Creative shots of large groups (20ppl)

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

08/06/2008 11:51:30 AM · #1

Got a call-back from a past client who I did family portraits for. They want me to do a group shot, 18-20(?) people. Some of the people have come from the other side of the world for this extended family get together. Some of them have darkish complexions (Indonesianish, I think), and other are quite pale-white.

They want the shot out in the back yard, at night, so I'll be using my two off-camera flashes with umbrellas, so I think my best bet is plain-old cross-lighting. Maybe I can throw some work-lights behind for separation, as they mostly have dark hair.

Does anybody have any creative examples of group poses????

Thanks! :-)

hanneke

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

08/06/2008 11:56:00 AM · #2

Are you bound to the backyard and night? Otherwise you could go to the woods.

I have one photo I really like, not in a backyard, with a little less people, and the possibility to vary in heights. But you can see how that looks better (variaty in heights) instead of placing everyone like a schoolphoto in rows (at least that's my opinion ;))

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FocusPoint

XIAOMI Redmi Note 8 Pro

08/06/2008 12:04:43 PM · #3

Originally posted by Strikeslip:

I do have some experiences for large groups...

If you are talking about one big shot, it would be nice to have older people sit on the middle on stools (or similar) and build your group around them. When you build your group depending on your background (if light background, darker fabrics/skins on last, if dark background lighter fabrics/skins last. I would have kids front with older family members, babies with their moms or dads either right behind the older members sitting or last in the group right and left.

if there are babies, you will have to be quick, and have babies placed last, they don't stay too long without moving around or crying.

of course that's my experience, I have done as large as 20 family members such, they were pretty happy. I had a few kids up front on their knees and lying down as well :)

(You also could have left group turned a little to their left and right group to their right to squeeze more people in.)

dassilem

Nikon D90

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

08/06/2008 12:14:15 PM · #4

I didnâ��t shoot this idea (but was posed in it)...donâ��t have an example to show as it went with the Exâ��s stuff!
But Iâ��ll try to describe.

This was a group of about 20+
The Elders sat in an Adirondack Chair in the center of the groupâ�¦and each of the â��branchesâ�� of children were in a semi circle around themâ�¦like the Daughter was in a Adirondack chair to the left with her spouse, children and spouses in a semicircle around her (sitting on the arm of the chair, sitting on the ground at her feet, standing behind her chair. And then the Son in a chair along that initial semi-circle and his clan around him, etcâ�¦etcâ�¦

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

08/06/2008 12:30:07 PM · #5

Ooh, I should add... They will all be wearing jeans and white shirts, just to make my exposure a bit more challenging, but that's OK, I can deal with that easily enough, and I think it'll look nice. I'm thinking of lighting in a way to stop-out the background mostly to very dark. We're married to the back yard, but that's OK, at around 8:00 to 9:00pm it'll be dim enough that the lighting will be controlled by me.

There are no babies I know of, youngest will be seven.

I like the ideas about building out from central chairs, especially in a family-tree way, as these families have come together from two sides of the planet. I might also try a putting elder mothers together, elder fathers, and so on. Heck, if they're fit enough we might try a pyramid! ;-) The person hiring me loves unusual poses. :-)

FocusPoint

XIAOMI Redmi Note 8 Pro

08/06/2008 12:35:11 PM · #6

Originally posted by Strikeslip:

...The person hiring me loves unusual poses. :-)

ok... for the last shot, have them start a food fight, and take picture afterwards :P

jemison

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

08/06/2008 12:40:36 PM · #7

Originally posted by Strikeslip:

IMO cross-lighting is not a great idea - cross lighting produces cross-shadows, and with strobes (no modeling light) that cross-shadowing would be very hard to detect and control. For a large group it would be better to use a single direct light (or multiple lights at same spot), fairly high over camera location. Depending on the lens used, the distance from the subjects of the light source would pretty much negate the softening effect of umbrella(s). Also the umbrellas would decrease the light available for very little, if any, visible gain.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

08/06/2008 12:47:43 PM · #8

Originally posted by jemison:

I sheesh, that makes sense! Plus it saves me a bit of set-up. Thanks!

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

08/06/2008 02:42:38 PM · #9

Originally posted by Strikeslip:

Ooh, I should add... They will all be wearing jeans and white shirts ...

..The person hiring me loves unusual poses. :-)

Go out into a field of hay/wheat/whatever ... have them spread out a little ... have them all get down low and on the count of three, jump up as high as they can. The white shirts and jeans would work for the wheat/hay. The jumping into the air would be "unusual" and probably catch a lot of different expressions.

MattO

Nikon D4

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

08/06/2008 02:57:42 PM · #10

I prefer to do larger groups from a high vantage point rather then straight on. And use some directional lighting with your strobes. Makes for a cool shot. Bring in your lights from the side and have everyone looking up to you as you are up high on a ladder.

Matt

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

08/06/2008 03:11:28 PM · #11

Terry, we're married to the back yard, but a jumping shot sounds cool. I could even have them do it singly or in small groups, then just put them together in Photoshop. :-))

Matt, a great idea. Now the juices are flowing. This will be fun! :-)

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

08/06/2008 03:19:28 PM · #12

Have them do a Mexican wave as you fire off a burst then blend the images afterward. Could make for an interesting blur shot.

Message edited by author 2008-08-06 15:19:56.

jemison

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

08/06/2008 03:31:06 PM · #13

Originally posted by Strikeslip:

slippy - here is a shot (scan) i did years ago of a class reunion from a rooftop. It really is a good way to get a large group to show everyone.

dassilem

Nikon D90

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

08/11/2008 03:52:10 PM · #14

Slippy, when's the shoot? or how did it go?

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

08/11/2008 09:03:57 PM · #15

Originally posted by dassilem:

Slippy, when's the shoot? or how did it go?

Yeah, I was just wonderin' the same thing. Post some pics... :-)

08/12/2008 12:16:20 PM · #16

Sorry, I'll try to post some pics tonight. They're on my laptop and I've been so dang busy at my regular job.

The clients were ecstatic at how they turned out, "everybody looks so good!!!" Heh, I figured they wouldn't mind if I took a few years off everyone, wink wink. I had to layer three shots of the group of 19 people to get everyone with good expressions. They just wanted a standard pose for the big group. As it turns out, I probably would've done a better job had I shot through my umbrellas, rather than straigh flash, but the difference propbably isn't that noticeable. I found a couple of Muskoka chairs by the pool and retrieved those, which made me think of an earlier post in this thread.

They wanted some extra shots of a smaller (more fun) group, and luckily for me there is a pool-house in the back which I could climb up on for the angle. My leg got scraped up getting down though, LOL, but I didn't notice until later.

:-)