- How to adjust your camera settings
- How to coordinate the group for best results
- Key considerations when shooting indoors or in low-light conditions
A group shot is a photograph where more than one person (can also be animals e.g. pets) is intentionally in focus. Group shots are featured on almost every shot list at Martin Creates when doing lifestyle and event photography.
Camera Settings:
Always play it safe! This means bumping your aperture a bit higher in order to capture more people in focus. Does this mean you lower your shutter speed to let in more light? No! With more subjects in a photograph you will also witness more movement so a slower shutter speed will make it impossible to get sharp photos. I tend to stick to 1/250 and f4.5 as a minimum but usually f7.1 and above for group shots. ISO and flash photography will need to be considered too. It depends on how many people and how they're posing. Bump the ISO to whatever is needed. Remember to expose highlights and you'll be fine, there's no need to overdo it as you can recover shadows and other aspects of the photo in post if you're shooting raw correctly. I also highly recommend use a reliable camera flash sensibly if you have one. My article on de-noising will come in handy if you're worried about excessive noise from ISO.
Let's consider a common scenario: A client at Martin Creates will usually want to coordinate some group shots themselves - which is perfectly fine - but usually I will coordinate plenty of group shots during wedding shoots and other event gigs because being proactive is a key skill as a photographer. Making the transition between being a "fly on a wall" to the "playmaker" is very common throughout any event photoshoot. Whilst my clients are partying, having chats and generally enjoying themselves, I will read the room and scan opportunities to capture those special moments candidly and also gather everyone together while the moment is fresh. To achieve the best results, I need to be quick when changing my camera's settings. I shoot in manual mode as it's important to have full control of my settings at all times. I have programmed the buttons on my camera body which are more conveniently positioned to control the aperture, ISO and shutter speed in particular.
Coordinating the Group's Posing:
You can get as creative as you like, however I always coordinate plenty of "safe group shots" meaning that there's minimum room for error. A typical example is when I am shooting a corporate event or wedding, I will make a minimum of two rows and ask the back row to lean into the gaps between people in the row in front of them. Usually taller people at the back but you can also mix it up for interesting results. This is to maximise the chance of everyone being in focus. I will be very clear, direct and repeat my instructions as much as is needed in order to ensure everyone is compliant. Usually this means telling them to smile and look into the Sony logo on my camera and imagine Superman and Bugs Bunny having an arm-wrestle. Being still is crucial. Once those are out of the way, it's time to animate the group and try "fun" shots where I leave my finger on the shutter button whilst they pull funny poses with more motion and trust that later on there will be a few interesting photos too. Before the group breaks away I will quickly check the photos and even if they're not the best and need to be retaken, maintaining a smile is important so the group don't feel disheartened and confidence is still high. Especially with elderly people, they tend to blink more, try to be patient with them and reassure them that they look lovely and it's normal to take a few more than is necessary so you have more to choose from later.
Indoor and Low-light Group Shots:
Shooting at f8 will mean less light entering the camera so you will need to increase ISO. I don't believe ISO is great for photography despite de-noising softwares being great nowadays; they still have limitations. Using a tripod and setting a timer will allow you to shoot at a slower shutter speed. Using a flash is very useful as well because it adds more exposure and therefore sharpness to the right parts of the photos. Achieving the best flash settings will require practice over time and also testing the right settings on-site. This is usually done at the very beginning so you learn your environment's limitations.
Just like most things in life and photography in particular, bear in mind that you will need to practice a lot and there will be plenty of mistakes. I hope you've found it helpful and it gives you an insight as to how Martin Creates approaches photography at weddings, events, lifestyle shoots and more. Share this article if you enjoyed it! :)
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