Help please - Group photograph 200 people

[Derek Bell]

Guys, I need to take some group shots of our local scout group, 200 people in total. I will probably need to take a formal shot of the whole group in a 'class photo' style.

I would very much appreciate some advice on how to do this and any compositional techniques to make it more interesting. My kit on the day will be Canon 400D with 15 to 55mm and 55 to 200mm lenses, tripod and a single flash head. The shoot will be outdoors and possibly overcast.

thanks in advance

Derek

[kencaleno]

If weather is overcast you won't need flash, because there will be no shadows to concern yourself about.I wouldn'tgo wider than 20-24mm or those on the outside edges of image will be distorted, tripod of course,F8-11 will cope with depth of group. Group them so they are contained in your viewfinder, and before you make the shot-ask if they can all see the camera-if they can, the camera will see them-It will pay to make a dozen or so shots of each pose,to capture the blinkers.

Regards, Ken

[AnnaV]

It's quite fun to do a posed photo and then a silly one too! Get everyone to pull funny faces in the second one. Scouts would like that

[WooD]

Have everyone close there eyes. Then tell them to open them, then shoot.

Never shot 200, but it works great on groups of 30.

[AnnaV]

Originally Posted by WooD

Have everyone close there eyes. Then tell them to open them, then shoot.

Never shot 200, but it works great on groups of 30.

That's a really good tip!