How To Take a Group Portrait

  • March 13, 2009
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Taking a group portrait can be a pain. Here’s how to make it go as smoothly as possible.

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
How To Take a Group Portrait: Steel yourself

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.

How To Take a Group Portrait: Analyze the group

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.

How To Take a Group Portrait: Choose location and backdrop

Step 3: Choose location and backdrop

Choose your location and backdrop, if any. Try to maximize natural light if you can.

How To Take a Group Portrait: Attach your flash

Step 4: Attach your flash

Attach your flash and set your camera on the tripod.

Bounce the flash off the ceiling to get the softest, most diffused, most even light possible.

How To Take a Group Portrait: Set up camera

Step 5: Set up camera

Set your camera’s ISO, shutter speed and aperture for the light condition.

A wide-angle lens will allow you to squeeze in more people.

How To Take a Group Portrait: Gather the crowd

Step 6: Gather the crowd

Gather everyone together.

How To Take a Group Portrait: Arrange everyone

Step 7: Arrange everyone

Begin arranging people according to your mental map, making sure anyone of greater significance is front and center.

How To Take a Group Portrait: Compose the shot

Step 8: Compose the shot

Compose your shot.

How To Take a Group Portrait: Set self-timer

Step 9: Set self-timer

Set your camera on its self-timer to help avoid camera shake.

Get everyone to count down together. This will make sure they’re focused on the shot.

How To Take a Group Portrait: Meter and focus

Step 10: Meter and focus

Meter on your group, focus on them, and shoot away.

How To Take a Group Portrait: Shoot as much as you can

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.

Technically, the largest group portrait ever taken was of Earth by NASA.

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