Advice on taking Family Photos

[kelsbeth]

Here’s the scenario:

I’m not a professional, don’t plan to be a professional, I’m just a beginner who enjoys taking photos for fun. I currently own a Canon Rebel xsi with the standard 18-55mm stock lens and a “nifty fifty” lens. A friend of mine on a budget wants me to take some shots of her new baby and of her entire family (2 parents, 4 kids). I am pretty comfortable taking pics of ONE person (or possibly two at a time), but have not taken very many group shots. For the baby, I plan on taking shots near a window, probably using my 50mm prime. For the family, I plan on taking the shots outdoors, and the forecast will most likely be overcast/cloudy. I plan on renting a lens and I have 2 questions:

1. What lens would you recommend for the group shots? (I plan to take pics of them posed together in a park, and possibly action shots of them walking together).

2. What f-stop should I be aiming for to get a sharp shot? F-8? (As I said, I’m used to taking shots of one person at a time and I like the bokeh effect in the background, so I usually do 2.8 or something like that, which obviously will not work in a group setting)

Thanks for any input!!

P.s. – Don’t worry, I’m not accepting money for this, just doing it for fun

[kelsbeth]

Sorry I meant to post this in the "technique" section and now I can't delete it. Please ignore this question in this section

[chevysinc2]

have you done this shoot yet? If not try to use a 80mm fixed focal lens, with group pix you need to have everyone in the pix alert to you and thus you need to be alert to them. Take lots of pix (safety in numbers). Use large white umbrellas with bounce strobe. If you don't have this equipment, use what you have and pose them with light behind or to the side (natural/ambient) focus on faces and use the 85mm (back up). Have someone beside you holding a large silver kicker held to reflect the light into their faces and bodies. I hope I have helped you! Vickie

[graciousness]

Taking them to a park is a good idea. Best if you position them in open shade with background as far away as possible so you can get a nice blurry background and only focus in on the family.

I wouldn't take umbrellas and such. If you don't have experience in them, it will just be a nerve-wracking experience. Bring an external flash to use as fill flash. No bounce as where are you going to bounce the flash off? Keep it simple, use fill flash when required.

Don't be distracted with "pretty backgrounds" in the park. With beginners, it's a mistake to think that "pretty backgrounds" will add a nice effect to photos but in reality, it just clutters photos. Simplicity in photos is the best. You focus in on the family and gettign them relaxed.

The trick with group shots as you would guess is keeping them all in focus. Don't use really small f/stops as then you are narrowing your depth of field that may get some people out of focus. I also woudn't recommend using P mode as from my experience, it usually chooses the wrong f/stop and there are people out of focus.

So, as short notes:

- Keep it simple, nice and relaxed. You want to capture the natural smiles and genuine feelings with people and with families with children, this works out so well when you capture the right moments;

- Keep the background simple. Don't distract and be distracted with 'pretty backgrounds';

- Shoot in open shade;

- Simple lighting is the key. Use fill flash if required (and more often than not, it is);

- Ask them to dress in neutral colours if possible. Although it's great to see kids in bright, colourful colours, you don't want one kid to dominate a shot because he or she is wearing something really bright and the rest of the family is not;

- Take your time with your shots. You need to be relaxed as well so that this reflects on your the people who you are shooting. Keep it fun;

- If possible, don't use P mode;

- Mind your f/stops and don't use the smallest one. Start around f/4 and work from there. Check your lcd screen and zoom in on each person in the photos (do some test shots whenever you change locations in the park) and then if someone is out of focus, use the next stop after that and then adjust your ISO and or speed if you have to;

- Don't be afraid to make mistakes. After all, you can do it again if you're not satisfied. You are doing this for free so give yourself a break and don't agonise over it.

- Don't forget to have fun

In regards to the lens, what have you got? At the end of the day, just work with what you have. It seems that if you can manage to shoot people before with f/stop of 2.8, whatever lens that is, it will be good enough. Don't stress

Hope this helps. Relax!

Cheers,

Grace

[Gaurav Prabhu]

One more thing to add to above list, shoot in RAW