Session with a group of 5

[shutterbug_wannabe]

I have a session booked for next Sunday afternoon in my home studio for a grouping of 5 children. They are cousins ages 9, 6, 5, 10 mon., 8 mon. I do know the two youngest are able to sit up by themselves. We will be working on a plain white background. I need your thoughts and ideas for posing/composition. The photo will be a Christmas gift for the grandparents of the children.

What props (if any) do you suggest? I have a wicker loveseat and /or two wicker chairs I could use. I know many of you will have great ideas and I need them all. Thanks!!

[steelese]

So, I love simple background for groups of children. If you have a background that is long and you can lay it out so it has not edge and they are sitting right on it, you have a wonderful background.

One stupid shot that I stumbled upon is to ask the children to get their wiggles out and have them shake and jump. If you can be ready, just hold down you shutter and take as many pictures as you can. They usually turn out fun.

[kimspics]

Have someone behind yu or at the angle you want ..have them hold a loud and fun noise maker while yu are concentrating on shooting the pic. Also get some shots on THEIR level...hope this helps.

[oldwolf]

get a chalkboard or dry erase board and hang it up some how. have the 9 y.o. up there drawing or pretending she's teaching the other kids "how to be good", "how to be bad", "how to get santa to bring more presents", etc, etc.

just write the title at the top of the board or have them write it out. might take a lot of work to get the other kids to pay attention though if you take too long to prep hehe. you can have the 9 y.o. pointing to the board with something too. that should make it look more like they're trying to teach the others something.

[shutterbug_wannabe]

wow, I knew I could count on you all to give me some great pointers!! I love the ideas. My background won't be totally smooth like the background paper. I use a king size white sheet. I did purchase a 4x8 piece of plywood (smooth finish) to use as the floor. I have noticed that feet get lost in the sheet when doing full view because of the give of the carpet underneath. The plywood is 1/2" and doesn't give at all.This should make a difference.

Do you think I should just do simple (no prop) photos then? Any thoughts on posing them seated or standing?

[lputman]

I think one of the traditional type poses is tallest to smallest sitting with the legs spread out and the smaller child in between going down in height. I don't know if I described that accurately.

Or maybe, the two babies in front on the floor, the next two in age sitting back to back, looking toward the camera and the oldest on their knees behind the two middle children...

[zeitz.photography]

What about empty cardboard boxes gift wraped to look like gifts. Use them as props then after you get some nice shots with the kids around the boxes/gifts, get some candid shots of the kids unwrapping the gifts.

[shutterbug_wannabe]

Great ideas Lori and Zeitz...I love the gift box idea. I like the variation with the sitting, back to back and kneeling too Lori. I am working on trying to get the background and lighting right. Do any of you use the CFC light bulbs like the daylight, soft white or bright? I want some extra lighting in the area because I use my speedlights and I need other room light. I am wondering which bulbs to get. I have a couple of ceiling lights which flank the photo area and I can put the flood bulbs in but don't know which ones to get. Any suggestions?