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Youre so welcome! If you search light on our blog, you should find other blogs when light isnt ideal! Capturing a sharp group photo starts with setting up the pose with distance in mind. Hi Shelley! Burst mode can be helpful for groups. In a a group with three rows, focus on a face in the middle row. Were so glad this was helpful! But as you create the different layers, ask everyone to stay as close as possible. Thanks for reading! thanks ! We have our cameras set to zoom in tight with one click so we can see our clients eyes quickly. Owning a 85mm f/1.4 and a 11-16mm f/2.8, kit lenses, ff body and c-body, and a 17-40mm f/4. Shorter focal lengths will make it easier to get everyone in focus while longer focal lengths will make it more difficult. Do you shoot families/bridal party zoomed in to 70mm or 200mm? We can help with that! Hi Denise! Use the first row for small groups. A narrow depth of field will have a focal plane thats just centimetres, like a piece of ribbon. We own the 24-70 and love it for getting ready rooms and dancing shots at receptions.

Wed love to have you enroll! Of course, there isnt always room in the environment to back up or a lens long enough to make that distance possible. It still is today. But what if you still want the background to be blurred?

Were so glad this was helpful! I feel like I have more control when I go down to 39 focal points, but also worry about losing the sharp focus on anyone outside of the main point of focus. ExpertPhotography is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Thank you! Thanks for Sharing Valuable information If you have a group of two rows or less, place the focal point on the face of a person towards the centre of the first row. I have a really nice portrait lens 1.4 50mm, & it was always tricky. This is awesome, cant wait to try out these tips!! It will help me for the aperture. The background may not be large enough to get the group 100 meters away. How to Get Blurry Backgrounds in Your Photos, Group Portraits | NCAD Digital Photography II, https://www.amyandjordan.com/2014/education/taking-sharp-family-and-group-portraits/, A Complete Guide To Family Photography: 67 Tips, Ultimate Guide - Family Reunion Photography Tips - Sixth Bloom- Lifestyle, Photography & Family Blog, The Complete Guide To Family Photography Photography Ideas, Shooting Family Portraits Comfort Spring, How to take your own family pictures - That Fit Fam. Err on the side of a narrower (higher f-number) aperture. My question is what metering do you use? Hint: If we had to shoot a wedding with justonecamera andonelens, wed choose the Canon 5D Mark III and the Canon 50mm 1.2. I set it to back button focus, & that made such a world of difference! Set up in a location that allows the group to be a good distance from the background. These are so simple and make sense and yet I have never thought or read them this way Thanks for sharing!

If the sun is hitting your lens directly and you see lens flare (like a haze over the entire image), try to make an adjustment before you start family portraits. We all do it even photographers! I have struggled with this for so long.

The farther apart the subjects are (from front to back), the more difficult it will be to get everyone in focus. Thank you for posting this kind of article. You certainly know how to bring a problem to light and make it important. Excellent for individuals who have been snowed in for days or weeks. Good luck!! Decisiveness is impossible. I have had my DSLR for maybe 4 or 5 years, & only just started learning the manual settings last year. If youre able to get everyone lined up on the same focal plane, thats best. That was a lot of typing! If youve eliminated all user error and had your gear inspected by a professional, and yourestillstruggling with focus, it might be time to upgrade your camera and lens to newer models. Thanks so much! Hopefully the update above clarifies everything! Lightroom 11 Tips For Perfectly Sharp Portraits, In Person Sales For The Professional Photographer. For large groups, it is a great idea to use an even faster shutter speed if you have enough light to do so. How do you get such sharp family and group portraits? Id love to have these designs. If you have a two rows of people standing, make sure to focus on the person whos front and center. If an f/8 aperture is too dark, try getting everyone in a single row. Thanks so much! Thats a different story. Of course, its much easier to fit a group of people on a road than on a piece of ribbon. But the depth of field at f/1.8 is so small that the eyes may be in focus but the nose is not. I have spent most of my time shooting wildlife. We shoot a lot of our family portraits with aCanon 70-200 f/2.8at 70mm with a shutter speed somewhere between 1/200 and 1/400. Dont rely on a three-inch image to judge the sharpness without that zoom button. Newborn portraits are about capturing this beautiful, this to get acquainted with shooting modes, is a third of the way into the focal plane, 1. Ive already added you to my favorites list! I am leaning towards the 16-35 but see many people love the 24-70. With a wide aperture, such as an f/1.8, perhaps a few centimetres of the image are in focus. But as you set up, keep both composition and the distance from the background in mind. For most lenses, its around f/8 f/11. Also giving actual ranges of what f-stop to use for different things. However, with groups, aperture and shutter speed become more important.

The camera will have some distance in front of and behind that point in focus. So big, in fact, that we created an online course to show other people how we do it including how to nail our shots in camera so we dont have to use presets and or spend all day editing. I was asked to shoot a friend wedding . Were so glad this post was helpful! Are these good settings? It was scary as heck. Seems simple To get our photos to look the way we do, thats a big question. Thanks for all the wonderful tips! We chose three popular focal lengths for group photos and measured the depth of field they will give you at different distances from your subjects (ranging from 10 feet to 50 feet). Everything on that imaginary piece of ribbon is in focus, but anything beyond is out of focus. Theres not a huge creative license because theres rarely time for it. Its suhrprising you are not more popular because Time. We're experts at making the complex feel simple and believe education is serious business, but learning should be fun. Finding the right camera settings for group photos can be tricky, especially for beginners (or anyone who is used to photographing one person at a time). Amy stays nearthe group, reads off combinations, poses and positions each person(click here to watch a free posing class with us!) <3. I had no idea why. What wonderful endeavours!

Hope that helps! The farther the group is from that background, whether thats a wall, a studio backdrop or a row of trees at the park, the softer the background will appear. If youd like more information on the Shooting & Editing Course, its available in our online store!

Focusing a group photo doesnt involve any special equipment. I have heard of this tactic about a week ago but never paid attention honestly if I have done this before inadvertently. I have a Nikon 700 and usually use an 85mm 1.4 lens.

If you cant get rid of all of it, you can always have a second shooter or assistant hold something to shade your lens. My camera came with a kit lens, 18mm and Im often not happy with the DOF I get in portraits, so I switched to using my 55-300mm lens (came with the camera) But I find that really cuts down my frame, how far back should I be standing from the couple or group for my speedlite to still properly illuminate them and get that nice tack focus? Which one would you use. ExpertPhotography is part of several affiliate sales networks. Here are our top focus tips for getting sharpfamily and group portraits on a wedding day or during a large group family session. Im only a beginning, but Im already addicted. With the group arranged and the focal point set, use a half press to focus and then a full press to take the image. Wed be lying if we told you that every image we take is tack sharp. I have a presentation that I am presently writhing on, and I have been on the look out for such great information. Were so glad this was helpful! Very well written. The closer you are to the subject, the narrower that focal plane is. Your client probably wont appreciate the difference between f/2.8 and f/4.0, but theywillnotice if theyre blurry! This means so much! Now view the images on a computer screen. A narrow aperture is often essential to maintaining that sharpness. Great question! Use the center focal point on your camera and focus on the person in the front center row (for two rows) or the middle row (if youve got three rows). We just updated Step 6 to address the great question you asked! Of course, you have to balance that distance out with the composition. Also, what is a good flash to purchase? If you try all of these tips and youre still having trouble with sharp focus, it might be time to send your lens or camera in for an inspection at a local camera shop.

The larger the group the more combinations of shots should be taken. If youre shooting a wedding solo, we recommend asking the wedding planner or the least intoxicated, most responsible-looking family member to assist with the shot list. You need the typical gear for group and family photos. Because we have a lot more time with the couple than we do for family photos, for example, where we only get the fire the shutter a few times. Different focal length lenses will perform differently in terms of camera settings for group photos. Keep in mind though that sometimes, depending on the setup, you may not be able to get much background blur. I am sure I will be back in touch. For couples and families of 4, what is your metering mode? I would like to ask you, I love shooting with my 50mm lens at 1.2, is it possible to shoot with this lens for the entire event? Hello- I am shooting a group of 16 this Sunday. Even on a tight timeline, it only takes a few seconds to make sure everyones eyes are open and in focus; if theyre not, it only takes a few more clicks of the shutter to correct it. Thank you! Hi , How do you do to take photos in F 5 and they are clear, do you use presets? How do you determine that? Family and group portraits are a little more utilitarian. []. For group portraits, avoid placing the focus point on someone thats towards the edges of the frame. Read this to get acquainted with shooting modes. May I simply say what a relief to discover someone If you have a larger group and multiple rows of people, then you should experiment by focusing on the front and middle rows. Thank you so much! Were so glad you enjoyed this post! Perfect!) who truly knows what they are talking about on the net. T The sharpest focus comes from the centre focal points. Can I still get a sharp shot using the basic kit lens that came with my Nikon? Wow, this has so much great information. With the 5D Mark III, the focusing system got a major upgrade, so we started toggling way more and still getting sharp focus. I shoot with a Cannon T5i with external Cannon 430EXlll Cannon lens 24 to 105. Thanks for your post! If you have enough light then you should be around f/5.6 for smaller groups and f/8 or smaller for large groups. Amazing tips to make the family potrate. Thank you for sharing. Wedding Aaha Chennai Thank you so much for all of your tips and tricks. Theyre no longer in the focal plane. Especially when kids are involved, the is always a high likelihood. Use Single Point Auto-focus and Find the Right Person to Focus On, 7. Were cheering for you! But we always prefer a longer lens if we have the room, because we think it photographs prettier We hope that helps! Need a refresher on aperture and manual mode? Thats one worthy landscape to have your photos with, atleast for memorys sake Glad you have new ideas to experiment with now. Single. In the last year, my business has completely changed and evolved and I know that it's greatly due to my time 'spent' with the two of you! I rarely shoot a large group, only once a year every December for a local client and her employees (16 people) This will help me with getting as many people in focus as possible. You might not notice it right away, or until you get home, but if lens flare is there, itll be a problem. Direct the Group to an Area Away From the Background, 5. Then, be sure to have an aperture of at least 4.0 for the two rows (if not higher) and 8.0 if you go to three rows. Youre so welcome, Keith! Thanks! When you have some free time, take a series of photos, each at different ISO settings. By separating the subjects from the background, youll get more background blur. Probably! Remember always leave room for error and provide yourself with many possible portraits. Youre so welcome!! So if a few shots of the couple are soft (here and there) in order to get some perfectly crisp ones with the creamy background that f/1.2 f/2.0 gives us, then its worth it. If you shoot us an email at info@amyandjordan.com we can make sure to get your question answered!! Like we teach in our Shooting & Editing Course, the fastest, easiest way to correct problems is IN-CAMERA. , Were so happy to hear these tips were helpful!! Amy & Jordan, professional photographers, wrote a great post on focus tips for group portraits. Now if I can just remember everything. The answer, Ive since learnt, is both a camera focus trick and a lesson in aperture. A few specific focus tips can make all the difference in walking onto a session with confidence. If youhaveto do two lines, one of our best focus tips is to make sure and remind the people in the back rowto get uncomfortably close to the people in front of them. Were high school sweethearts, former elementary school teachers and professional photographers. This is something you should be testing ahead of time so you know exactly how hight you are comfortable pushing your ISO. Great tips. Or try standing farther from the group to drop the aperture while still getting everyone in focus. Were so glad this was helpful! Youre so welcome, Sonia! Required fields are marked *. Its just not worth it. What do you think? Hi, Kendra! However, I still have issues. Thank you so much! In those moments, the doubts that had lingered in the back of our mind for months got louder. Oh, and its at night in a restaurant. There is also going to be great foliage and color in the background. Bump up your ISO one full stop to keep your shutter faster. I had no idea how to pose people. As a rule of thumb, though, we tend to hang out at f/4.0 for most of family portrait time and keep the groupings smaller, because even though we give up some of the bokeh in the background compared to f/2.8, well trade that for guaranteed in-focus family shots any day of the week. Purchase domain name, create pages and more, Decide on photos, prepare them for the web, Easily the most common reason for poor focus and blurry images, Leaving your camera on its default settings will produce soft and blurry results, Post processing wont fix a blurry image from a slow shutter . Weve used all three for large group photos. In other words, if you are using a 50mm lens, then your shutter speed needs to be at least 1/50 of a second or faster. Which one would you use. I am shooting my first wedding and have been reading your pages and practicing. Lastly, the larger the group is, the more combinations they want and the less time there is to work with (which is basically all wedding days! This means that for a sharp group photo, you need a wide focal plane. But capturing everyone together, whether thats a team, a family or colleagues, can preserve group dynamics long after the moment ends. I also chose burst shots because people tend to move. Is there any other lens recommended to take group photos that is not the 70-200mm which i dont owe yet (on my wishlist)? I have a Canon EOS 70D dlsr and need to shoot group photos ranging from 3 ppl to about 12. Thanks so much for any help you can offer! When you have multiple rows of people, most of the time its a good idea to focus on the row in the front.

Ever notice how macro photos tend to have very little in focus? For portraits, always place the point over an eye. Thank you for the tips! While some of the focal plane is in front, more is behind that focal point. Great question! Even for large group family portraits, would you choose a canon 70-200mm lens over a 50 or 24-70mm if so why? New photographers often assume that for a group portrait, a wide aperture is best.

Thanks for the tips! Hi, Tracee!

Hi Amy & Jordan, you guys are great btw, I have a question. That makes us so happy to hear, Victoria! just finished your webinar, watched life hacks and downloaded quick start guide and Im not even getting an income from photography!

Hi, Guys!

In other words, when you focus on someone in the front, you just need them to be in focus, and nothing in front of them, but youdoneed the people behind them to be in focus, so youll have a better chance of doing that if you give them the extra 2/3 of that apertures focal depth. Hi, Bailey! I was so out of my element. Expert Photography 2011-2022. Aperture, like a lot of things in photography, works in a system of thirds. Do you ever change up the focus points? Here are 3 of the 7 steps we uncover in this 21 minute video: Newborn portraiture is a take on portrait photography. Or do you use a variety for different shoots? That was SO HARD for perfectionists like us! If you set up the pose right, you can still get that soft portrait background while getting the group sharply focused. Nice Article, Thanks for sharing Niranjan. Hi Meylyng!! . But sometimes Im photographing a small group and theyre all standing the same distance from the camera. 2. We felt the opposite of professional. You may be able to compensate for that by having more depth of focus. At that point, you have to be very aware of the depth of field you have with your camera settings. Use aperture priority mode or manual mode on your camera. You may think group photos are the same as any normal portrait, just with more people. Your photography is beautiful!! Good day! Hi, Rosalinda! I honestly didnt expect you guys to respond, how cool is that! It has nothing to do with focus though and everything to do with avoiding blinks.

I do bring lights! I wouldve preferred hiring a professional, but its too late for that. Thank you for sharing all this information with us. For groups of three or more, focus on a face thats the closest to one-third of the way through the group.

How can I get them all in focus? The rest is nicely blurred. The 24mm is a great lens! Your information about large groups is great. Every. If theres a third row, well go to at leastf/5.6 and maybe even f/8.0, but we rarely encounter that because most of our clients usually just want immediate family in the photos: parents, siblings, and grandparents. Great tips to remember! Its up to you to figure out at which point the ISO is too high to be acceptable. I dont normally like shooting weddings but out of a friends request I had to give in . Photographing a group requires a wide enough depth of field. Is there any hope of creating a clearer shot?? Online Photography Training! Any advice for shutter speed with flash on the 70-200 for indoor family formal shots? Were professional photographers who help people take better photos! That is because, typically, there is more depth of focus behind the focus point than there is in front.

[] Amy and Jordan, say they tend to hang out around f/4 for group shots and up to f/5.6 or f/8 if they have 3 rows of people. Our article will show you exactly how to get a perfectly sharp group photo. Where else could anyone get that kind of info written in such a perfect way? I have been photographing weddings, large groups, portraits etc. Outside on a bright day (even if youre in the shade), youll never notice the grain from a higher ISO and neither will anyone else but youwillnotice if someones face isnt in focus and so will everyone else. Hi Nandhinie! Dont have two meters of extra space between row one and row two. This will also help when I do my portraits of dogs and their families. People on the ends may come closer to the camera creating a curve instead of a straight line. If youre shooting a candid group photo, remember people may move slightly as they laugh or interact. Aw! with different weather conditions.

Thus, cutting out the distracting elements on the sides. Simple but amazing! Use the zoom key to look at each row to see if everyone is sharp. I am loving it! If you place the focus point on the wrong spot, you loose some of that focal plane to empty space. Moving from f/1.8 to f/8 changes the focal plane from that ribbon to a sidewalk, making it much easier to get a sharp group. Aperture is one of the biggest mistakes in bad group photos. And the back row turned out blurry. The farther away the group members are, the harder it will be to get the entire group in focus. I really love this article. If you send us an email at info@amyandjordan.com we can get them answered for you as soon as possible! Im enjoying your tips!! Hi again, guys! So for some, the center focal point makes sense; for others, using all the different focal points makes sense. Have you been there? What a great postI actually feel like I am starting to understand! But if the aperture is so wide that the eyes are in focus and the nose is not, how can you get a dozen pairs of eyes sharply focused? Obviously after reading your blog Id probably play a lot on the apertures during group shots. Heres a link to a blog post we wrote about our experience with Canon Professional Services. Amy and Jordan have answered our questions quite precisely. The length of 200mm on a group shot of more than 7 people is daunting to me, but seeing what you did I am eager to try it. Family and group portraits? The fastest, easiest way to correct this is with a preset in Photoshop that sharpens everyone thats our of focus. So glad this post was helpful! The first is for shooting at an f/5.6 aperture and the second at an f/8 aperture. While youre learning, check the shot before the group moves. [] is a very important piece when it comes to shooting an event with large group shots. However, sometimes we use the 50mm or 24-70mm if we dont have the space to back up. And look forward to learning more from you both as I begin my venture as a new photographer. Heres how to get all your ducks in a row and get them in focus. . Aw! Were so, so glad to have you. Thats going to be super helpful. Especially on wedding dayswhen were shooting wide open, at lower apertures like f/1.2 f/2.0, with a bride and groom who are moving and thats okay! If you need help with that, click here to see a full list of all the gear thats in our bag. Amy and Jordan, this is awesome!! Thanks for such a fantastic blog. Thanks Amy and Jordan! It runs in a straight, horizontal line in the photograph. Thanks again! The larger the group, the more difficult it is for everyone to be standing still at the same time.

I also have a 70-200 lens and a 50mm. Hi, Design Theory! We hope that these focus tips help you get your large group and family photos in sharp focus every time! But as you shoot, keep in mind that shooting from a bit farther away will help to keep the group in focus. So crisp and light! Hello Amy and Jordan! This was most helpful. At one venue in particular, the ONLY spot has distracting elements all around the periphery of the backdrop we want.

Pro Tip: Alenss sharpest aperture isnt actually its highest number (like f/22). Welcome aboard, friend! ), the more pressure and room for error there is which makes itreallyimportant for the technical part to be second nature to the photographer, so the photographer can focus (pun intended) on giving the clients a fantastic experience. and looks for anything thats out of order. They are the same distance from the camera, still standing on that sidewalk. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We help people take better photos and build successful photography businesses. Thank you for this sweet message, Donna! So far, I have a 50, 85 and 70-200. I am shooting mid day to accommodate. ", "I LOVEEE the Monday Minute and I look forward to it every week! We want to change that for you today!

Or double check that the focal point was placed on a face towards the front third of the group. What are the recommendations for t a group photo, 2 rows, indoor with 1 external flash on camera? Theres nothing wrong with using a few layers to getting everyone in. Thanks in favor of sharing such a good thought, piece of writing is nice, thats why i have Wow, you guys really know how to answer questions in a way we can understand. about my trouble. Someone can be standing a few feet to the left of the first person and still be in focus. Love your work.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge! By clicking the button below, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Haha! I also have a 70-200 lens and a 50mm.

Remember to place the focal point on a face in the front third of the group. . Hi Madeline!! Next, set your cameras aperture to one narrow enough to keep everyone in focus. But keep in mind that you need a proper aperture to get the whole group in focus or else it doesnt matter where you aim the focus point. much needed of advice and assistance on this ! Im now not certain whether this post is written by way of him as nobody else realize such special , Nice post. We also love the 50mm! https://www.weddingaaha.com. the pictures came out good, but not glorious.I will not do another without sufficient training. JUST KIDDING. Photographers mainly control how much of the image is in focus using aperture. At some venues in town, we have VERY limited options for clean backgrounds combined with open shade for family portraits. Im just really beginning this journey, & get pretty afraid when shootingeven for friends!!! Now, its my grandmas big 80th party & I have to do it again. Aw! It was a team photo for a local sports program. The focal point that you use in-camera doesnt start at the front of the focal plane (that ribbon or sidewalk). Love your group shot they are so luminous <3. At this stage in our career, if were not moving and our subjects arent moving, can our hands handle a slower shutter and avoid camera shake?