formal/family groupings thread

2»

Comments

  • arpboyarpboy Registered Users Posts: 42 Big grins
    edited August 1, 2009
    Marine wedding
    TNFlyBoy wrote:
    cj99si

    I love these shots, I'm going to be shooting my first wedding soon and I love how you composed the group shots especially 7, 9, 10, and 14. Thanks for posting, they give me some great ideas about what can be done other than the typical "tall in the back, short in the front" stuffy posed look! :)

    Guys, great ideas, all of them. I'm about to shoot a marine wedding - half the groomsmen in dress uniform. How do you work with that without it feeling stuffy? They're not going to do the coat-over-the-shoulder look or anything else like that -- it would be disrespecting the uniform. Any other ideas?

    -Richard
  • leebaseleebase Registered Users Posts: 630 Major grins
    edited August 1, 2009
    Great topic. Hate that "pee pee" line of men you have. Pockets or just hanging down their side is much better than a row of men with their hands over their crotch.

    190048152_rxjvy-L.jpg

    I know, this shot isn't fair as it's not a "formal" - but I gotta challenge the notion that you even need an all men "formal" shot at the church.

    190047832_frp9Q-L.jpg

    190047714_kxLmq-L.jpg

    This is at "the church" -- but is more interesting that just standing in a line.

    298219201_92o6e-L.jpg

    Ok....here is "men in a line". It's better than the pee-pee pose. It's still nothing any of them will want to see again or order.

    298237580_35vsj-L.jpg

    The old "get them walking toward ya" -- I know, this can't be done at the church, but I'm sayin "don't bother getting men in a line at the church".

    Lee
  • leebaseleebase Registered Users Posts: 630 Major grins
    edited August 1, 2009
    Swartzy wrote:

    281539470_uom29-XL.jpg

    Now that's a well done "men in a line" photo -- cuz they aren't exactly in a line.

    Lee
  • leebaseleebase Registered Users Posts: 630 Major grins
    edited August 1, 2009
    Nice work. Notice how the men aren't in a line -- good posing.

    Lee
    Here are just a few of my favorites!
    I like to put Best Man next to Groom in most shots. Sometimes I will do it by height. I try to vary each pose as far as the hands go, maybe start hand over wrist, hands by side, hands in pocket etc... It's a fast transition to have them move just there hands anyways. I find a lot of times the guys are actually not to afraid to be touchy feeley with each and that makes for some great laid back shots. I usually just see how they interact with each other and go from there. It definitely depends on the people, I have been fortunate and mostly shot weddings for really laid back couples.

    #1
    304584584_cppQk-M.jpg

    #2
    304577129_7AdYE-M.jpg

    #3
    213770197_T9RzS-M-1.jpg

    #4
    304771995_TD7aF-M.jpg

    #5
    213606596_vPm82-M-1.jpg

    #6-Terrible lighting in this shot I know and I hate the chair on the left of the picture, but love the guys pose.
    213677649_er5Hm-M-1.jpg
  • AgnieszkaAgnieszka Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 3,263 Major grins
    edited August 1, 2009
    The pyramid didn't last long, ... it was a fun crowd! rolleyes1.gif

    (sorry for the 2 pic combo ... was a pic I used on my blog ..., so ignore the one on the right)
    591259969_WoWh9-L-1.jpg
  • Jeff_MiloJeff_Milo Registered Users Posts: 327 Major grins
    edited August 1, 2009
    this is a great thread, surprised I missed it for do long. With the exception of the family shots (I want to get them over with as fast as possible) I like to stay away from the normal straight lined shots when I do the groups.

    Here are a few of my favorites

    Family

    598755009_6i2mm-L-1.jpg

    The Guys

    402676823_yU6PC-L-4.jpg

    222255513_yvpQb-L-4.jpg

    The Girls

    598798377_YsjFe-L-1.jpg

    Bridal Party

    601360998_r3ABU-L.jpg
    Jeff Milo
    MILOStudios


    www.milophotostudios.com
  • sweet carolinesweet caroline Registered Users Posts: 1,589 Major grins
    edited August 1, 2009
    Agnieszka wrote:
    The pyramid didn't last long, ... it was a fun crowd! rolleyes1.gif

    (sorry for the 2 pic combo ... was a pic I used on my blog ..., so ignore the one on the right)
    591259969_WoWh9-L-1.jpg

    How many groomsmen were there?! I love the pyramid- very creative.
  • picturegirlpicturegirl Registered Users Posts: 245 Major grins
    edited August 4, 2009
    leebase wrote:
    Nice work. Notice how the men aren't in a line -- good posing.

    Lee

    Thank you very much :D
  • ShimaShima Registered Users Posts: 2,547 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2009
    I don't often get formal photos that I just love, but this one was different. We were at a war memorial in Munster, IN, and in PP I grunged the photo up a bunch for the perfect look, and just love how this came out:

    693599046_GcgQK-L.jpg
  • MishkaMishka Registered Users Posts: 236 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2009
    I love that set up Shima...but it looks like it's slanted ever so slightly to the left... I think that happens when you use a really wide angle. The roof looks straight, but the ground doesn't.
  • KinkajouKinkajou Registered Users Posts: 1,240 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2009
    Oh yeah, thanks for bringing this up again. I had such a hard time getting ideas for the guys on the spot... the girls at the wedding were just great and I had plenty of ideas, but the guys were much less adventurous and creative. I didn't have any idea what to do when it came to the shot with the bride and the guys.

    Here's a few:

    1. I also have one of them just smiling, but this was too funny:
    681330503_TXmQ9-L.jpg

    2. An old standard:
    681323178_waLWn-L.jpg

    3. Variation on "dudes in a line" (Yeah, I know - fig leaves and I cut off feet - first wedding, won't happen again ;) )
    681269716_MRspw-L.jpg

    4. She suggested that they blow her a kiss... which was really cute except I kinda missed the shot because it was so quick and spontaneous, and I had the 70-200 and was just too close and in the wrong spot to get it all in.
    681304261_QsNmN-L.jpg

    5. I don't even know how this happened - the girls just started dancing around the groom and I said "Nick! You have six women dancing on you!" and he looked up at me and smiled. What a cutie.
    681279268_Ug9ES-L.jpg
    Webpage

    Spread the love! Go comment on something!
  • metmet Registered Users Posts: 405 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2009
    One thing about formals that I don't like is that while you have all the components there, you lose some of the emotion and joy of the occasion because everyone seems so stiff from being posed. And large wedding partys can be difficult. I'm by no means a wedding photographer, but I shot my friend's wedding as a favor and here are few that we tried. I moved people around a bit as far as positioning in the frame, but tried not to give them much direction about where exactly to place their hands, etc but just how they felt most comfortable.


    1.
    656764696_NVRmF-L.jpg


    2. Just messing around. The lighting is terrible and there is a lot technically wrong with this photo, but I really like the fun in it.

    659002287_Z5waw-L.jpg
  • ShimaShima Registered Users Posts: 2,547 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2009
    Mishka wrote:
    I love that set up Shima...but it looks like it's slanted ever so slightly to the left... I think that happens when you use a really wide angle. The roof looks straight, but the ground doesn't.

    I shot the photo with the 35L, so I don't think the lens is distorting it. Not sure what is at fault for the top being straight and the ground not, most bizarre!
  • bmoreshooterbmoreshooter Registered Users Posts: 210 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2009
    The first thing that strikes me is that there is a lot of wasted space around your groups. I would recommend tightening up a little on the cropping. Look at the samples posted I think you'll see what I mean. Also don't bunch them up too tightly. Spread your groupls to fill the format the best.
  • bmoreshooterbmoreshooter Registered Users Posts: 210 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2009
    This shot was taken with one flash on camera bracket, w/barebulb diffuser. Camera exposure set to background and flash set for fill. Color is a little off because I copied the file from my laptop.

    458946099_iQxjo-S.jpg
  • urbanariesurbanaries Registered Users Posts: 2,690 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2009
    The first thing that strikes me is that there is a lot of wasted space around your groups. I would recommend tightening up a little on the cropping.

    I used to crop groupings tight, too, until I had that first mother in law that was aghast to find she couldn't order an 8x10 without losing the people on the ends mwink.gifdeal
    Canon 5D MkI
    50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, 24-70 2.8L, 35mm 1.4L, 135mm f2L
    ST-E2 Transmitter + (3) 580 EXII + radio poppers
  • ShudderzShudderz Registered Users Posts: 346 Major grins
    edited November 4, 2009
    oops......
    Kinkajou wrote:
    2. An old standard:
    681323178_waLWn-L.jpg


    The old standard is great and all......until the ladies DROP the groomeek7.gif .......rolleyes1.gif
    702955778_vhxHc-L.jpg
    Heather
    www.heatherdunnphotography.com
    My Blog My Facebook Page
    GIVING BACK - How will you give?
    "I look at life outside of the lens and capture the world through it." -Thomas Robinson
  • Scott_QuierScott_Quier Registered Users Posts: 6,524 Major grins
    edited November 4, 2009
    urbanaries wrote:
    I used to crop groupings tight, too, until I had that first mother in law that was aghast to find she couldn't order an 8x10 without losing the people on the ends mwink.gifdeal
    And framing and mounting have got to be a consideration as well.
  • bmoreshooterbmoreshooter Registered Users Posts: 210 Major grins
    edited November 4, 2009
    Haveing been around for awhile I automatically crop everything to 4x5, 8x10. I don't see things in 4x6. I really miss my old 6x4.5 When I send out wedding files everything is already cropped to 4x5 that way I don't have any explaining to do later. But, even if those samples were made for 4x6 there was still a lot of excess space. This was the most significant reason for me to buy the D700 with full frame sensor. More accuracy in framing and cropping. Why throw away 1/3 of the pixels you paid so much for?
  • BuddyLeeBuddyLee Registered Users Posts: 71 Big grins
    edited November 10, 2009
    Shima wrote:
    I don't often get formal photos that I just love, but this one was different. We were at a war memorial in Munster, IN, and in PP I grunged the photo up a bunch for the perfect look, and just love how this came out:

    693599046_GcgQK-L.jpg

    Nice use of location! This might be one of my favorite group shots ever. The bride and groom looking at each other. The somberness (word?) of the other facial expressions brings the location out that much more. The little guy up front looks like he is really ready to protect everyone if needed. Nice effect, all of it. Great that you had a willing party for this shot. I see the ground slope being different from the roof, but my first thought is the age of the memorial. It looks like the ground/floor are sloped and you have a level roof.

    Edit: this may sound a little goofy, but the symbolic nature of this photo is pretty cool. Like they are saying, we won't let this war stop us from living!
  • sharagim1sharagim1 Registered Users Posts: 69 Big grins
    edited June 21, 2010
    Men's hands - if they aren't doing something with their hands, hid one of them. The "fig leave position" is something I strive to eliminate but am not always successful.

    Hands in pockets - sometimes, but only one. If the hand is in the pocket, the jacket is open and tucked behind the arm. Or, the jacket is over the other shoulder.

    Lighting the indoor portraits - I try to use a pair of Sunpak 622 strobes behind shoot through umbrellas. Don't always get the time, but I try - they just look so much better when I can....

    Anyway, here are a few that I kinda like

    1. I'm not saying this is the way it should be done, but it is different :D
    347669245_hcVid-L.jpg

    2. A little different and a little humor injected into the photo
    347685757_o6ss5-L.jpg

    3. That's the best man on the left, the groom in the center.
    238077724_MvroZ-L.jpg

    And, here are a few that I don't really like....

    4. This is what the groom (center guy) wanted and I couldn't talk him out of it, so ....
    238072980_iiPtK-L.jpg

    5.
    176303420_WW2Z3-L.jpg

    6. This one is so symetrical that it's static - no dynamics or tension at all
    176302225_MVNJt-L.jpg

    As for portraying the relationship between men - sometimes they are more into it than others. I just push a little and if I get pushback, well, "it is what it is". But I try to get guys to show how they feel about each other - cause the photos is so much better when the guys are relaxed about it. Sometims works, sometimes it doesn't.

    7. This has got to be one of the worst ones ever - father and son (groom). Look at all the space between them
    176301797_uxfxL-L.jpg

    8. On the other hand, you can get a group like this ... (granted not so formal...). These kids, all of them, grew up together. The MoB and FoB where surrogate parents to this whole group - the kids spent more time with the bride's home than they did at their own.

    i just need on which camera and lens did you shoot it these images?
    canon EOS 7D /canon 5d mark ll/ EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM/EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM/ canon lens 85mm 1.8
  • yupmanyupman Registered Users Posts: 64 Big grins
    edited December 31, 2010
    This was an interesting thread even if it was two years ago. I liked it

    Thank you
Sign In or Register to comment.