick -- if you do a countdown, take a shot before the countdown is done if you think everyone looks right. Sometimes you get a better image before everyone is "ready." Between doing this and taking multiple shots, you may be able to get everyone to relax a bit, which should give you a better opportunity to get a pleasing shot.

SSB

 

[AndrewWG]

One thing that I ran into this summer when shooting a larger group is that I should have bunched them together a bit more and not gone with a line of people so much. My camera shoots 8x12 photos and cropping them to 8x10 which is what they wanted was really hard to do while keeping everyone in the picture and being able to see them all decently. So if you are doing a larger group shot, I would try to make more even rows of people. In this case, maybe the kids in the front and a couple rows of adults in the back? Keep in mind that you will probably be cropping it depending on the size of the pics your camera produces.

 

[Experiment_626]

My camera shoots 8x12 photos and cropping them to 8x10 which is what they wanted was really hard to do while keeping everyone in the picture and being able to see them all decently

This is a pet peeve of mine -- I generally hate 8x10 crops. I wish 8x12 was more of a standard. I know you can find frames for that ratio, but they're not common enough.

SSB

 

[Chikabowa]

My biggest suggestion with a group that large is get everyone posed in nice close and together. You want to show interaction between people, so touching, heads/cheeks close together and touching, arms around shoulders, etc. will help with the intimacy of the shot. Additionally, you'll want to frame up the group nice and close; but allow room on either side so you can crop to the dreaded 8x10 size.

I disagree with the previous poster about not having any interaction with the children. That's fine if you want a really static shot, but having people looking at one another, laughing, interacting while in their pose can add a lot in terms of family intimacy to your shot.

My biggest pet peeve - watch your backgrounds. With a group that large it's easy to have something sticking out of someone's head. So make sure you have everyone placed where the background won't be distracting.

 

[MICKEY88]

One thing that I ran into this summer when shooting a larger group is that I should have bunched them together a bit more and not gone with a line of people so much. My camera shoots 8x12 photos and cropping them to 8x10 which is what they wanted was really hard to do while keeping everyone in the picture and being able to see them all decently. So if you are doing a larger group shot, I would try to make more even rows of people. In this case, maybe the kids in the front and a couple rows of adults in the back? Keep in mind that you will probably be cropping it depending on the size of the pics your camera produces.

8x12 is pretty much standard file size... 35mm was 8x12, it's just that most people didn't know that since 8x10 is standard picture size, the same as 4x6 is full size, but for years people got 3 1/2 x 5,,since that's what labs printed..

 

[MICKEY88]

I'd recommend keeping ISO below 400 unless your camera is good noisewise at higher ISOs,


use a tripod if necessary, and as far as clothing choices.. simple is good, solids, no whites...no short sleeves...

one thing I've seen done and looks nice, rather than trying to get everyone to wear the same color, have each family pick a color, that way they only have to match up their own spouse and children, and can pick a color they like...

as for the fogging, acclimate your camera to the outside temp, prior to shooting, rather than waiting to the last minute, remove your batteries, then let the camera sit outside for a while that way it will be the same temp as outdoors and you shouldn't have fogging..

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I actually read an article about this recently but I can't remember where.

IIR, they'd suggested placing people at various heights for visual interest, ie so their eyes weren't all lined up, etc, and also doing something with their hands like putting them on the back of the chair or around another, etc. If I can find it, I'll post it.

Here's something else I found:

http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-take-great-group-photos/

Oh yes, another tip I remember is to say "I'll count to three" but actually fire the shutter at "two" to help avoid blinking. This will probably only be successful once, so make it count.

 

[handicap18]

Great suggestions.

If your camera has a continuous mode, use that as your doing the countdown. Say you count down from 5. Between 3 and 2 press the shutter and don't let it go till after you pass 1. You'll get a bunch of shots this way. Maybe more keepers.

I like the suggestions about cropping. Definately leave room for cropping. If its one of those big farmers porches, use the stairs if they're large enough. Have some people stand along the side. Some sitting with the kids. This will also help give a staggered look, but you can even it out a bit with some good placement of the adults.

 

[fitzperry]

This is a pet peeve of mine -- I generally hate 8x10 crops. I wish 8x12 was more of a standard. I know you can find frames for that ratio, but they're not common enough.

SSB

My solution to that problem was to buy 14x18 frames at Target that are matted to 8x10. Then I ordered a bunch of 8x12 mats to fit the frames. I thought about getting a mat cutter, but I have enough to do already. This has a fairly custom look w/o the custom price.

 

[monicastanner]

I knew posting here was the right thing to do!! You guys are awesome, thanks so much!!!

I was concerned about leaving my camera outside to adjust to the weather, but if I take the battery out (never thought of that) and leave it out for a few minutes it will be fine. Great suggestion (why are the simple things so hard to think of yourself?)

I don't like "rows" of people very much and am planning on the more relaxed look. One couple with her back to him, another facing each other, that kind of thing. I gotta figure out a way to do this and keep the height perspective thing going too. With the kids. Do they all stand and hold the kids? Do I have some sit so the kids can stand by the sitting adults? I'll have to see how many steps we have to work with. They tell me it's a wide porch, not sure about steps though.

I am not thrilled they waited until darn DECEMBER to do this! Ugh!!! Just a few months ago we'd have had warmer temps and pretty fall colors. I've never ever considered doing outside pics in December. They are all over the place though and had trouble all being in town at the same time.

They are wearing denim and "fallish" color tops. (burgundy/green/brown) They chose the colors among themselves and say it's colors they all have.

I don't have a "studio" set up or we could do it inside with no trouble anywhere. I've borrowed one before, but don't have one and am not renting one since I'm not getting paid for this.

What we'll do for family.....

I have a D40 if that helps.

Thanks again, wish me luck!

 

[Frantasmic]

I suggest a generational posing.

Youngest sitting on the ground (any infants or toddlers can be placed with older kids, if you have them). Then, have the oldest generation seated behind them, followed by the middle generation standing behind them. Nice and tight with good lighting. Tight DOF so that the edges might blur a bit.

 

[monicastanner]

Nieces, Nephews & spouces = 21 - 33 yrs old (8 total)
Great niece & great nephews = 2 & 1/2, 9 mths, 5 mths (3 total)
It's a gift for their parents & grandparents, my brother & sister in law

 

[MICKEY88]

I knew posting here was the right thing to do!! You guys are awesome, thanks so much!!!

I was concerned about leaving my camera outside to adjust to the weather, but if I take the battery out (never thought of that) and leave it out for a few minutes it will be fine. Great suggestion (why are the simple things so hard to think of yourself?)

I don't like "rows" of people very much and am planning on the more relaxed look. One couple with her back to him, another facing each other, that kind of thing. I gotta figure out a way to do this and keep the height perspective thing going too. With the kids. Do they all stand and hold the kids? Do I have some sit so the kids can stand by the sitting adults? I'll have to see how many steps we have to work with. They tell me it's a wide porch, not sure about steps though.

I am not thrilled they waited until darn DECEMBER to do this! Ugh!!! Just a few months ago we'd have had warmer temps and pretty fall colors. I've never ever considered doing outside pics in December. They are all over the place though and had trouble all being in town at the same time.

They are wearing denim and "fallish" color tops. (burgundy/green/brown) They chose the colors among themselves and say it's colors they all have.

I don't have a "studio" set up or we could do it inside with no trouble anywhere. I've borrowed one before, but don't have one and am not renting one since I'm not getting paid for this.

What we'll do for family.....

I have a D40 if that helps.

Thanks again, wish me luck!

keep your lens cap on until ready to shoot, and try different poses

 

[MHolleman]

I am not a pro, so can't help you out on the camera aspects, but I did see this one photo website and thought I would share it with you. I loved how this person did the group shot and then did individual family shots. Just another webisite to check out, so ideas of course!! http://www.mikabethedwardsphotography.com/blog/

Best of luck, Melissa