Take Great Group Photos

Welcome to Ofoto

my account

help

cart

Summer is the season of picnics, pool parties and family reunions, and there's no better way to chronicle these important events, and the people who celebrate them, than with a camera. Read on for tips on taking great photos of the whole group!

Take Charge of the Crowd
The most challenging part of photographing groups is taking charge. If you are a low-key photographer, you may feel more comfortable grabbing quick shots of the kids in the pool, than calling everyone together for a group photo. But it's the group shots that will go into the family albums to be compared year after year to see how people have changed. All it takes is a little persistence, a strong voice (or microphone), and some help from family elders to pull together the appropriate groups. You'll probably want to take one large group photo of all the attendees, as well as individual family units, aunts and uncles, cousins, and close friends.

Photos Follow Food
Hungry picnickers are the worst subjects for group photos. Wait until the food has been served, stomachs are full, and people have had a chance to settle in. They're more likely to snuggle up close, wrap their arms around their neighbors, and give you more relaxed and genuine smiles. If you're lucky, the youngsters will also have had time to run off a little energy. Just don't wait too long, or your photos will be of all the guests leaving!

Look for a Shady Spot
The best group photos are taken under cloudy, overcast skies. Bright sunlight casts harsh shadows and causes a multitude of exposure problems. If your event is on a sunny day, look for a large area covered by leafy trees - tall enough to provide bright, soft light on the subjects' faces, without having streaks of sunlight filtering through the leaves. To brighten the scene in a dark area, try setting your camera's exposure compensation on +0.5 and/or +1 EV, which will let in one-half to one full stop more light. If your digital camera has an LCD monitor for reviewing stored images, you'll be able to judge the results before you allow the group to dissipate.

Pay Attention to Detail
It's easy to miss the little things, like someone's face being hidden by a taller family member, cherry Kool-Aid lips on the kids' faces, or disheveled clothing and hair. If you can recruit an assistant to look out for such critical issues, you'll be less likely to miss these embarrassing details. If not, take the time to look everyone over before you shoot. Move the shorter family members in front and do your best to stagger the rows. For example, let the kids sit cross-legged in front, have the teens get down on one knee behind them, and arrange the standing adults by height. When you get to the smaller groups, move in as close as possible, and crop from the hips up. This is your opportunity to make more intimate portraits of individuals in a group setting.

Remember Your Extra Gear
Every photographer can benefit from some professional support. A tripod is must, especially when you're faced with long exposure times. It doesn't have to be an expensive model, just sturdy enough to support your camera, and versatile enough to provide short and long extensions. If you have a high-power detachable flash unit, bring that as well. We suggest shooting each group with and without flash, just to make sure that you have all your bases covered. Small on-camera flash units will not be effective for groups more than 8 - 10 feet away, especially if they are several rows deep. However, they can be helpful in reducing facial shadows on small group subjects - just be sure to set the flash on red-eye reduction mode (if you have one) and reduce the flash level to "soft fill" if possible. Finally, don't forget to bring extra batteries!