Alright, so summer is winding down (at least on this side o the planet) and we're gearing up for back to school. Most of the summer reunions have come and gone, so show us some group portraits (let's say 5+ people), and maybe give us a little info on the people and story behind the image.
Me first!
So we were all talking in the lobby after our weekend reunion, getting ready to leave and go back to our corners of the US, when we realized we hadn't taken a group shot of this part of the family. Of course, we'd taken others, but not of this particular group, including my mother, her twin sister and her two boys and their families. So I looked around and went into the little breakfast room, asked the attendant if we could shoot there, and she gave us 5 min to shoot before they had to clean up the room for the day. So I ran to the van, pulled out a flash, stand and umbrella, and hustled everyone (well, 'hustle' is a relative term when you have four people in their mid 70s ) into a corner of the small room, took a couple of test pops, then set the timer and got into position in the top right corner with my youngest daughter, behind my mother (still caught a bit of the table in the lower corner, grrr). This was the result three pops later.
Great shot, and idea! I wish I could gather everyone for a family portrait, unfortunately it isn't possible! I am able to get my immediate family,wife,son, and teen daughter, although, they have learned to hate me and my camera I lug around the Nikon D700 and on board flash wishing for a group shot, sadly, they are always two steps away,er, ahead of me! I have been hopelessly trying to convince everyone to gather around, but, I am not very persuasive, so I gear my photography to pets, and still life!
This is our family reunion shot this year compared to 2003. That's me on the back row far left. The family consists of my dad and his brother (two old dudes in the middle) then the wifes, kids and grandkids. We made sure to place everyone in the exact location to make it as close as possible to the old photo.
2012 - Shot with Canon XSi on tripod with on camera speed light.
Here's another one I did over the past year. This family hired me to shoot the grand fathers 80th birthday. So pictured are grandma and grandpa with 5 kids with spouses, 6 grand kids and 3 great grand kids.
Strobist info: One Alienbee B800 with 42" PLM above camera mounted on ladder with bungees. Here is the setup shot: Family photo setup by Matt Randolph, on Flickr
Story is they hired me and I prayed to God I could pull it off.
Girl in the green dress on the left is actually sitting on a stool. I cloned in the rock. The lady on the right also had a rock cloned underneath her
jfinite - great! Looks like a loving family too. Even the kids are cooperative, SO unlike my family. The woman in the very center, back row, reminds me very much of an actress on Rookie Blue. http://www.melanienichollsking.com/
jfinite wrote:
Alright, so summer is winding down (at least on this side o the planet) and we're gearing up for back to school. Most of the summer reunions have come and gone, so show us some group portraits (let's say 5+ people), and maybe give us a little info on the people and story behind the image.
Me first!
So we were all talking in the lobby after our weekend reunion, getting ready to leave and go back to our corners of the US, when we realized we hadn't taken a group shot of this part of the family. Of course, we'd taken others, but not of this particular group, including my mother, her twin sister and her two boys and their families. So I looked around and went into the little breakfast room, asked the attendant if we could shoot there, and she gave us 5 min to shoot before they had to clean up the room for the day. So I ran to the van, pulled out a flash, stand and umbrella, and hustled everyone (well, 'hustle' is a relative term when you have four people in their mid 70s ) into a corner of the small room, took a couple of test pops, then set the timer and got into position in the top right corner with my youngest daughter, behind my mother (still caught a bit of the table in the lower corner, grrr). This was the result three pops later.
jfinite wrote:
Alright, so summer is winding down (at least on this side o the planet) and we're gearing up for back to school. Most of the summer reunions have come and gone, so show us some group portraits (let's say 5+ people), and maybe give us a little info on the people and story behind the image.
Me first!
So we were all talking in the lobby after our weekend reunion, getting ready to leave and go back to our corners of the US, when we realized we hadn't taken a group shot of this part of the family. Of course, we'd taken others, but not of this particular group, including my mother, her twin sister and her two boys and their families. So I looked around and went into the little breakfast room, asked the attendant if we could shoot there, and she gave us 5 min to shoot before they had to clean up the room for the day. So I ran to the van, pulled out a flash, stand and umbrella, and hustled everyone (well, 'hustle' is a relative term when you have four people in their mid 70s ) into a corner of the small room, took a couple of test pops, then set the timer and got into position in the top right corner with my youngest daughter, behind my mother (still caught a bit of the table in the lower corner, grrr). This was the result three pops later.
You may have noticed the above post was a false compliment. In reality it IS a pretty good shot. The kids in front are great! In fact most of the expressions are really good. Its a shame that you couldn't have shot it away from the window. I realize you probably didn't have any control over where you placed your subjects in the room. But. What is the blurry thing in the lower front corner? Is it something you should have moved? Nice snapshot though.
Justin explained the situation, and given that he just grabbed his gear out of his car and put this together in minutes, it really is an outstanding group shot. This was not meant to be a commercial group shot with multiple assistants and seven strobes, an art director, and paid models. This was his family, he threw together in minutes, and I think it looks great.
Justin explained the situation, and given that he just grabbed his gear out of his car and put this together in minutes, it really is an outstanding group shot. This was not meant to be a commercial group shot with multiple assistants and seven strobes, an art director, and paid models. This was his family, he threw together in minutes, and I think it looks great.
+1
Justin, may I ask why f/5.6? Personally, I would have been nervous to shoot that open out of fear of having too shallow a DOF. It looks great and I'm willing to bet now or years from now your family will appreciate your efforts.
Ron, I see you've changed your avatar...is that your son?
I only get to go home every few years, but have taken maybe four group shots in the last 10 years...hopefully that will change! These two were taken a week before Christmas last year at my grandmother's house. It was a short visit and I came prepared to take a group shot, but as you can see I wasn't prepared experience-wise. Both shots are natural light and both were done with many regrets, but once again I learned a lot from my mistakes and inexperience. Basically, I set a timer to take a picture every second for 75 seconds and HOPED at least a few would turn out. I manually focused the lens before jumping in behind everyone. Nobody seemed to look directly into the lens at the same time. It was actually pretty funny, but I was disappointed with the results. Again, I learned from this and hope to take 3-4 shots next time, as Justin did, instead of 150 with results like this. Overall, I'm still glad I took them because this side of the family RARELY gets together.
The gentleman with the cane, he has such an interesting mug. You could easily spend a couple hours shooting portraits with him. Love the character. Great on the spot family portrait.
I won't see my family until Thanksgiving. My sister loves her Canon Rebel, and the full auto mode and the "professional" results it gets. I've decided to leave my gear at home. The get together is at her home and she is beside-herself thrilled. Don't want to steal any of her moment. I'm sure we can find a stool or something to set her camera on for a timed release shot. So, there you have it. I'm practicing restraint! Whoda' thunk. I've no doubt she'll pull of a memorable family portrait.
Justin explained the situation, and given that he just grabbed his gear out of his car and put this together in minutes, it really is an outstanding group shot. This was not meant to be a commercial group shot with multiple assistants and seven strobes, an art director, and paid models. This was his family, he threw together in minutes, and I think it looks great.
You have to know the back story....and not take everything to personal
I lug around the Nikon D700 and on board flash wishing for a group shot, sadly, they are always two steps away,er, ahead of me! I have been hopelessly trying to convince everyone to gather around, but, I am not very persuasive, so I gear my photography to pets, and still life! 
So, there you have it. I'm practicing restraint! Whoda' thunk. I've no doubt she'll pull of a memorable family portrait.