I have a shoot this weekend for a large group, and I was curious to hear or see any posing tips or tricks you may have for large groups. I've done general group shots and formals, but this will be an entire family of 3 generations, consisting of about 20 or so people. This shoot will be a bit tricky, since I have only a 30 minute time frame to get the shot. On top of that, I will have to leave space for 4 members who can't make it, and digitally enter them into the final image. What would be the most flattering pose for a large group such as this... especially the head, shoulder, and hands?
1. Indoors or out
2. source(s) of light
3. furniture (seats chairs benches) available or just a parking lot or what?
4. Your ability to get "height" (above) the group
etc.. etc...
Otherwise, the variables are just too many to make a clear and good fitting suggestion.
Good luck and I hope these questions/suggestions help you.
1. Indoors or out
2. source(s) of light
3. furniture (seats chairs benches) available or just a parking lot or what?
4. Your ability to get "height" (above) the group
etc.. etc...
Otherwise, the variables are just too many to make a clear and good fitting suggestion.
Good luck and I hope these questions/suggestions help you.
Ah, you are correct... I did make it quite broad.
- The shoot will be outdoors between 3 - 3:30pm, so there should be sufficient ambient light
- I am using two 580ex. First one (key light) has a small Photflex LiteDome, and is set to master. The 2nd strobe has a large shoot through umbrella, and is fired as a slave from the first flash. I also have a super large 40x60 Reflector on stand incase there is not enough fill from the two strobes.
- I am thinking of trying three variations of lighting.
1. placing key and fill light at 45 degrees on each side, and using the reflector to use as fill.
2. Placing key directly over the camera, while having the fill below the camera.. and shooting through the middle
3. Placing both the key and fill on the side of the group, angled slightly towards the camera... and having the reflector directly under the camera for fill .
- For furniture, I am planning to have regular chairs outdoors. I was thinking of placing the elders on the chairs, and having the rest of the family stand behind them, but I'm not sure if I should make the kids sit on the ground in front of the elders.
- As for the height, this is a location shoot, so I most likely won't have a ladder. The most I can get up is probably on a chair or stool.
Like I said, it will be a bit tricky, as I'll have to leave a space for 4 people somehow and edit them in later.
Are you going to be paid to do this large group shoot?
Is this a "professional" gig with expectations of "professional results?"
It matters.
Tip: take a small step ladder.
Another Tip: practice with all gear first and separate the lights as much as you think you will need to in the group shot. Check the light fall off. etc..etc..
haha.. yes, it is a paid shoot, so it must exhibit some form of professionalism Too much things to carry around if it was just for fun or personal family. I can take a small ladder, but I may need my assistant to hold it steady. The thing is, my assistant has plans for the weekend already... so it's gonna be a bit tough convincing him to change his plans again.
cgardner wrote:
See this tutorial of mine on shooting groups (in PDF format): LINK
Chuck
Wow, great tutorial Chuck. It certainly answers some of the questions I had in terms of posing. Do you happen to have any examples that you took so I could see some of the techniques? I'm a pretty visual learner, so that would help tremendously.
Sahid Limon wrote:
Wow, great tutorial Chuck. It certainly answers some of the questions I had in terms of posing. Do you happen to have any examples that you took so I could see some of the techniques? I'm a pretty visual learner, so that would help tremendously.
This is a group of volunteers from my church who prepare meals, coffee, etc. ( a photo essay of them in action). There was supposed to be about 25 people so I brought a ladder and 12 ft stand for the off camera flash and also used a second on my flash bracket configured like this, both centered above the camera:
I shot outside about 30 minutes before sunset with the back of the group to the sun. Shooting groups outdoors really helps lighting-wise because the sky contributes lots of even fill which just needs to be lifted up a few stops. They were arranged as I suggest in the tutorial, facing center, front foot pointed forward, weight shifted to the back (outside) foot which tilts the hip and shoulder lines toward the center for a more unified yet informal look. The higher vantage point of the camera with them looking up helps stretch out the necks, put the heads over the bodies and eliminates empty space in the foreground and distracting stuff behind the heads in the background. From above the ground around the group becomes the background.
Great stuff Chuck. Thank you so much for providing your image and the information. My group should be just a tad bit bigger (about 20 or so), so I may end up using the ladder like you have done here.
I would suggest using at least 3 levels. Have the kids on the ground as mentioned, a few adults in chairs and others standing. Avoid the straight line look.Use a lot of angles. If you can find a area with large rocks or a down tree limb that would help give a natural look. Lighter skin tones in middle or back and darker in front if balancing the light is an issue. Hide the heavy people behind the thinner, they will thank you for it later as it makes them look trimmer. It is hard to get people to stay and not form a straight line. No one likes that look but for some reason people want to line up. After they are in position have half the group look far right, other half far left. This will not only make them laugh but when you yell turn ( turn fast, no thinking!!) it allows for 2-3 seconds of totally natural smiles and looks before they turn back into frozen statues. It always works.
Shooting Angle. I avoid going so high you can see the heads looking up. I prefer a relaxed, non traditional look. Take a few quich shots in case you need to PS out a smile or head with another image to make the shot better.
Not sure how you will add people unless you copy the exact angles and distance. Just out of my PS skill range.
I tend to use the oft-maligned cross lighting. As long as the lights are up high enough, and not too far "wide", I guess I haven't noticed any obnoxious face shadows. I just prefer the dimensionality to the single/over camera source, which usually gives me a "glare-y" look to the skin. In this example, I also had a "hair light"/backlight which is casting the shadows in front of the subjects.
imperial wrote:
I tend to use the oft-maligned cross lighting.
Mike,
Judging from the catchlights in the eyes and the facial lighting your lights really are not far enough apart to be considered "crossed" in the sense that is "maligned" or mis-aligned for that matter
They are acting functionally like a single large source.
Judging from the catchlights in the eyes and the facial lighting your lights really are not far enough apart to be considered "crossed" in the sense that is "maligned" or mis-aligned for that matter
They are acting functionally like a single large source.
Chuck
True, those are probably only about 8 feet apart (but still "larger" than any softbox I own!). Not to hijack the thread, but here's one more example where the lights were further apart. I always seem to read (from many other sources, not singling you out Chuck) NOT to use crossed lighting (i.e., 2 lights at approx 45 deg. each) for groups, because of ugly shadows, etc. I'll agree you can get that, but again, as long as the lights are high enough to cast shadows "down" instead of across faces, I find it a quick and easy way to get relatively even lighting for groups. I've tried a large softbox above camera, and just don't like the look as much. But I may be the only one!
