Comments on: How to Take a Good Group Photo in 15 Minutes or Less http://rising.blackstar.com/how-to-take-a-good-group-photo-in-15-minutes-or-less.html Professional Photography Blog Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:56:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mandy Walshhttp://rising.blackstar.com/how-to-take-a-good-group-photo-in-15-minutes-or-less.html/comment-page-1#comment-2482 Mandy Walsh Sat, 07 Feb 2009 19:03:04 +0000 #comment-2482 I have been asked to photograph a large group, of 150, and wanted any suggestions for equipment and settings. This would be for a large company, and I have never done something like this before. I have photographed large groups like this, but just for my church. If the day is nice, we will be outdoors, if not we will be in a hotel shooting. Also, the company is wanting 100-150 8x10's and the digital image. What should I charge for a project like this?In addition, I have been asked by a friend to photograph a band of 8 musicians for their promo. I have some ideas for this shoot, but would welcome any outside ideas as well. I am also wondering how much to propose for this project. They will need 10 8x10's and will need the image as well. I have been asked to photograph a large group, of 150, and wanted any suggestions for equipment and settings. This would be for a large company, and I have never done something like this before. I have photographed large groups like this, but just for my church. If the day is nice, we will be outdoors, if not we will be in a hotel shooting. Also, the company is wanting 100-150 8x10's and the digital image. What should I charge for a project like this?

In addition, I have been asked by a friend to photograph a band of 8 musicians for their promo. I have some ideas for this shoot, but would welcome any outside ideas as well. I am also wondering how much to propose for this project. They will need 10 8x10's and will need the image as well.

]]> By: Bob Crosserhttp://rising.blackstar.com/how-to-take-a-good-group-photo-in-15-minutes-or-less.html/comment-page-1#comment-1993 Bob Crosser Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:07:06 +0000 #comment-1993 The key to getting everyone in focus is depth of field, which is controlled with aperture. The smaller your aperture, the larger your Depth of Field ("DOF", which is the area which appears to be in focus, both in front and behind your focal point). Close your aperture ("stop down") to f/5.6, f/8, f/11 or even smaller if need be; take test shots and examine them on your LCD with the image "zoomed in" to check focus throughout the image. Note that most dSLR's start losing a little sharpness when stopped down beyond f/11 to f/13 or so, though the slight loss in sharpness may be negligible for your purposes. Also, most lenses seem to be sharpest in the f/5.6 to f/8 range, assuming that is enough DOF for your shot.The trade off for a smaller aperture (which is numerically larger because it is the denominator of a fraction, i.e. f/8 is like 1/8 which is smaller than 1/2), is a need for more light. To minimize the need for greater DOF, for instance if you don't have a lot of light or you want the background out of focus, try to keep everyone in about the same plane. If you do have rows, or subjects are at different focal lengths, focus on someone in the middle of the range, because DOF extend both in front and behind your chosen focal point.Lastly, some lenses (probably all to some degree) have some field curvature, which means that the area that is "in focus" (the DOF) isn't a flat plane, but is curved. This means that as you move from the center of the lens toward the edges, the DOF curves, and subjects near the edge of the frame may be out of focus (for most lenses this isn't noticeable and even for "problem" lenses, may only be noticeable at larger apertures). The key to getting everyone in focus is depth of field, which is controlled with aperture. The smaller your aperture, the larger your Depth of Field ("DOF", which is the area which appears to be in focus, both in front and behind your focal point). Close your aperture ("stop down") to f/5.6, f/8, f/11 or even smaller if need be; take test shots and examine them on your LCD with the image "zoomed in" to check focus throughout the image. Note that most dSLR's start losing a little sharpness when stopped down beyond f/11 to f/13 or so, though the slight loss in sharpness may be negligible for your purposes. Also, most lenses seem to be sharpest in the f/5.6 to f/8 range, assuming that is enough DOF for your shot.

The trade off for a smaller aperture (which is numerically larger because it is the denominator of a fraction, i.e. f/8 is like 1/8 which is smaller than 1/2), is a need for more light. To minimize the need for greater DOF, for instance if you don't have a lot of light or you want the background out of focus, try to keep everyone in about the same plane. If you do have rows, or subjects are at different focal lengths, focus on someone in the middle of the range, because DOF extend both in front and behind your chosen focal point.

Lastly, some lenses (probably all to some degree) have some field curvature, which means that the area that is "in focus" (the DOF) isn't a flat plane, but is curved. This means that as you move from the center of the lens toward the edges, the DOF curves, and subjects near the edge of the frame may be out of focus (for most lenses this isn't noticeable and even for "problem" lenses, may only be noticeable at larger apertures).

]]> By: Anyone Wanthttp://rising.blackstar.com/how-to-take-a-good-group-photo-in-15-minutes-or-less.html/comment-page-1#comment-1992 Anyone Want Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:14:53 +0000 #comment-1992 The key to getting everyone in focus is depth of field, which is controlled with aperture. Close your aperture to f/5.6 or f/8, or even smaller if need be. To minimiz The key to getting everyone in focus is depth of field, which is controlled with aperture. Close your aperture to f/5.6 or f/8, or even smaller if need be. To minimiz

]]> By: Kim Bolyardhttp://rising.blackstar.com/how-to-take-a-good-group-photo-in-15-minutes-or-less.html/comment-page-1#comment-576 Kim Bolyard Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:56:19 +0000 #comment-576 this has been very helpful...but the problem I seem to have with the group shot is getting everyone in the photo to be sharp and focused. Any suggestions on lens or settings would be great. I would love any input I could get on this. thanks kim bolyard this has been very helpful...but the problem I seem to have with the group shot is getting everyone in the photo to be sharp and focused. Any suggestions on lens or settings would be great. I would love any input I could get on this. thanks
kim bolyard

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