Group photo

duffarama

Well, seems I've been nominated to do a group photo at work. We've a director leaving the country and he'd like a group shot of the "team"

Any tips?

I've no flash so going to try get a shot in the morning time as the sun rises and comes through the boardroom, hope there's no noticeable tripod shadow!

PopeBuckfastXVI

Maybe count down to pushing the release, so that everyone knows it is coming and no one blinks?

Morrisseeee

"OK folks here it comes, say cheese.............for 3 seconds"

Seriously tho, could you use your 12-60mm (maybe bump up the ISO to 400) and use the on board flash ?

Ghost Train

Take a number of shots, so chances of getting a good one increases.... if worst comes to worst you could merge the shots so everyone looks great

duffarama

Morrisseeee wrote: »

"OK folks here it comes, say cheese.............for 3 seconds"

Seriously tho, could you use your 12-60mm (maybe bump up the ISO to 400) and use the on board flash ?

I'll definitely by using the 12-60, unfortunately the on-board flash can't reach past the lens barrel so you end up with a rounded shadow at the bottom of the photo!

May bring the 14-42 to use the flash

I've a remote release so I can get everyone standing and me in place and take the photo.

Any tips for how to arrange the peoples? Tall at the back? Women in the middle? Anything like that?

davenewt

Sorry if any of this is a given, but...

Get the best lit room, big windows, white walls. No distracting abstract art or foliage in the background (unless a plant softens a harsh corner or something). I had to take a similar group shot in our office a while ago with just the Canon 400D and onboard flash. Our boardroom has windows along one wall, white wall opposite, and is long and narrow, so I positioned the group at one end, out from back wall as far as poss, and tried to make best use of available light (window light bouncing off opposite wall so nobody's face was half in shadow). Turned all ceiling lights on (watch out for shiny head reflections from ceiling lights, or flash reflections from anyone wearing glasses, but sure you know that!)

Beware narrow depth-of-field and make sure you get everyone in focus if some people are standing behind others. Better to bump up the ISO a little so you can stop down on the shutter and ensure a wider DOF. A lot will depend on how large the photo will need to be reproduced later. If only a small shot then higher ISO is less of a prob.

Getting everyone to smile at the same time without looking forced is another thing... but as long as you can have a bit of craic with the group that should come naturally.

Don't have everyone in identical poses.

Having said all that, I'm no expert portrait photographer so anyone more experienced can chime in and overrule any of the above...!

Good luck!

sineadw

Great tip is to instruct everyone to blink 'on two' and take the photo 'on three'. Thanks Mike

Morrisseeee

I'll definitely by using the 12-60, unfortunately the on-board flash can't reach past the lens barrel so you end up with a rounded shadow at the bottom of the photo!

Oh I see, you had better get rid of that lens so, sure.........I'll take it off you ;);)

Fionn

Make sure you have a tripod and it's weighted down, try a few test shots beforehand if possible - that'll show what the lighting is like.

Take a few shots, from two or three slightly different angles (not too many) they'll get bored and figitty!
if people position themselves so they are hidden ask them to move so they can see your lens, also ask them to look into the lens, nothing worse than a group looking in different directions - it can give the wrong impression, like that they just had a row or something
Also if the group is deep be prepared as has been pointed out already for the DoF
Maybe take a photo of yourself and photoshop it in after that way you can concentrate on taking the group, if its a big group try and elevate the camera somewhat that way you wont be too far away.
If the sun is streaming into the room (unlikely ) they may all end up squinting!!
Consider borrowing a external flash?
anyway good luck

daycent

I would agree with Ghost Train and say take a number of pics. Maybe two bursts of three? You can blend them after with masks in Photoshop.

Someone always has their eyes closed:rolleyes:

Chorcai

RAW.

pullandbang

duffarama wrote: »

We've a director leaving the country and he'd like a group shot of the "team"

How many is the team? Is it a HUGE group or what?

nilhg

duffarama wrote: »

Well, seems I've been nominated to do a group photo at work. We've a director leaving the country and he'd like a group shot of the "team"

Any tips?

I've no flash so going to try get a shot in the morning time as the sun rises and comes through the boardroom, hope there's no noticeable tripod shadow!

If you want a loan of a FL36 for a few days PM me, I can probably send it up to the city center, you'd have to collect and drop it back there.

duffarama

nilhg wrote: »

If you want a loan of a FL36 for a few days PM me, I can probably send it up to the city center, you'd have to collect and drop it back there.

Turns out we're having the photo taken early Monday morning, so thanks for the very kind offer but I doubt it will arrive in time.

RAW + Jpeg and a burst of photos I think, may even use live view and face detection! Apparently it works well.

pullandbang, I'm not sure how many people. There's about 15-20 I think, we've a fair few people not based in the office who I only get to see every 3 months.

duffarama

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Oh I see, you had better get rid of that lens so, sure.........I'll take it off you ;);)

I still haven't decided what to do with my photo gear, I know I have too much though. You can take it for a spin some time for sure.

I definitely want to go micro and get a small prime, try duplicate my favourite film combo in digital, 35mm f2 lens only leaves the camera for the 35mm f2.8!

nilhg

duffarama wrote: »

Turns out we're having the photo taken early Monday morning, so thanks for the very kind offer but I doubt it will arrive in time.

RAW + Jpeg and a burst of photos I think, may even use live view and face detection! Apparently it works well.

pullandbang, I'm not sure how many people. There's about 15-20 I think, we've a fair few people not based in the office who I only get to see every 3 months.

Can have it in the city centre tomorrow, my daughter is back to college, we're dropping her up in the AM, up to yourself PM me if you want to have it.

duffarama

UPDATE!

Didn't have long to master the flash and ended up shooting against a backlit window. I had intended to take the photo against a wall but there were stray cables on the floor and I intended to shoot everyone from head to toe, I ended up cropping everybodies feet out in the end...

I also didn't get everybody square to the camera.

However! Good learning experience and the photo has gone down well with the people I emailed it to so far. Picking up the print in a frame tomorrow and hope the presentation goes down well.

Thanks all for the advice but especially nilhg for the loan of his flash. I now really want a flash of my own though!!

davenewt

Let's see the shot then

duffarama

I'm not going to post a picture of me and 15 colleagues, you'll just have to take my word

davenewt

Aw, go on... you don't have to tell us which one's you - we'll guess!

Only messin, at least you're happy with the way it turned out