One of the most common requests we get for corporate photography is for team shots of groups of people. Headshots and team photographs are a regular feature on corporate websites as brands like to demonstrate a human side with images of their team.
Being able to put faces to names helps to make a connection with customers, and many businesses like to show their teams as well as individuals. The approaches for taking photographs of groups of people differ from corporate headshots. Here are our 10 tips for photographing groups of people.
Confidence
Organising a group portrait can be nerve-wracking. Take your time, don’t be rushed, and give clear instructions. Plan ahead so you know how you want to set up the shoot, which will also help you feel more in control on the day.
Choose the right backdrop
What’s in the background is an important consideration for all commercial photography shoots but unlike a flat lay product shot where a plain white background might be required, a commercial photographer shooting groups should consider different backgrounds. The backdrop can really help tell the company’s story and bring the image to life. Choose something relevant to the client’s business, but without distractions.
Stagger the group
Add interest to your photograph immediately by moving people out of a straight line. Arrange a formation that puts your subjects at different distances from the camera or on different levels, some seated, some standing for example.
Elevate the back
For bigger groups – think sports squads or class photos – it’s a good idea to elevate the people at the back. If that’s not possible, take your camera higher. That could mean looking down on the group from a staircase, or from an upstairs window.
Look at faces
Check that you can see everyone’s face. Those at the front are easy to spot though you may find some people are camera-shy and try to hide at the back. If you can’t see everyone, don’t be afraid to move people.
Keep the group close together
Having been asked to take a group shot by a client means they are proud of their staff. Your job as the commercial photographer is to show the group as a unified team. Grouping individuals closely – and often far closer than they would normally stand to one another – is a good way to help create that. Portrait photographers shooting smaller groups might ask people to get as close as they feel comfortable, and then get closer again, and the same theory often works for larger groups, too.
Lighting
Lighting is right up there with expression and composition for key elements to get right. Be strategic with it. Natural light is more flattering so take your shoot outside if possible. Try and position your group so their backs are towards the sun so they do not cast harsh shadows on each other, also try to avoid midday sun if you can; the light at either end of the day is much more flattering.
Use a tripod
Photographing a large group generally calls for more formal posing than for a smaller, more intimate group. Using a tripod allows you to set up the shot and then direct people to get closer together, shift their weight, move their head, and so on, without having to line it all up again when someone moves. There is also the benefit of removing camera shake if slower shutter speeds must be used.
Shoot a sequence of photos
When shooting a large group in particular, getting everyone looking at the camera at the same time, with their eyes open and without some silly expressions, is tough. Taking a few shots in quick succession while your groups hold their pose increases your chances of getting the right image, and also gives you near duplicates in case you need to ‘swap heads’ in post-production.
Have some fun!
Finally, don’t forget to have some fun, and to make it fun for the client’s team. All the preparation and posing is worthless if you can’t get the right expressions on people’s faces because ultimately, it’s expression that makes the difference between a good photograph and an outstanding one.
If you need help photographing groups of people for your business and a Bristol photographer with experience in all types of commercial photography, contact Lindsay Fowke Photography today.
