Improve
Your Group Photographs
You
look smart enough to handle a camera so someone shoves it into your
hand and then ... Or, you are the default family or event
photographer. You have the nicest camera and no one else wants the
responsibility for taking a poor image. Maybe taking pictures is your
interest, you have the equipment but you are adept at imaging
objects, not photographing groups ... but it is now your "job".
It
is your job but you are new to your equipment and have little
experience working with and posing groups. Now what?
The
first step is to BREATHE. Ahhh.
Then,
decide to be a happy photographer. Groups can be challenging and some
people are not always comfortable when the camera is pointed at them.
However, the pictures you take are important because it is the event
that is important. This may be a unique gathering, so take the
pictures.
Birthday
folk, anniversary folk, graduates, organization officers - all need
to have decent pictures. Here we go.
1.
Know your equipment and how to make the most of it. Your lens, flash
and media have potentials and limitations. Know them.
2.
Observe and evaluate your location and lighting situation. Choose the
best spot for your picture. There may be a signature spot or you may
have to carve one out for the event. I prefer not to have EXIT signs
above a wedding cake being cut or have photographs of something
important with distracted people or empty chairs near the action. Try
to put your people in a position that has the least distractions -
visual and sound. If your camera generates a strong flash that burns
out the middle of the photo and leaves the people on the outside in
the dark, get a diffuser or a slave flash. The camera manufacturer or
camera shop will have suggestions. You can also use tissue or other
white translucent things to help with the diffusion.
3.
Pose your group. You are in charge, so take charge. Don't make the
group too deep, don't arrange people from shortest to tallest and
look carefully at faces, hair and clothing. Darker skin and clothing
absorb more light than light clothing, hair and skin. People closest
to your camera will get more light from your flash, so the darker
tones come to the front. Take several shots. People in groups can be
distracted and eyes can look here and there. Body language is a
science ... make the group appear that they belong together.
Learn
to set your camera to bracket. It will save hours of retouching. A
particular note: Don't put a person with dark hair in front of a dark
background. Their hair can disappear and not too many people like to
have their face look like a thumb. Conversely, take care when putting
fair haired and skinned people in front of bright backgrounds. You
might not be happy with just pupils and nostrils for your picture.
Experienced photographers can do grand low-key (dark) and fabulous
high-key (light) pictures, so work to get really good at working the
light.
4.
If there important subgroups and individuals, take smaller group and
individual pictures. (Oh, yes, keep smiling anyway.) Let people know
they are important, be kind and firm and you will usually get
cooperation.
5.
Take big files. If your images are headed to publication in hard copy
or in electronic media, take the biggest files your camera and media
will allow.
6.
Keep thanking people for being cooperative. They may have been touchy
or grouchy but you have called them cooperative - and that may change
their lives forever. They can think, "I'm cooperative, yep,
that's me!"
7.
Get the camera and/or media into the hands of the most responsible
party. These people are responsible for handling things, so hand it
over. If that responsible person is you, back up your files as soon
as possible. Get the images from your media into a laptop or into the
cloud.
Now,
relax. You did a great job. People are happy and there are pictures.
You can claim or decline copyright and you can ask for photo credit.
You TOOK the pictures, they are yours until you sell them or give
them away. ©
tim
www.timjohnsonphoto.com
