group shot

[RAMDrive]

Here is a group shot I took this past week. I've had a time with post processing. It was taken at 11:00 am in the shade, but the sun cut through the trees giving hot spots on some of the faces.

Any help would be appreciated



Nikon D50 using Tamron 17-50 f/28
Focal Lenth 24mm 1/100 @ f/7.1
Link to full size at 4.6MB.

Thank You

[wulf]

My initial suggestions would be:

1. Rotate so that the right end is as low as the left end (perhaps half a degree or less clockwise)

2. Crop down to lose most of the space above and below the group - you don't really need any more than the equivalent space to what you have on the left and right to indicate that the group was outdoors.

Wulf

[clockdoc]

I think your photo looks good as it is with the post processing you have already done. While you may be more concerned with the sunlight falling on some of the faces, I don't think the folks in the photo will be that concerned. A little flash fill would have helped here as well. What post processing did you do?
For future group shots, use a tripod and take several images (which you may have done already.) Then use a free Microsoft product called GroupShot to change out faces that have closed eyes, no smiles, etc. Here is alink to their software download page: http://research.microsoft.com/projects/GroupShot/

[RAMDrive]

Wulf;
I'll rotate and try your cropping suggestions. I got this crop by setting the tool to 14x10 for printing. Do I need to crop to a standard ratio?

Clockdoc;
I did use a tripod and took several shots, this one had the best facial shots of the more important people. I just got an SB-600, but didn't use it, I guess I should have, I'm just not comfortable with a flash yet.

I just got group shot, and will work with it tomorrow.

Thank you

[wulf]

If one of the goals is to produce a print then, yes, the ratio of the final print is important in your choice of crop. I am not an expert on producing images for printing but wonder if there is a wider format choice as the group is relatively long and 14:10 gives a lot of space above and below.

Wulf

[brianfarrell]

It's a good shot - nice and sharp in the original - you've got all the people with their eyes open and looking into the lens - and well posed too!

The only processing I would do is:

1 degree clockwise rotation

a little brightening (shadows and highlights - brighten shadows about 20-30%)

and a crop to suit the print size. Personally I'd lose more of the grass than the trees - I wouldn't crop as tightly as wulf suggests as I feel this would tend to hem the people in to much - but it now becomes a matter of personal taste... and I guess it's your picture - so crop it to your taste!

Well done

[RAMDrive]

Thank you for the advice everyone. I'm re-working the photo, and will re-post once it's finished.