Posing more formal groups
When I am posing groups there are a few things that I try to
remember.
If you are working with a standard formal group it looks
nicer when it is more in a V shape so I try
to put the tallest people in the middle with the shorter ones to the front and
side of their rows.
Spaces look bigger in the picture than they do when you are
looking at the group so I try to get people close.
People look slimmer and nicer when they are standing slightly
diagonally to the camera, instead of straight on like soldiers (Not everyone,
most people).
When people put their weight on the back leg and bend the
front one slightly they tend to look more comfortable, the whole body settles
better.
I like people to look into the group. In other words when they are standing
diagonally to the camera I like them to face the middle of the group. I don’t like them looking out of the group.
The longer you take to organize the group, the more tense it
will get, you need to work quickly and get to a point where good enough is good
enough. In most situations where you are
taking pictures of groups, each one of those people has better things to do
than stand there with you looking at them.
This is obvious -
make sure that you can see everyone – some people hide purposely because they
do not like to get their picture taken. Remember
they were asked to be in the picture because they are important and they are
special to the other members of the group.
Look quickly for things that are wrong, collars twisted,
hair in faces, people who think they can be seen but they are half hidden, big hair blocking someone, skirt not falling
correctly etc. you will know it when you see it. Remember quick scan, be quick these people
want to leave.
If women or girls are sitting in the front in short skirts
and you are using a flash, the light from the flash might light up under the
skirt so make sure that they are sitting properly. Please be diplomatic, I might say, “put your
hands in your lap (this will push the skirt down or face your knees towards the
middle of the group).
It would be nice if I could tell the group what I wanted and
they would all fall into place nicely but it does not work like that. In general even when you say something like “I
want all of the tallest people to go to the middle”, no one moves, so be
prepared to take a deep breath and very gently and diplomatically push people
around, they seem to want to be guided.
Have fun with it, if you don’t genuinely like working with people,
groups will frustrate you. If you like working
with people, it can be fun.
