A Matter of Snap #3 (December 2008)
Hello everyone, Henriëtte here with this months photo challenge.
Before we go to the challenge part let me first thank you for all your entries and announce the winner of the month November:
That is Heidi (Srappurple) with this warm and beautiful picture!
I love the angle, the quality and the reflection of the flame, just gorgeous.
You can congratulate Heidi here: http://scrapmatters.com/forums/showthread.php?t=991&page=5!
I am ashamed to say but I forgot to announce the winner of the month October in my previous post, I so hope she forgive me for that.
But without further ado the winner of that month is Melanie3boys with this precious picture:
It is such a great shot and I love the story the picture is telling!
And all that with her, as she said herself: “crappy-ole point and shoot” camera !
You can congratulate Melanie here: http://scrapmatters.com/forums/showthread.php?t=691&page=12
Congrats ladies!!
And here is the challenge for the coming month:
With Christmas coming up soon and the family close together it is the perfect time for: group photos!!
I know it isn’t easy to make that perfect picture because there is always someone blinking or looking away. Sometimes there are different moods (some smiling, some serious, some playing up to the camera etc) and even worse someone is not in the picture as a whole person but “chopped “ at the feet or head ! While there will always be such challenges with group photos there are a number of things you can do to help improve your chances of getting the shot you’re after:
1. Prepare
There is nothing that will make of people posing for a photograph turn upon you faster than you not being prepared. People don’t like to be kept waiting so think ahead about some of the following aspects of your photo:
- search for a location of your shot before hand
- Choose a position where your group will fit, where there is enough light for the shot and where there are no distractions in the background
- also avoid setting up a group shot directly in front of a window where the light from your flash might reflect back in a way that destroys your shot
- think ahead about how you will pose people and frame your shot
- make sure your camera is on and has charged batteries
2. Take Multiple Shots
One of the best ways to avoid the problems of not everyone looking just right in a shot is to take multiple photos quickly. If you have this setting on your camera switch it into continuous shooting mode (sport mode) when taking group shots and shoot in short bursts of shots.
Also mix up the framing of your shots a little if you have a zoom lens by taking some shots that are at a wide focal length and some that are more tightly framed.
3. Get in Close
Try to get as close as you can to the group you’re photographing (without cutting some members of it out of course). The closer you can get the more detail you’ll have in their faces – something that really lifts a shot a lot.
If your group is a smaller one get right in close to them and take some head and shoulder shots. One effective technique for this is to get your small group to all lean their heads in close to enable you to get in even closer.
4. Pose the group
In most cases your group will pose itself pretty naturally (we’ve all done it before). Tall people will go to the back, short people to the front. But there are other things you can do to add to the photo’s composition:
If the event is centered around one or two people (like a wedding or a birthday) make them the central focal point by putting them right in the middle of the group (you can add variation to your shots by taking some of everyone looking at the camera and then everyone looking at the person/couple).
Tell everyone to raise their chins a little – they’ll thank you later when they see the shot without any double chins!
5. Think about Light
In order to get enough detail in your subjects you need to have sufficient light. The way you get this varies from situation to situation but consider using a flash if the group is small enough and you are close enough for it to take effect – especially if the main source of light is coming from behind the group.
If it’s a bright sunny day and the sun is low in the sky try not to position it directly behind you or you’ll end up with a collection of squinting faces in your shot.
6. Use a Tripod
There are a number of reasons why using a tripod when taking photographs of groups can be useful. Firstly a tripod communicates that you’re serious about what you’re doing and can help you get their attention (it’s amazing what a professional looking set up can make people do). Secondly it gives you as the photographer more freedom to be involved in the creation of the posing of your subjects. Set your camera up on your tripod so that’s ready to take the shot in terms of framing, settings and focus and then it will be ready at an instant when you get the group looking just right to capture the moment.
12. Smile
Yes YOU should smile ! There’s nothing worse than a grumpy stressed out photographer. Have fun and enjoy the process of getting your shots and you’ll find the group will too, it really does work.
Here are the beautiful picttures from our awesome creative team:
This one is from Britt
And this one from Monsu
Here are mine tries, one is with Sinterklaas and his helpers, the Dutch Santa which is celebrated on December the 5th (the helpers are supposed to get black from the chimneys they put the gifts in; just in case you were wondering why they look so strangly brown/black) and the other one is with our family and a friend of Joris who just happened to be with us when I forced them into a group for a picture !
Hope to see your entries in the gallery and remember; if you scrap your picture you will get an extra point!!
Henriëtte
