Shooting my class reunion

[kimmeraz]

Well, my 20th high school reunion is coming up in June, and the organizers of the event are hiring me to be the official photographer! I'm nervous as heck. It's a lot of pressure!!! This will really be one of my first paying gigs. Did I mention that I'm nervous???
I would classify myself as an intermediate photographer. But this will be the first reunion I've ever attended and I'm not really sure how one goes about capturing it. If anyone can offer tips/techniques, I'd be forever grateful.
Also, if you have any input on the best way for people to buy prints after the fact, please let me know. I don't have much experience with this, so not really sure which companies are good and who I should stay away from. Thanks so much!!

[Benji]

I've done several hundred of these and here is what I do. Pose the tallest people and the largest people (especially large women) in the back row. All of these people will be standing and all will be turned toward the center tallest person. The ideal situation is where there is a stage at the facility that is about three feet or so above the main floor. This will allow another row of standing shorter people in between the second row of standing people and the row of seated people. This second row of people will also be standing but on the floor, in the "windows" of the top row. This way there will not be any heads stacked on top of one another, instead the heads will be staggered. Third row would be seated, again staggered so their heads are not directly below the second row. Finally a row of men seated or squatting on the floor.

Lighting. I use one powerful a/c powered studio flash unit directed into a 62 inch umbrella directly above the camera. DO NOT use side lighting. I use ISO 400. I meter the front row and use that reading as my camera aperture. I shoot in Raw. I shoot about 12 images. Six are with those who wear eyeglasses with them on and six with those same people without their glasses on. That way I can make one image where everyone has their eyes open and there is no eyeglass glare. I carefully select the image that has the least problems (eyes closed and eyeglass glare) and save them two ways. One with the front row correctly exposed, then boost the exposure until the back (ynderexposed) row is properly exposed and save it again. Combine the two images in Photoshop and erase the underexposed back rows and you will wind up with one properly exposed image. Remove any eyeglass glare with the "good" eyes from one of the files that they are not wearing glasses. Same with anyone who blinked.

Payment. After the shoot announce you will be at the table (point to it) taking orders. On the table you will have a stack of 6 x 9 envelopes and a stack of 9 x 12 envelopes. Also have a 5 x 7 image on display and an 8 x 10 image on display with the prices of each. Tell them to select what size they want, then take the appropriate sized envelope, write their name and address on it and enclose the money for the photo in the envelope BUT DON'T SEAL IT and hand the envelope to your office gal. She checks the legibility of the address and removes the money and places a check mark on the flap of the envelope.

Benji

[kimmeraz]

Thanks Benji, your tips are very helpful!
I should have mentioned that the only lighting I will have is my sb600 speed light. I will be shooting with a Nikon D700, I will have a 28-200 lens, and I will not have any assistant.
It's just me! :-)
I think the committee is leaning more towards me posting everything on a photo sharing site, or perhaps by that time I might have my own website, and me selling prints or disks with all the images. I'm leaning towards possibly using Smug Mug, not sure yet. If anyone has any experience with photo sharing websites that offer photo selling, please let me know your thoughts.
This is going to be a lesson for me on how to work a room to get a combination of candid and posed groups shots. I think that's the part that's making me the most nervous. I need a game plan!!