How to Take a Good Group Photograph

Creating an awesome group photo takes some preparation. The challenges of shooting a group photo are fun. Be aware of the anarchy rule; everyone will want to have a say. You, the photographer have to exercise and maintain control; control of the location, control of the groups pose, control of the wardrobe, control of the lighting, control of the color palette. I read a comment by Vicki Goldberg' in a photography book when I first begin taking photos. Her comment continues to influence my work;

"No photograph ever changed anything all by itself, for photographs are highly dependent creatures and their influence is entirely contingent on words, circumstances, distribution, and belief systems. A photograph has power only if the right people see it in the right context at the right time."

When I'm shooting a group photograph (or any photograph for that matter) I want to control every aspect of it so that all of the dependent creatures blend correctly so the imagery tells the right story to the people who view it.

Finding the right site helps define the group and their image. Most of my group photos are indoor shoots. When looking for a good indoor location I look for high ceilings, lots of room, lots of natural lighting and visual power. I photo the area, paying particular attention to background, looking to see if anything stands out. I look at the shadows and the natural lighting.

After selecting my location and background I plan my shoot, setting my lighting and establishing my camera angles. I work out different compositions for alternatives. I pose each member of the group, adjusting my lighting to highlight them or an item in the background. Sometimes just pivoting someone or an item can make or break the whole photograph. Distinctively spacing each member, squaring their feet and shoulders, and having them face in different directions can add a lot of impact and presence. I take a few test shots of each member in place and let them break while I examine the test shots. I study and discuss the test photo with each member.

Under most circumstances you can not do too much with wardrobe. You have to go with what the group show up in. This requires preparation and pre-agreement. To create somewhat of a skin glow I do have the group members who are not wearing make up smear baby on their skin.

To create a larger than life effect, I place my camera around waist height and keep the image plane parallel to the subjects. Backlights are used to separate the subjects from dark backgrounds and create foreground shadows. Bare bulbs or grids are used to make crisp shadows with one light place back left and one back right. Each is raised approximately 6 feet and aimed downward. Sometimes it is necessary to change the lighting a little or move a group member because of shadows.

There is almost always something discovered in post production that needs correcting. Thank God for Adobe Photoshop. With a lot of dodging, burning, sharpening, and adjusting tones, along with a little color temperature and vibrancy dialing, I am able to cool things out and produce a group photo which the majority of the group is happy with.