Family photo - I counted 26 people!

Scott_Quier · January 5, 2007

A friend of mine asked me to shoot a family shot. He warned me in advance that he was talking about a group of about 30 people. I think to myself - OK, this will be a challenge, especially as I didn't really have any idea of what the location was going to be like.

The room had high ceilings. Thankfully, they were white! Since I didn't know what the location was going to be like, I brought all my studio lights (AB800) and ended up setting all of them up. Two shooting mostly up to take advantange of the nice large ceiling for bouncing purposes. Third right behind the camera with a 42" umbrella on it to get some front-lighting/catchlights.

And, this is one that I came away with. I think I'm quite pleased though I should have moved the entire group to camera left just a bit to avoid the white wall on the side of the fireplace. What do you folks think of it?

C&C encouraged/requested

Thanks for stopping by.

Andy · January 5, 2007

Very nice!

Now I see this ALL the time....

The customers don't think in terms of 3:2, they'll want an 8x10 (most of time) or similar 4:5 ratio print. So be SURE you only offer this in 8x12, or 3:2 aspect ratios, and yeah they'll need to find a special frame for it.

http://www.smugmug.com/prints/8x10-prints

kathynmeg · January 5, 2007

Scott,

I really like it! I have shot a couple of groups shots and have a difficult time getting the look I am trying to achieve but you have it down! Not to mention everyone was looking at you!! The is quite an accomplishment with a group that size with the age spans! Nice work!

Swartzy · January 5, 2007

Great job Scott
Those new lights are working well for you.....but I know you've been experimenting like a madman getting it down. Excellent job. No ugly shadows, no ugly blow outs...simply an even modeling with great exposure and focus. Good for you!

Scott_Quier · January 5, 2007

Andy wrote:

Very nice!

Now I see this ALL the time....

The customers don't think in terms of 3:2, they'll want an 8x10 (most of time) or similar 4:5 ratio print. So be SURE you only offer this in 8x12, or 3:2 aspect ratios, and yeah they'll need to find a special frame for it.

http://www.smugmug.com/prints/8x10-prints

Good advice. I didn't think of that. I just e-mailed the friend about that. He's very intelligent and I think he will "get it" without too much problem.

kathynmeg wrote:

Scott,

I really like it! I have shot a couple of groups shots and have a difficult time getting the look I am trying to achieve but you have it down! Not to mention everyone was looking at you!! The is quite an accomplishment with a group that size with the age spans! Nice work!

Thanks for the kind words. Means a lot.

Yeah, everyone is looking at the camera in this one and this image is not photoshoped with eyes etc from some other image!. What you don't see here is the other 8 exposures of this pose. I took that many because I wanted/needed to make sure I got everyone looking in the right direction. To that end, I took time between each exposure to re-acquire everyone's attention. I didn't just continually press the shutter release. I am so proud of myself for that (very) little bit of self control.

Swartzy wrote:

Those new lights are working well for you.....but I know you've been experimenting like a madman getting it down. Excellent job. No ugly shadows, no ugly blow outs...simply an even modeling with great exposure and focus. Good for you!

Not only experimenting, but READING everything I can find on lighting, exposure, posing, etc. I haven't had this much fun since my college days when got a chance to experiment with ... hmmm a story for another time/place!!!

controld · January 5, 2007

I think that baby on the right is trying to exercise some kind of mind control over you... look out in future!

Great shot - btw.

- Mike

digitalpins · January 5, 2007

Very nice job

.... I also did a huge family shot did it as a pano a stiched it together 32 people all together, after all that work lol I realize I was not in the picture so I photoshoped myself in the photo.

again really good job you did great lighting.

Tommyboy · January 5, 2007

controld wrote:

I think that baby on the right is trying to exercise some kind of mind control over you... look out in future!

Great shot - btw.

- Mike

Must. . . . not. . . . look. . . . at baby.

Very successful shot, Scott. Well done.

urbanaries · January 5, 2007

I'm in awe of the sheer amount of obstacles you've overcome here. Not one aspect was easy, huh? The group size, the room depth, the light, the crazy combination of colors they're wearing............Fabulous job. I'm in AWE!!!

saurora · January 5, 2007

Great job, Scott! I commend you for capturing this many people without them closing their eyes!!! Not an easy task!

Scott_Quier · January 5, 2007

urbanaries wrote:

I'm in awe of the sheer amount of obstacles you've overcome here. Not one aspect was easy, huh? The group size, the room depth, the light, the crazy combination of colors they're wearing............Fabulous job. I'm in AWE!!!

I spent a good 10 minutes evaluating the room to figure out how I was going to light the "set" before I brought anything but my cameras into the house (it was chilly outside and I didn't want the glass to get cold and fog when I brought it in).

I KNEW that I didn't want shadows on the faces of those in the back rows (even so, I did have to lighten one face about 1/2 stop) so that meant light HAD to come from above. Once I figured that out, I knew that my little 580EX wasn't going to be up to the challenge. I'm just glad I took the time to load all my lighting gear (included some reflectors that I didn't use) into the car before heading out to the location.

Scott_Quier · January 5, 2007

saurora wrote:

Great job, Scott! I commend you for capturing this many people without them closing their eyes!!! Not an easy task!

Hey Susan,

How you doing?

Thanks for looking and the kind words. Read my first response - I shot this pose 9 times, just to be sure!

Antonio Correia · January 5, 2007

Hi Scott.
Nice work. Well done.

Elaine · January 5, 2007

VERY NICE! You and they should be thrilled with this shot! Well done!

Elaine

Phyxius · January 5, 2007

I count 27

Nice job!!

BeachBill · January 5, 2007

Andy wrote:

only offer this in 8x12, or 3:2 aspect ratios, and yeah they'll need to find a special frame for it.

I thought I was going to have to get custom frames and mats for some 8x12 prints I was giving as Christmas gifts this year. While visiting my local Aaron Brothers store, I was happy to find that they stock, as a standard size, 11x15 frames and 11x15 mats cut for 8x12 prints. Perhaps they've had these all along or maybe they've become popular because many places are now offering 8x12 prints as a standard size. This was my first time framing 8x12s.

Scott_Quier · January 5, 2007

BeachBill wrote:

I thought I was going to have to get custom frames and mats for some 8x12 prints I was giving as Christmas gifts this year. While visiting my local Aaron Brothers store, I was happy to find that they stock, as a standard size, 11x15 frames and 11x15 mats cut for 8x12 prints. Perhaps they've had these all along or maybe they've become popular because many places are now offering 8x12 prints as a standard size. This was my first time framing 8x12s.

That's nice to know. I'll have to visit a number of framing shops and places like Ben Franklins to see if I can find the same stuff. Thanks for the info.

ziggy53 · January 5, 2007

Scott,

Fantastic job with the lighting! I count 6 rows and around 3 1/2 feet difference between the highest and lowest faces. That's no mean feat getting balanced lighting to those extremes!

I do suggest adding a bit more exposure to Mr. Moustache in the back row, but that's all I see to do.

I hope you don't mind, I pulled a closer crop, at the same aspect ratio, to get rid of the wall on the right, and I think it works better. Maybe even consider PSing the remainder of the picture out of the area above the fireplace.

Anyway, you pulled it off big time and they just have to be happy with this result.

ziggy53

DavidS · January 5, 2007

Group shots are tuff. You did a great job.

BeachBill · January 5, 2007

Scott_Quier wrote:

That's nice to know. I'll have to visit a number of framing shops and places like Ben Franklins to see if I can find the same stuff. Thanks for the info.

Oops! Just checking at home and I found out the frame/mat are 12x16 not 11x15 as I previously stated. The mat opening however is still 8x12. Hope I didn't lead anyone astray.

binghott · January 6, 2007

scott, i'm very impressed with your ability to evenly light every single face.

i wish i could say more, but i could not have done this close to as good as you have.

Nikolai · January 6, 2007

Scott,
It's a great shot, esp. considering the "new" place and the sheer number of people.

I agree that the white wall on the right creates a little distraction, and I think that Ziggy's crop makes a next to perfect solution for that.

From a total nitpicking point of view: the big picture above the fireplace is partially blown out. May be you have a different shot of it with a lesser amount of reflection

What were your settings, if you don't mind my asking?

Scott_Quier · January 6, 2007

Nikolai wrote:

It's a great shot, esp. considering the "new" place and the sheer number of people.

I agree that the white wall on the right creates a little distraction, and I think that Ziggy's crop makes a next to perfect solution for that.

From a total nitpicking point of view: the big picture above the fireplace is partially blown out. May be you have a different shot of it with a lesser amount of reflection

What were your settings, if you don't mind my asking?

Nik,

You're right about the picture. I don't have another exposure with this done better. Oh well.

exif is here

To paraphrase: f/8.0, 18mm on my 17-55, 1/60 (to try to get some of the Christmas tree lights to show, worked on some shots not so well on this one.).

Scott_Quier · January 6, 2007

ziggy53 wrote:

Scott,

Fantastic job with the lighting! I count 6 rows and around 3 1/2 feet difference between the highest and lowest faces. That's no mean feat getting balanced lighting to those extremes!

I do suggest adding a bit more exposure to Mr. Moustache in the back row, but that's all I see to do.

I hope you don't mind, I pulled a closer crop, at the same aspect ratio, to get rid of the wall on the right, and I think it works better. Maybe even consider PSing the remainder of the picture out of the area above the fireplace.

Anyway, you pulled it off big time and they just have to be happy with this result.

ziggy53

I don't mind the re-work. I like what you did. If I didn't think the clients would mount this in a matted frame, I would have done the same. I left a little more room for "mounting slop." Did I error in this?

Mr. Moustache in the back row was the one person that I have already lightened. A little dodge brush goes a long way, too much is too much and any more proved to be too much; I started getting some image degradation so I had to dial it back a bit.

ziggy53 · January 6, 2007

Scott_Quier wrote:

... If I didn't think the clients would mount this in a matted frame, I would have done the same. I left a little more room for "mounting slop." Did I error in this?

Mr. Moustache in the back row was the one person that I have already lightened. A little dodge brush goes a long way, too much is too much and any more proved to be too much; I started getting some image degradation so I had to dial it back a bit.

Scott,

No error at all. I did leave the same left margin but shrank the right margin and top and bottom slightly. If the person doing the matting needs extra, I request a "bordered" print. It all depends on how they mount and matte the print.

With "Mr. Moustache" I suggest you use the "polygonal lasso tool" to select just the face mask and neck, and then use "Curves" to bring the face closer to the other faces. After you work your magic, you may need to do a little blending, but probably not much. I think you will find you get much nicer results than using the dodge tool.

Still really nice work, and I am just picking nit.

ziggy53

Scott_Quier · January 6, 2007

ziggy53 wrote:

Scott,

No error at all. I did leave the same left margin but shrank the right margin and top and bottom slightly. If the person doing the matting needs extra, I request a "bordered" print. It all depends on how they mount and matte the print.

With "Mr. Moustache" I suggest you use the "polygonal lasso tool" to select just the face mask and neck, and then use "Curves" to bring the face closer to the other faces. After you work your magic, you may need to do a little blending, but probably not much. I think you will find you get much nicer results than using the dodge tool.

Still really nice work, and I am just picking nit.

ziggy53

Thanks for the information. I can well use all the tips & tricks I can get!

Family photo - I counted 26 people!

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