Help with large group shot - Scouts

[PaulF]

Hi,

I should be taking a group shot of my lads Scouts this Thursday, it'll include Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. Approx 30-40 kids with an age range from 6 to 14 .

I'll be doing this outdoors at the AGM at around 7pm'ish so the light could be nice or it could be a bit low.

People posed are by no means my speciality, if they were running about it'd be easier as far as I'm concerned.

The shot is intended to be used for next years calendar so I would like to do a good job.

Any advice on how to best approach this would be great.

My available kit:
D7000
18-70 f/3.5-4.5
70-200 f2.8
50mm f/1.4
2* flashguns, SB700 and Nissin Di622.

My thoughts so far, hope to get good warm light, f5 from about 15-20 feet away should give me enough dof and hope the shutter is high enough (don't really want to raise the ISO too much)

If the light isn't up to it would it be a good idea to place the flashes at either side, front on but I think that may not give even light.

What do you reckon?

I was thinking of trying to get them to gather around a large tree or something for a more interesting image.

I need help......

p.s. there will be Scout leaders there to control the kids as that would be asking way too much

 

[Cagey75]

It's possible to get everyone sharp at any aperture, so long as they all fall along the same plane of focus. Long rows, 3 deep max, you could have them all sharp at 2.8 if you really wanted. Probably best to go with f/5 to f/8 to make certain.

At 7pm it's still very bright, it's just after 8 here, and though it's been a cloudy day I can imagine shooting a group shot out there no problem at f/5 without the need for flash. Of course, the clouds would be acting as a nice gigantic diffuser for even light.

if the sun is strong on the evening, you may want to use a couple of off-cam flashes, through brollies perhaps, as fill, with the kid's backs to the harsh sunlight.

 

[PaulF]

Thank you Keith, I think I'll get the kit out in the garden tonight at around 7pm to see how it goes shutter speed wise.

Just have to try to choose a good location on Thursday evening I guess.

 

[Daryl]

Example for you:

30.

18 chairs will do the job if you want a formal look.

1st row seated x9
2nd row standing behind. x10 Put in between people seated
3rd row standing on chairs inbetween the row in front.

Faces in spaces.

Then stick the last two (smallest) either end of row 2 overlapped. (Stand next to chair seated)

boses/managers in centre and if poss build in aheight order it will look very clean and smart.

(Tallest to shortest)

If just a fun one do anything.

If sunny get sun behind the group and put fill flash to the equivalent of ambient light. This will even up any shadow areas to the surrounding scene
i.e: F16 at 125th put F16 worth of flash in to it. Bright sunny.

If cloudy and you shoot F8 at at 125th put about F4 worth of fill flash in. will freshen it up a little.

Take the light reading from where centre person is and do a chest reading facing away with sun behind you.

On any large group i would never go below F8.

it will be fine.

 

[PaulF]

Thanks Daryl, a few things to consider there

As it's for the Scouts they definitely won't be formal do well if they all stay still.

I'll give your suggestions a go tonight when I have a little practice in the garden.

Think I may struggle getting 2 different flash guns to match power 100% but it'll probably be close enough I hope.

Cheers
Paul.

 

[higgeh]

they will be formal if asked too but try and get them to do an informal shot aswell.

Remember they will be uniformed according to group (beavers,cubs,scouts) and i would sit them accordingly. last time i did one of these i had the following

Beavers sat in the front cross legged, then the leaders dead centre with cubs either side, then the scouts standing behind and any explorers on the wings.

Until you get there you wont know how you are going to arrange them but make sure you use the leaders to help.

 

[Phil V]

Beavers sat in the front cross legged, then the leaders dead centre with cubs either side, then the scouts standing behind and any explorers on the wings.
.

That's what I'd do.
First with a formal pose then I'd let them have some fun.

Of course there'll also be issues if your sections aren't similar sizes but you should have flexibility with this, possibly moving leaders about etc.

The age difference lends itself to this approach but there'll always be a tiny scout and a beaver that's taller than the leaders.

 

[PaulF]

they will be formal if asked too but try and get them to do an informal shot aswell.

Remember they will be uniformed according to group (beavers,cubs,scouts) and i would sit them accordingly. last time i did one of these i had the following

Beavers sat in the front cross legged, then the leaders dead centre with cubs either side, then the scouts standing behind and any explorers on the wings.

Until you get there you wont know how you are going to arrange them but make sure you use the leaders to help.

Hi, yeh I think there'll be a kind of formal one then a few more relaxed/mad ones. Whenever we do team shots there's always the straight one then the daft one after.
The leaders will be arranging them, I've already made sure of that
I'm sure there's a massive log knocking around there that could be used

That's what I'd do.
First with a formal pose then I'd let them have some fun.

Of course there'll also be issues if your sections aren't similar sizes but you should have flexibility with this, possibly moving leaders about etc.

The age difference lends itself to this approach but there'll always be a tiny scout and a beaver that's taller than the leaders.

Thanks Phil, they'll be let loose at some point which I will probably find easier to shoot anyway Don't see the Beavers that much, last time was on marching day but if I remember right there's about an equal spread between the sections so that will help I guess.