Nervous

[AnonymousKiwi1]

I'm getting more nervous by the minute. This evening I am scheduled to take a 'team' photo of the local Volunteer Fire Brigade.
I think I have all my ducks in a row. I scouted the location, taken some test shots with stand-in models. I've cleaned my lens, tightened up the loose bits on my tripod. I've read up on taking group shots.
This is a volunteer assignment. My hubby's SSO of the Brigade. They have not had a group photo printed to add to the collection on the wall for almost eight years. I'd been saying all summer that I was happy to take the picture for them outside in the yard with good daylight. It just didn't happen. Now they've got themselves organised and I'm stuck using the light that is available in the appliance bay, under artificial lights.
One of the other brigade members had a go a while back, but apparently the photo was a dismal failure. I haven't seen it. Previous to that the then-chief's wife took a snap - it is not very good but it is hanging on the wall.
So, though I've been told 'you can't do worse than the last lot', I find this is making the pressure even worse. If I was following a professional, no one would expect too much. But I had to open my big mouth and suggest I could do better than the last couple of attempts.
If it doesn't work out, there's not much lost. I'm only taking up 10 minutes of there time, and they're all there anyway as it's training night. The only thing at stake is my pride and I guess my reputation. Only.

Wish me luck.

[candleman]

All the best!
I think it's overcast over that part of the country today right?
should be easy.

"show me your hoses" - smile - *snap*


post up the result!

[IABoomer]

Watch this. Maybe learn something that will help. Relax, you'll do fine. Post the pic when you're done, I'd be curious to see how it goes.

Photography, Digital Camera & Lightroom Tips — FroKnowsPhoto How to take Group Portrait Photographs

[AnonymousKiwi1]

Originally Posted by candleman

"show me your hoses" - smile - *snap*

I might just have to use that line!

Originally Posted by IABoomer

Watch this.
Photography, Digital Camera & Lightroom Tips — FroKnowsPhoto How to take Group Portrait Photographs

Thanks for the link - lots of useful stuff there.

[BigFuzzy]

You mentioned nothing about lighting that you have? Do you not have at least a hot-shoe flash to pop onto your camera?

If you're taking an indoor shot under artificial lights I can't imagine there being good enough light to get nice light into their faces as (from what I know of these conditions) it's likely to have harsh light from above with the corresponding shadows in the eyes?
Do you ahve any of the test shots to show us so we can give you suggestions (if needed)?
I really really really suggest a flash if you can get one.
How many people in the group?

[AnonymousKiwi1]

Tis done already. And I'd written up and post and everything, but it does not seem to be here. How odd. Maybe I didn't hit 'submit'.
Stand by, I'll try again.

[AnonymousKiwi1]

I used my 50mm 1.8 prime, wide open with the ISO wound up some. I had to position myself at the far end of the appliance bay, with the guys all the way at the other end in order to get enough distance to fit them all in the DOF. Basically the whole situation was not ideal.



The lighting was just the flouros that they have on the walls. Thank goodness for lightroom and my new ability to shoot RAW. I am not entirely happy with the processing. But it is what it is. I made no promises. Like I said, I'd really wanted to do this in daylight.

Then we did a more relaxed pose, recreating an original Brigade photo from almost 50 years ago.



This one I really am not happy with. I don't know why the left hand side has come out very soft - just the poor lighting? I've messed about with noise reduction and sharpening, but it's still not very good. That's my hubby on the left seated - he's come out softest of the lot.
It's a shame, because I like this pose much better.

[scootermcq]

Originally Posted by AnonymousKiwi1

This one I really am not happy with. I don't know why the left hand side has come out very soft - just the poor lighting? I've messed about with noise reduction and sharpening, but it's still not very good. That's my hubby on the left seated - he's come out softest of the lot.
It's a shame, because I like this pose much better.

The thing with a group photo and having the whole image sharp is aperture. You shot this at 1.8. You were about 6 meters from your group. If you focused on the center of the group, you would about half a meter from the center forward until you were out of focus. That becomes even more pronounced near the outside of the image, as lens are sharpest at the center. That lens also is fairly soft wide open, and starts to come alive at f3.5. I would bet at f4-5.6 you would have been much happier with the image. You were using ISO 250 and with that camera you can go ISO 800 without even having to think about noise.

It is not bad, and could get sharpened more in post, but a DOF calculator before you do group photos in an organized photo like this would have let you know exactly what the largest aperture you could shoot with.

Online Depth of Field Calculator

[AnonymousKiwi1]

They were about 8m away, I'd used the calculator and figured at that distance and aperture I'd have almost 2m depth to play with. What I thought kinda weird was that the right had side is much sharper.

Next time I'll get braver with the ISO. Or arrange better lighting. Or maybe there won't be a next time.

[conor5150]

Good job I think on both, and I like the relaxed pose better , hanging on a wall being viewed at several feet and no one is going to notice any of the things you are worried about with noise etc.....