How To Take a Group Portrait
Taking a group portrait can be a pain. Here's how to make it go as smoothly as possible.
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Capture your subject in the best light with these photography tips that cover everything from nature and still-life photography to fashion photography.
You Will Need
- 1 A camera
- 1 An external flash
- 1 A tripod
- 1 A group of people
- 1 And a large room or space
- 1 Wide-angle lens
Steps
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Step 1
Steel yourself
Steel yourself; getting a large group of people to do anything is hard, and getting them to listen to a photographer is damn near impossible.
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Step 2
Analyze the group
Quickly analyze the group to be shot. Do a mental lineup according to height, affiliations, and order of importance according to whatever invisible law governs your group.
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Step 3
Choose location and backdrop
Choose your location and backdrop, if any. Try to maximize natural light if you can.
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Step 4
Attach your flash
Attach your flash and set your camera on the tripod.
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Bounce the flash off the ceiling to get the softest, most diffused, most even light possible.
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Step 5
Set up camera
Set your camera’s ISO, shutter speed and aperture for the light condition.
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A wide-angle lens will allow you to squeeze in more people.
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Step 6
Gather the crowd
Gather everyone together.
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Step 7
Arrange everyone
Begin arranging people according to your mental map, making sure anyone of greater significance is front and center.
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Step 8
Compose the shot
Compose your shot.
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Step 9
Set self-timer
Set your camera on its self-timer to help avoid camera shake.
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Get everyone to count down together. This will make sure they’re focused on the shot.
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Step 10
Meter and focus
Meter on your group, focus on them, and shoot away.
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Step 11
Shoot as much as you can
Take as many shots as you possibly can before everyone loses their patience and either gets angry or wanders off.
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Technically, the largest group portrait ever taken was of Earth by NASA.
