Photography Tips and Tricks

Group photos are a challenge, and the more people you have in the group, the more of a challenge it is. Here is how to arrange your group so that its composition is pleasing in the finished photo.

Angles

Taking group photos that look nice has a lot to do with how you angle the people in relation to each other. Take a look at the example diagram, below.

As you can see, the positions are all angular. The groups in the example are placed in an inverted triangle, a diamond, and an upright triangle. These positions bring balance and symmetry to the photo, helping the eye make sense of the jumble of subjects.

To achieve these angles, you will need to have taller people sit with the shorter people in the back. Children and babies can be placed in the sitting adult’s laps, if needed.

Large Groups

Larger groups still work on the angle idea, but sometimes it is hard to get a triangle or diamond shape out of a herd of twenty people. In this case it is best to use the ‘X’ approach. Take a look at the example, below.

The group has been arranged so that the heads of the people form an ‘X’ pattern over and over again.

This is done by having the tallest people stand in the back in a straight line. The next line of people’s heads should be in-between the two heads in the back row. The front row should be the shortest people (or they could be sitting) and they should be lined up so that their heads are parallel with the back row. Babies or small children can be added to the laps of the adults in the front row easily, without ruining the symmetry of the group.

Remember angles and ‘X’s the next time you are at a group function and you pictures will turn out great!

Using high-key and low-key lighting in your photographs can add drama to shots. The trick is knowing how to use high-key and when to go with low-key lighting.

What is High and Low-Key Lighting?

High-key lighting is using light to add an overall, low contrast look to a photo. Most people identify a high-key image with having a lot of white areas and a brighter look than “normal” photos. They also contain very little or no shadows. High-key images are usually considered happy, upbeat, commercial images.

This photo is an example a high-key image.

Its opposite, low-contrast, is created by very direct lighting to add just a little light to an otherwise dark image. While in high-key photos the dominant color is white, the dominant color in low-key images is black or grey.

Low-key images are considered moody, thoughtful, and dramatic images.

Here is an example of a low-key image.

It is important to remember that you can use natural lighting in high-key and low-key photos, as shown in the examples.

How to Create High-Key Images

To create a high-key photograph, first, place your subject in front of a white background. Make sure the subject is far enough away from the background as to not create a shadow on the background.

Next, set your camera to overexpose by 2 stops with a low lighting ratio around 2:1. Your lighting should be aimed at your backdrop to keep your subject out of shadow. Use a fill flash to eliminate the rest of the shadows.

How to Create Low-Key Images

To create low-key images, place your subject in front of a dark background with very dark lighting. The clothing and props tend to be dark, as well.

Think of silhouette portraits when you are setting up for low key shoots. Light your subject from one side to create a deep contrast of light and dark. Experiment with your fill flash to see if you like the results. You may do fine without the fill flash using ISO settings. In general, you can use a higher lighting ratio around 3:1.