I've been asked to take some family group photos. The group will include grandparents, parents, and grandchildren, numbering eleven. Now here's the part that makes me nervous - I've not shot this large a group before, it's outside, and I'll not have a chance at a reshoot. I'm planning to use 35 for the essential shots, but would also be using 4X5 for two or three "special" shots if they evolve. I've arranged to use a park, so settings will not be a problem, but I'm wondering about effective or standard poses for this type of group. Any suggestions?

-- Michael Mahoney (mmahoney@nfld.com), July 13, 2001

Answers

The way I typically do it is to have the "Patriarch/Matriarch" center stage and have the syblings around either side and the grandchildren in front sitting down. There are alot of ways to shoot this. If you have a powerful enough flash, use it as a fill and have the sun behind there heads as a rim light. The ways to shoot this are almost limitless... Grand parents and parents on the ground and the grand children in an appropriate tree (like an elephant tree or something like that).

-- Scott Walton (f64sw@hotmail.com), July 13, 2001.

Whatever you do, don't make the mistake I have done some years ago by using a 90 mm for a family shot inside. Some faces near the borders of the image are square! My mother wasn't at all pleased the way she looked on the picture. Working outside will give you plenty of distance to use a longer lens, 150 mm or more.

-- Paul Schilliger (pschilliger@smile.ch), July 13, 2001.

I have shot a group of 8 indoors using a 135mm without distortion at a distance of 15-20 ft. For individual close shots I never go below 210mm and mostly use a 240mm. Pat

-- pat krentz (patwandakrentz@aol.com), July 13, 2001.

I was rather intrigued when studying old (1900's) group photos that the women almost always had white blouses. Tried it and it works. Don't know if that is feasible here, but sometimes it might be.

-- Richard C. Trochlil (trochlilbb@neumdia.net), July 14, 2001.