Posing The Family of Four

[jfrancho]

I would be careful about trees etc.

usually a baby step to the left or right fixes the tree/head syndrome, and doesn't change the perspective to any noticeable degree.

[Benji]

Originally Posted by bobbyz

Benji - Can you please provide some pointers as to the placement of the lights? For now I am only shooting h/s and 3/4 of single person but need to do family of 4. Placing my main on 45 deg angle put lot more light on the person closer to the main light. So I tried using only 1 light above my camera position. But then it didn't help as some family members were wearing glasses.

Bobby,

Place your fill light just above the camera at about 1 stop LESS than the main light aimed at the group. It should meter the same all the way across the scene. Set up your main light about 1/2 way between the camera and the group off to one side but aim it at the person furthest from it. That way it will skim light across everyone as it travels to the far side. It should be perfectly level (NOT aimed down toward the floor) and it should be about two feet to three feet or so above the groups faces. Meter it so it also gives you the same reading all the way across and one stop more than the fill light reading. Set the camera aperture at the main light reading. You may have to move the main light closer to the group and power it down, or you may have to back it away from the group and power it up. I suggest you feather it toward the camera so you are using just the edge of the light not the hot spot in the center of it. If you keep taking meter readings and keep adjusting and feathering the light eventually you will get the same reading all the way across the group. SHUT OFF the modeling lamp of the fill light and all other lights in the camera room so you can see EXACTLY what the main light is doing. If you have shadows on someone's face, move the main light until the shadow is gone. You may wind up with rather flat lighting, but better flat than big shadows across anyone's face.

Benji

[bobbyz]

Thanks a lot Benji. I will try this again with my friend's family.

[bobbyz]

One more followup if you don't mind. Where you say the main light should be level and about 2/3 feet above the gruop faces. If I am using a softbos for my main, would I just keep the center of the SB about 2/3 feet above the faces?

[Benji]

Originally Posted by bobbyz

One more followup if you don't mind. Where you say the main light should be level and about 2/3 feet above the gruop faces. If I am using a softbox for my main, would I just keep the center of the SB about 2/3 feet above the faces?

Bobby,

Without seeing your set up my best guess is yes. Ideally after you get everyone posed you will turn off every light in the room except for the main light. It was previously roughed in in the approximate position. Then you will LOOK at the peoples faces and check them for unwanted shadows. If you have them move the light (probably toward the camera a little bit and perhaps up.) The look again. If the shadows look better feather the light toward the camera and take a meter reading at the person at the extreme left, the center and the extreme right. Move and feather the light until the reading is the same (or within a 10th of a stop.)

Benji

[vtabrevs]

Awesome tutorial. You broke it down into the barest bits. Thank you, I just learned more here in five minutes then I have from all the glossy books on the shelves. Thanks, I will be watching for more tutorials.

[Benji]

Here is another shot I took that same day but about 1500 feet east of the other location. I used a weak off camera flash just to the left of my camera to provide a little fill light.

I had this rock moved to this location in the late summer and I used it a couple of times on high school seniors. This is the second time I have used it for families. I think I like it at this spot. The farmer across the street moves it for me with a front end loader since it weighs several tons.

Benji

[bobbyz]

Thanks Benji and another great shot.

[MagicNikon]

Benji, you're awesome! Thanks again!

[harryd]

Benji thanks for posting this! I am shooting a family group photo this weekend and would be thrilled if I can get the posing results 1/2 this good.

[Benji]

Harry,

Note that every person is turned at a 45 degree angle to the camera. Not even one person's shoulders are square on to the camera. The people who are standing have all their weight on the rear hip/foot and there are no huge differences in the heights of the faces. By seating Mom on the rock it gives some differentness to the pose instead of everyone just standing there. Note that Dad and his son are facing in toward the center of the image which keeps the viewer's eyes looking inside the pose rather than wandering outside the image.

Benji

[jfrancho]

Note that every person is turned at a 45 degree angle to the camera.

This looks so "off" as you are posing people, but is so effective in the picture. It really is a rudimentary "must do" in portraits.

[harryd]

Benji thanks, I have been studying all the shots in this thread. I have a week to get ready, it will be inside with mom, dad, 7 year old, 3 year old and 1 year old girls. Pray for me, I am sure I will need it. If I can get 3 out of 5 posed well I will be happy.

[Benji]

Harry,

Study and pray because when the time comes and the family is standing there you'll forget everything you were supposed to do

I usually start with one person, the tallest (normally Dad) and pose him at a 45 degree angle to the camera. Then I add Mom close to him (they are after all in love) again at a 45 degree angle then the next tallest child (at 45 degrees) then the next etc. Make sure no two heads that are side by side are the same height and make sure no two heads are directly above/below another (stacking.) Don't crop at the joints. Don't stand Dad then seat everyone else on the floor as his head will be five feet above everyone elses and look really strange. All the heads should be within a reasonable distance from one another.

Benji

[jfrancho]

Don't crop at the joints.

Let me verify this: you mean don't amputate a limb at the joint by placing another person in front, where an arm or leg is blocked off at the joint. Correct?

[Wes]

Benji, Thanks for the great tutotial and examples.

Wes

[Benji]

Originally Posted by jfrancho

Let me verify this: you mean don't amputate a limb at the joint by placing another person in front, where an arm or leg is blocked off at the joint. Correct?

Usually it refers to single person portraits where you have a choice about where the sides and top and bottom of a photograph will end in relation to the joints of the subject. In group photography it can mean the same thing but one must realize that the person in front will block something of the subject behind them from the viewer.

Benji

[jfrancho]

Originally Posted by Benji

Usually it refers to single person portraits where you have a choice about where the sides and top and bottom of a photograph will end in relation to the joints of the subject. In group photography it can mean the same thing but one must realize that the person in front will block something of the subject behind them from the viewer.

Benji

Thanks my man, that was exactly what I wondering. In group photos, I sometimes have trouble with both cropping off at joints, but also subjects with three limbs. It certainly complicates things when there are more. I highly recommend moving through each of the posing rules you have with a patient subject. My eight year old is good for about 45 minutes

[joshranwest]

Wow, these tutorials are just amazing, thank you so much for the time and effort put forth to create these!

[mcmu275]

will having the main light at this level and angle also take care of the glasses issue?