How to take a great group photo. Group and family portraits - professional tricks and shooting difficulties

03.11.2010 12815 Feature articles 0

As you know, one of the most common types of photography is “group photography”. Group photos are everywhere, from wedding shots to picnics, parties, sports and school events, and more.

Undoubtedly, thousands of group photos are taken every day around the world - however, unfortunately, many of them, for many reasons, leave even the authors of these pictures in dismay. Most common mistakes while taking group photos are as follows:

• necessarily one or more people look “in the wrong direction” or in different directions (i.e. at different photographers),
• blinking (someone will definitely do it),
• someone is missing from the photo
• different moods in the group (some are smiling, some are serious, some are playing for the camera, etc.),
• the group looks too small or vice versa does not fit into the frame.

While most people continue to face these problems, you can safely use different tricks and increase the chances of getting exactly the picture you need.

1. Preparation

Often unsuccessful shots are the result of the unpreparedness of the photographer himself. People don't like to be kept waiting - so consider the following aspects of filming:

• evaluate the location of the shooting in advance
• decide how you place people - outline the boundaries of the frame
• make sure that no one is covered by the other person's head
• be sure to notify all those who you need in the frame in advance
• make sure your camera is turned on and the batteries are charged, and the settings are set.

2. Terrain

The location where you place the group is important for this type of shoot for many reasons. For novice photographers, this will help convey the semantic content of the photo - for example, a snapshot sports team on the playing field reveals the idea better than a shot of the same team against a stone wall. Another reason for meticulous terrain selection is to prevent details from appearing that could detract from the image itself.

Find a group location with enough light for filming and no distracting details on background. Also prevent the group from being directly in front of a window - as a result, reflected light from the flash will ruin the frame.

3. Use continuous shooting

One of the best ways to avoid the "multi-eye" and blinking of your photos is to shoot continuously. Usually, the first shot is not the best, but the next shots after it will almost always show the group in more relaxed poses, and people look more natural.

Take a few shots before everyone is ready - sometimes staging a group photo can be quite original and more natural, with people advising each other where to stand and what pose to strike. If you have a zoom lens, alternate shots at wide focal lengths with tighter edges.

4. Shooting "close"

Try to shoot the group as close as possible (while being careful not to cut off the extreme "models" from the frame). The closer you can shoot, the more details you can see in the faces - this is what really enhances the quality of the frame.

If your group is small, get close and take a couple of shots up to face and shoulder level. Effective method- ask the whole group to tilt their heads so that you can come closer to them. Another option is to move people from one line and mix positions, placing them closer or further away.

5. Composing

In most cases, your band will be able to naturally create the desired composition (we all did it once). Tall people will recede into the background, short ones - to the fore. But there is something else that can be added to the composition:

• if the production is centered around several main characters (wedding, birthday), identify them at the central focal point, placing them in the center of the entire group (you can diversify the frame by first focusing the views of the entire group on the lens, and then on the main characters)
• for formal shots, place taller participants not only in the background, but also so that they are centered, and on both sides of them place lower participants try not to “deepen” the group (i.e. keep a minimum distance between the back and front lines ). This will help keep everyone in focus. If, nevertheless, the arrangement turned out to be “deep”, adjust the aperture settings
• ask everyone to raise their chins - after filming you will be thanked for shots without double chins

6. Determining the right time to shoot

Choose your shooting time carefully. Try to choose a moment that matches the event. It is best to shoot when the group is already well rallied or when there is a moment of calm in communication.

It's also best to shoot at the start of the event, as everyone is just getting ready and looking their best. If possible, make sure that people who are under the strong influence of alcohol do not get into the frame.

7. Consider lighting

In order to get as much detail as possible in the picture, you need the perfect light. How you achieve this will depend on the situation, but remember to use flash and shoot up close to get the effect you want, especially if the group is small enough to main source light comes from behind the group.

If you're shooting on a clear sunny day and the sun is low, consider the direction of the shadow so you don't end up with a collection of shots with lopsided expressions on faces.

8. Control the process

Often there are situations when the photographer loses control over what happens to the participants. Chat with the group. It is very important to talk to people. It is important that they understand what is wanted from them, make them laugh, repeat that they look great and continue the dialogue throughout the filming. Remind people why they need to take a group photo. For example, during a wedding shoot, you can motivate guests with the following phrase: “(name of the newlyweds) asked me to take some group photos.” Or at a sporting event "let's do group photo in honor of our victory." When you name a reason, people are more willing to pose and be filmed.

Another technique that can be used in group shooting is “if you see the camera, then it will see you too.” This is the key to success if you want every person to look into the lens.

If you are not the only photographer at the event, wait until the others have finished filming and then draw the attention of the whole group to yourself, otherwise everyone will look in different directions.

However, you shouldn't act like a dictator while filming or you'll end up with a mountain of shots of very angry people. Good photographer it should be a good psychologist who knows how to get attention, how to communicate, but especially to make sure people feel relaxed and like they're having fun.

9. For large groups

Shooting large groups can be just as challenging as shooting restless models. Arranging everyone by height, you will still come to the conclusion that you will not be able to please everyone. The solution may only be the option to "rise" on something to take a picture from above. By applying this move, you will fit many more people into the frame, and yet there will be a lot of detail in the frame (you will get a picture in which there will be more faces than bodies). It also makes it possible to get a good angle of the photo - especially if your lens has a good focal length.

10. Use a tripod

There is a long list of reasons why you should use a tripod when taking group photos. Firstly, a tripod immediately tells others that you are serious about what you are doing and can even help attract attention (you have no idea how impressive the arrangement of equipment can look). Secondly, for you, as a photographer, this is an opportunity to more freely and more enthusiastically join the process of setting up a group. Set the camera on a tripod so that it is ready to shoot at any moment (make all the necessary settings), and after you work with the group, you can just capture the moment you need (while the group is still full of energy and not tired of the process ).

11. Get yourself an assistant

An assistant will come in handy when organizing filming, as well as possible, especially when it comes to a very large group. Especially the benefits will be felt during continuous shooting (like during a wedding, when you shoot different variants family photos). In such cases, you can ask the newlyweds to provide assistance with a family member or friend who has a list of invited guests, divided into groups to make it easier to photograph. The assistant helps to determine whether everyone who should be in the frame. If you have a family member helping you, he will not only tell you if everything is in the frame, but he will also be able to organize the arrangement process more efficiently, since he knows the guests well.

12. Smile

Yes, you should smile too! There is nothing worse than an irritable photographer. Have fun and enjoy the filming process and you will see people follow your example. Usually after shooting a wedding, I come home with a terrible pain in the facial muscles, because The best way to relax the couple and her family - to smile at them. It really works.

Photo by rentoholic 17

One of the most common stories is group photo. This is true everywhere - from weddings to holiday camps, parties, sports teams, schools, etc.
Every day, thousands of group portraits are taken around the world, but, unfortunately, many of them disappoint the shooter.

Among the main problems are:
One or more people being photographed will necessarily be looking in a different direction, or even in different directions (i.e., at different photographers)
Someone is blinking (at least one, but it will be necessary)
Someone is missing in the photo
Different moods of people in the group (someone smiles, someone is serious, someone grimace in front of the camera, etc.)
The group is too far away or, conversely, does not fit into the frame entirely
Someone's head is hiding behind the broad back of the person in front
Although you will face similar difficulties when shooting group portraits, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of getting a good shot:
1. Preparation
Nothing turns posers against you more than your unpreparedness. People don't like to be kept waiting, so consider the following aspects of your shot ahead of time:
Conduct a reconnaissance of the shooting location in advance
Think about how and in what poses you will position people and where the frame boundaries will be.
Make sure everyone you want to photograph knows they have to arrive a few minutes early
Make sure your camera is turned on and the batteries are charged

Photo by Erin

2nd place
The location of a group portrait is important for several reasons. For starters, it can add context to the shot—for example, a photo of, say, a sports team on their playing field means more than a photo of a brick wall in the background. Another reason to choose a location carefully is the presence of distracting objects.
Choose a place where all people will fit, with sufficient lighting, and where there will be no distracting objects in the background. Also, avoid shooting a group of people in front of a window - your flash light may bounce off the glass and ruin your shot.
3. Take multiple duplicate shots
The best way to get away from the problem when not everyone looks right is to take a series of shots. I often switch my camera to continuous mode when I'm taking group portraits and doing a few short bursts. I often find that the first shot is not good, but the next few are successful, because after the first shot, people pose less and are more relaxed.
Likewise - take a few shots before everyone is ready - sometimes the process of arranging a group shot can be fun, with everyone pointing out where to stand and everyone squabbling for the best spot.
I also recommend taking pictures with different framing if you have a zoom lens. A few shots with a wider angle and a few more closely cropped options definitely do not hurt.

Photo by Mark MacClean

4. Get close
Try to get as close to the group you are shooting as possible (not at the expense of pushing anyone out of frame, of course). The closer you get, the more detailed the faces will be worked out - this will only benefit the frame.
If the group is small, then come close and take a few shots "shoulder-deep". One of effective techniques is to ask people to tilt their heads towards each other, this will allow you to get even closer. Another way is to line everyone up in a line and then place one of them behind and in front of the line.
5. Poses
In most cases, people will behave quite naturally (each of us has already participated in this). The high ones go back, the low ones go forward. But there are other points that can improve the composition:
If the event is concentrated around one or two people (wedding or birthday), put them in the center of the group (here you can do several options: everyone looks into the lens, everyone looks at the culprit (or culprits)).
For formal group portraits, position the taller people not just behind the group, but also in the center, so that the shorter ones are at the edges.
Try not to allow your group to be too "deep", that is, the distance between those who are in front and those who are behind is minimal. This will help keep everyone in focus. If the group is still "deep", cover the diaphragm.
Ask everyone to raise their chins a little - you will be thanked when there are no double chins in the photo!

Photo by andrew.smith

6. Timing
Choose the moment to shoot carefully. Try to choose a moment that is harmonious with what is happening at the event. I think that it is best to do group portraits when everyone has already gathered together, and there has been a lull in the ceremonial part.
The moment immediately before the start of the event is also successful, so people look best, gather in groups, and if abundant libations are expected, then no one walks on eyebrows yet.
7. Consider lighting
In order to get good detail, you need enough light. Decisions vary from case to case, but it's worth considering a flash if you're shooting a small group and can get close enough to get enough light, especially if the main light source is behind the group.
If the day turned out to be sunny, and the heavenly body is low on the horizon, try to stand so that it is not directly behind you, otherwise you risk getting a selection of wrinkled and narrowed faces in the photo.
8. Control
I have repeatedly been in situations where the photographer almost lost control over people, not only not being quick enough, but also not communicating with the subjects. It is very important to keep the conversation going with the group; explain what you want from them; "smile" them; say that they look great, and also tell you how much longer you will need them for shooting.
Also important is the reason to pose for a photo. For example, at a wedding, you can motivate people to make time for you to shoot by saying something like this: “*Insert the name of a married couple* asked me to take some group portraits”; or, at a sporting event: "Let's do a group portrait to celebrate our victory!" When you give people a reason, they find themselves much more willing to give you a couple of minutes.
Another option for working with a group is “If you see the camera, then she sees you.” This is the key to success if you want to see every person's face in the picture.
If there are other photographers besides you, wait until they finish and then get the attention of the whole group, otherwise everyone will look in different directions.
Of course, you should not be a dictator, otherwise you will get a portrait of a group of very angry people. Top Photographers they know how to grab people's attention, communicate what is required of them, and at the same time manage to create a light atmosphere so that people feel relaxed and enjoy the shooting process.

Photo by EssPea

9. Large groups
It may turn out that a large group of people will be very difficult to photograph, even if they are maximally compacted and the taller ones are pushed back - still someone will not fit.
One solution to this problem is to physically lift yourself higher. If I'm shooting a wedding and the couple asks for a large group portrait, I arrange for a ladder (I've even had to climb onto church rooftops) to take the shot from above. In this way, you can fit many more people and still stay close enough to the group (there will be many faces in focus and fewer bodies in the picture). It also gives an interesting perspective, especially if you have a good wide angle.
10. Use a tripod
I recommend using a tripod for the following reasons: Firstly, having a tripod gives you confidence that you are serious about what you are doing and will help draw attention to you (it's amazing how professional-looking equipment affects the alertness and attention to to you). Secondly, it gives you more freedom as a photographer to participate in the composition. Mount your camera on a tripod so it's ready to shoot (framing, setup, focusing) and organize the group however you like.

Photo by Austin Henry

11. Use an assistant
If you are shooting a very large group of people, an assistant to organize it will come in handy.
The assistant is also indispensable if you are shooting several group portraits (for example, at a wedding, when shooting various options family portrait). In such cases, I always ask young people to give me a family member or friend with a list of all the necessary options. I also ask this person to make sure that everyone who is supposed to be there is present in the frame. In this capacity, a family member is best managed, since everyone knows him and, as a rule, adequately responds to his attempts to build everyone.
12. Smile
Yes Yes! You must smile! There is nothing worse than a surly, tortured photographer. Have fun and enjoy the shooting process and you will see that people react the same way. From the weddings I shoot, I usually come back with clenched facial muscles, because the best way to get the young couple, along with their families and guests, to relax and smile is to smile yourself. It works, honestly!
P.S. Another little tip - bring an element of creativity and non-standard solutions!

Photo by weaving major & tractor dan

I have a simple camera, sony h7, my daughter got sick group photo V kindergarten, I want to go and take such a photo for her myself, but I don’t know how to properly set up the camera? Do I need a flash for a general photo, what shutter speed and other points, I am completely at a loss as to how to make the faces not gray, but there were no glare on them either. And in general, how to properly set up the camera when shooting children ...

Lighting a large group of children well is no easy task. And you need a lot of light for reasons related to camera settings. First, a group portrait should be shot at low ISO values ​​(100-200). This will help minimize the appearance of digital noise, which is simply detrimental to a group portrait. In good light, you can expose high values diaphragm, and, consequently, close it more strongly. This results in an increase in the depth of field. Let me explain with polar examples:

1. We are shooting a portrait of an adult. Open the aperture to a value of 2.8 - the depth of field is minimal. We focus on the eyes, the pores on the nose of the model are slightly blurred, the unevenness of the hairstyle is also hidden by poor sharpness, but each eyelash is clearly visible. The background is generally blurred beyond recognition, turning into beautiful combination colored spots. The longer the focal length of the lens (the more you zoom in), the shallower the depth of field will be.

2. We shoot a classic group portrait: there are a lot of children, you have to line them up in 2 or three rows, which means that they are all at different distances from the camera. If we want all the subjects in our portrait to be in focus, we need to increase the depth of field as much as possible: close the aperture (increase the digital value) and move closer to the group of children. By moving closer and increasing the angle of view of the lens (zooming out), we reduce the focal length of the lens, which, in turn, also contributes to an increase in the depth of field. By the way, here, it is also important not to overdo it, since at a short focal length even good lenses begin to distort the picture, especially at the corners of the frame. A compact composition will help to avoid this, in which the faces of all participants will be as close as possible to the center of the frame. In general, I like to lay out children on a carpet or grass with a camomile, head to the center and take pictures from above. It is technically easier to take such a photo: the children's faces are located almost at the same distance from the camera, and, therefore, a large depth of field is not needed. And that means that the aperture can be closed, which will automatically reduce the shutter speed (if the camera is in the "aperture priority" mode, which is indicated by the letter "A" on the shooting mode dial). A short shutter speed in this case helps to "freeze" the rapid movements of children, including facial expressions. This is important for me, as I prefer to shoot laughing and gesturing children.

So, if we want the faces of all the children in the portrait to be sharp and not hidden behind the ripples of digital noise, we will have to get a lot of light. And you need soft light. The ideal option is the light of the sun, scattered through a veil of clouds ("The sun in milk"). Clouds perform the function of a diffuser (increasing the area of ​​the key light) and a reflector (reflect light rays and evenly fill the entire space with them). Such lighting is ideal for shooting a group portrait with an amateur camera in the absence of lighting equipment. But we live in Russia and for most of the year we are forced to hide indoors and take pictures of children. You will most likely have to do it in it. Probably, as the main drawing, you will have to use the light from the window. It can be softened with tulle. Relying on artificial lighting can lead to errors in white balance (the frame will come out either too warm (yellow) or cold (bluish). It’s better not to rely on it. It’s better to shoot in the morning hours when the sun is covered with morning haze and is not high above the horizon. How to place the children in relation to the window If the light falls from the side, the faces of the children will turn out to be more voluminous, but the left flank will probably be lighter or darker than the right.This can be corrected in Photoshop, brightening the most dark side frame. If the light comes from the front, the image will be flatter, but the edges of the frame will be evenly lit. Probably, we need to look for a middle ground, not forgetting how to enter the background into our plot, and maybe the front, for example, holiday decorations hanging from the ceiling. The built-in flash can also be used. The color temperature of the flash is similar to sunlight, and therefore white balance errors will be minimal. On-camera flash light can be softened. Make it simple. Raise the flash and wrap it with a tissue. The ideal light-diffusing material is wet wipes, pre-washed and dried. Scattering the light from the flash in this way will help smooth out the shadows on the faces if the light from the window is harsh and add a lively sparkle to the eyes of the band members.

What causes gray faces? For example, due to underexposure. Most often, amateur cameras are configured to measure the amount of light over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe frame (matrix exposure metering). In the case when the background is lighter than the subject, the child's face will be underexposed (it will be dark). To combat this, there is a center-matrix exposure metering. For more information on types, metering settings, and exposure compensation, see the camera manual. Small exposure errors can be easily corrected in Photoshop, especially if the file is saved in RAW format (I don't know if your camera supports this format). In general, I think that photoshop is necessary for any digital photography, even the one that was filmed according to all the canons, and even more so the one that was made under conditions of lack of time or practical experience. I myself process all the photos that I sell or publish on the site.

I shoot a group portrait either in nature or indoors with the help of powerful studio lights and diffuser umbrellas, or at least I use an external flash aimed at the ceiling. The ceiling in this case performs the function of a large reflector-diffuser. Of course, the super powerful nikon D3 camera and good lenses help. Not even noise, but film-like graininess appears when the ISO value goes off scale for 1000-1600, but you have to pay dearly for this.

Photographers, even the most beginners, quite often have to photograph groups of people. These are friends at a party, and your own family during a field trip, and many other situations. For some, in this case, the question arises: how to organize this group beautifully, interestingly and competently. That's what we'll talk about today.

First of all, you need to know that the concept of "group portrait" is a rather capacious concept.

1. This, of course, is primarily a general snapshot of a large number of people - for example, people present at a meeting or other serious event. Usually these are quite large groups, 15-20 people or more. This group should be organized, so to speak, officially.
2. The second category of group shots is informal group photography.
3. Third - kind family relationships. Dad, mom, kids, grandparents...

Now let's move on to specific examples.

1. General photo large group. You most likely will not be able to manage each of the entire group. It is impossible to control the posture, turn of the head, facial expressions for everyone. When shooting such groups, the main thing is to ensure that everyone can be seen, so that the magnificent hairstyle of some lady does not half overlap the neighbor's face, so that the ear of one does not take the place of the eye of another. And do not forget to pay attention to the overall composition of the existing group. IN this case it acts as a single, integral subject of shooting. Take a closer look at the background. If the group is filmed against the background of some banner, pay attention to the text - its piece, torn from the general phrase, may turn out to be funny and inappropriate on official photo serious people. There may also be a portrait in the background. For example, the president ... It's not good if the picture shows only his mouth or ear (in Soviet times for such a picture of the "incomplete" Lenin or the General Secretary, one could get a term.

2. Another example of a photograph in a similar style is a large group of people standing in full height. Pupils of the school class, students of the same group, a general photo of the enterprise's team ... Here the advice is the same as in the first paragraph. The main thing is that everyone can be seen, and that the group looks like an integral object, naturally and organically. There is such a thing - "ladder of fools." This is when every right is higher than the left and so on. Try to get away from it. How? Yes, at least by putting the taller ones in the second row.

3. If it is possible to shoot from the top point - do not be afraid and do not be embarrassed. The pictures will be very interesting. It's so good to take wedding photos.

4. Example for shooting a group that has clear leader. This is a team led by a leader, and a school class with a teacher, and musical group with your soloist. We put the leader in front. And all the rest - as if against its background. So you can shoot a group of those present at the wedding. The leaders are, of course, the bride and groom. Everything else is a background that only emphasizes their beauty and significance.

5. The simplest, but at the same time interesting way shooting three friends. One, standing in the center, hugs the shoulders of two who are on either side of him.

6. A method similar to that described above. But friends are still standing closer friend to a friend and their heads are slightly tilted towards the center of the composition. Photos are beautiful.

7. Unusual and funny example. The photographer lies on his back on the floor or grass, and a group of friends form a circle above him. Amazing!

8. The leader or simply the one who is bigger, more impressive than the others, stands in front / in the center. And all the rest, as it were, lean on him, look out both because of this “block” and because of their neighbors standing nearby. Here you can laugh, and hug, and build all sorts of grimaces ... Everything is possible. To have fun.

9. Almost the same as in paragraph 8. Only those taking pictures do not pile on one in a crowd, but simply look out from behind him. Here you can work with the depth of the sharply depicted space. And for this - shoot with a different aperture.

10. A very interesting and fun way to photograph a group of friends. Friends take each other's hands and run merrily towards the photographer, while laughing and fooling around!

11. An unusual, and therefore an interesting solution to the composition of a group shot of comrades. Take a close-up photo of them side by side. The profile of each slightly overlaps the neighbor. It will be good if you take this picture with a wide open aperture, and then those profiles that are further away will be slightly blurred. It is very interesting. And if one of the friends does not want to be unsharp, shoot the group again, putting the offended last one in the foreground.

The third and last type of groups. Group portrait of a family.

12. First of all - the easiest way, which can be called a classic. This method is old, invented a long time ago, but works great to this day. If it is applied correctly, you will get a very good family photo. It consists in the following: the oldest member of the family (well, or the most respected and deserved) sits in the center. And around him or even on his knees - grandchildren and great-grandchildren ... Adult children stand behind or on the sides. Well if main man in this photo it will be “at the parade” - with medals, for example, in a military uniform ... This will serve as a kind of dominant. It is important here that unnecessary objects do not get into the field of the frame - different cabinets, chairs, funny pictures on the wall ... The main thing in this picture is the family itself. Focus on exactly that.

13. Option for shooting a family during a summer outing. All its members are sitting on the lawn with their legs tucked under them. As they say, in Turkish. And they hug each other by the shoulders. Here you need to take into account a small nuance. When photographing people sitting on the ground, the camera should be at eye level.

14. The whole family lies on the ground and looks carelessly into the camera lens with happy faces. Such a picture can be taken both in nature, on the grass, and at home, on the carpet. Young parents and children aged 10-13 are especially good here.

15. Dad lies on the floor, on a wide bed, or on the ground. And on it in a crowd all the other members of the family. And the more kids the better! Here it is, real, genuine family happiness!

16. Dad sits on a large sofa or sits back in a comfortable chair, and on the sides are mom and children. The photo is warm and family-friendly.

17. Children on the shoulders of their parents. Fun and carefree. Such a picture can be taken both in nature and in the apartment.

18. Family portrait in full growth. Behind - dad hugging mom in front. Mom, in turn, put her hands on the chest of the child standing in front of her.

19. Mom, dad and children, holding hands, walk towards the photographer. Very beautiful and symbolic. Especially if dad has another baby in his arms. The hand of a child in the hand of an adult is a symbol of fidelity and family.

Good luck with your creativity!

Perhaps this article should start with questions, what equipment is needed and how to photograph a group portrait? It may seem that some special equipment is needed to shoot such a portrait. This is not at all the case - you will need special equipment much later, when you get your hands full and want to shoot something like that!

To take a good picture of a group of people, the most ordinary SLR camera with a standard whale lens is suitable. However, the better your technique, the better your photos! But the settings and nuances during shooting are somewhat different.

Light and group photo, how to take pictures?

Light is the most important part of any photograph, and a group portrait is no exception. When photographing on the street, you just need to guess the time of shooting. The midday sun, with its harsh light and sharpened features of people, is categorically not suitable. Best time shooting outdoors, it is evening or morning, that is, soft light. If the situation is hopeless, try to find a pretty shadow.

You must understand, here and in general, that the rule stops working when you need it for a specific task.

When creating a group portrait indoors, you can use a flash, a tripod, or a reflector.

The flash must be external, not built-in. The beam should hit the ceiling or one of the walls. Light directly in the face will give the same effect as the built-in flash, that is, a flat image.

When using a tripod for the camera, just be careful. In itself, the use of this accessory involves long exposures close to 1/30, and sometimes even longer. Having fixed the camera, it is very difficult to “stop” people, especially a group. As a result, some models in the picture may be blurry, which looks very bad and spoils the whole picture.

You can only use the reflector with an assistant. It would be better if it was an intelligent person, at least a little versed in photography. When shooting a group photo indoors using a reflector, you should beware of hard shadows or uneven backlighting. Considering that there are several, and sometimes many, people, the light from the window or from the reflector simply may not be enough for everyone and it will turn out to be light on the one hand, and on the other, people will go into darkness. Therefore, before photographing a group photo, you should think a little and draw up an action plan - this will increase your performance by an order of magnitude!

Lens and lens characteristics when photographing a group shot

It is best to use the so-called portrait lenses, that is, lenses with a focal length of 35-70 mm. Thanks to this lens, all people in a group shot, over its entire area, will retain their proportions. That is, the faces will be even and beautiful, both in the center of the photo and near its edges.

Do not forget that the properties of the focal length of the lens in photography can also change due to the size of the sensor. For example, a 28mm "lens" would work fine on a crop sensor camera and turn into a wide-angle lens stretching faces on a full-size sensor camera.

It is worth saying that it is these effects that sometimes add interest and charm to a group photo, especially if it is youth or baby photo! When shooting outdoors using long distances, group portraits can be captured very beautifully and effectively with long telephoto lenses, that is, lenses with a focal length of more than 100mm.

DOF or depth of field in a group photo

Depth of field in any group shooting is of the utmost importance, almost the most important! There are several recommendations:

1. Try to shoot with a closed aperture, that is, its value should be greater than f4. When shooting with an open aperture (f / 1.4-2.8), often someone does not fall into the sharpness zone and this can ruin not only the photo, but also the mood of the “blurred” person.
2. If, due to the shooting conditions, you cannot close the aperture much and you know for sure that not everyone will fall into the depth of field, then focus on the people in the forefront. This recommendation is the rule, since blurry foreground in a group shot, it spoils the whole picture and the photo completely loses its meaning.
3. Try not to close the aperture too much, you should not use values ​​much larger than f / 11. A too-closed aperture on the vast majority of lenses leads to a decrease in the quality and clarity of a group portrait.

Thus, it turns out that the ideal aperture for photographing a group portrait is f / 4-11. But, in certain conditions, choosing between a large aperture value or the loss of portraits in blur, it is recommended to opt for closing the aperture.

All of the above recommendations also answer the question of how to photograph a group of people in a studio? Understand if you know how to shoot outdoors with daylight, then the studio will seem like paradise to you, since there you manage everything yourself.

Group portrait style

There are not so many styles of group photography, the variety that has no end begins during the creativity of each individual photographer. Let's take a closer look at the most common options for interesting group photos, as well as figure out how to photograph them.

Family portrait

Not very large numbers are photographed for a family group portrait. It is very unlikely that a family of at least nine people will come to you. Therefore, people can be arranged in two rows.

When photographing weddings, where there can be an order of magnitude more people, you will have to arrange your models in three rows.

In both cases, the classic rule applies: the furthest row of people is standing, the second row is sitting on chairs, and the third is lying or sitting on the floor. This production is due to several points: the formality of the shooting, the desire of everyone to get into the frame, as well as the calmness of such people.

It is worth remembering that you can play with the composition within your group of models, for example, people in the second seated row would be great to sit on chairs different heights And different type. And people in the third row can take different poses, so are the models in the first row. It is very important to pay attention to everything that will give good game at the camera. But, you should not delay with the arrangement, otherwise the models may get bored and then the process will drag on even more. Having exposed the models, take 10-20 shots, slightly changing the angle and shooting point, and possibly the people themselves. Use continuous shooting.

When shooting children's group portraits, try to let the children be as relaxed and free as possible, of course. And allowing them to be free, just have time to press the trigger! If you manage to create a beautiful dynamic group photo of children, then you will bring real delight and gratitude to the parents of the kids.

Group photos of imitation

This group portrait style is great for photography. cheerful companies, friends, possibly corporate filming. However, he requires great experience, skill, and most importantly the desire to do something beautiful! Imitation means copying famous paintings or photographs of the classics. For example, the picture is built like a masterpiece by Henri Cartier-Bresson.

This type of group photo can also be called a genre photo, since here each person plays a role, and in order for the picture to turn out beautiful and of high quality, the role must be played realistically. Most likely, the roles will have to be assigned to you. You will also monitor the quality of performance. If suddenly people behave stiffly, then it is in your interests to cheer them up and relax. To do this, you can use various mini-games or exercises. Every photographer is a little and a psychologist, understanding this, you will achieve a lot!

This type of photography is perfect for both the street and the studio. However, it is best suited for photographing a group of people in a studio. It also does not require much effort on the part of the models. Guys need to look decent and perform their original role with high quality. For such a photo, it is better to take the lower angle, that is, sit on the floor, and possibly lie down.

Dear friends, you must understand that the negligible material presented in this article cannot give an absolute and complete description so complex and diverse genre photographs as a group portrait. However, I hope that I managed to convey the basics and some useful points to you. Take the best from this article and develop. As you know, the best teacher is practice. Good luck with your pictures!