Tips for Taking Group Pictures

There are probably more group photographs taken than any other kind. Think of all the weddings and birthday parties, not to mention other gatherings and celebrations. So what can you do to make your group shot one that the subjects will be delighted with, rather than moaning that they blinked or had their head cut off? Here are some tips.

Give some thought to where you will pose the group ahead of time. There may be an old tree in the backyard or park that would make a fabulous background without intruding. See that the background is appropriate, eg, your daughter’s soccer team would look great posed at the sporting field, but may be a little weird on the beach. Make sure there are no odd things like telegraph poles, swing sets or rubbish bins in the background. Or anything else that may look as if it were growing out of someone’s head.

Take multiple shots quickly. Often people sub-consciously pose in a rather artificial manner for the first shot, but tend to relax after that and look more natural. If anyone is wearing glasses, tactfully suggest they remove them; otherwise the flash could reflect off the glass and ruin the shot. For the same reason, never pose people in front of a window.

Vary your shots by taking some of just head and shoulders, some up really close and some a bit further off. If there is a large group, it’s an idea to take a shot from the top of a ladder. This will allow you to get more people in and also to focus on heads rather than bodies. You may be lucky enough to have an elevated deck you can use for height. Pose the group on the grass below and shoot from the deck.

Of course, you will remember to have the short people in the front and tall ones behind. Some can kneel in front or sit on the grass, particularly children, who get bored with standing. Just be careful you don’t miss them when focusing. It’s easy enough to get so absorbed in getting the adults lined up correctly, you find that you’ve only managed to get the top of Junior’s head.

One more thing to remember in group photography is that the important people like the birthday girl or the bride and groom should be in the central position. And for sharp focus throughout, keep the group no more than about three rows deep. If it is more, use a narrow aperture.