I have 2, maybe 3, family portrait sessions lined up over the next month or so.... my first ones ever! One will be here, so I can use my "studio" (quotation marks because it isn't really much of a studio!!!), but the second ones will be while I am away on holidays, so in the own home of the people, and outside.....
Does anyone have any hints, tips, things to do, things not to do, suggestions of poses etc etc etc??? Working with small children too, so any hints on that please share!
just go with the flow , dont stress and take ur time . Most families know what they want in their heads so they will help u out with positions etc. And keep an eye out for nautral poses , there the ones i love.
I'm sure you know who will come along ... but one suggestion is clothing ... everyone loves the blue jeans/white shirt combo but avoid it if you can - sucks for lighting ... as well as that, ensure the kids (and adults I guess) don't wear fads - with a bit of luck, Dora the Explorer will no longer exist by the end of 2011 (a girl can dream right) so her face splattered all over the kids' shirts in their family portrait will look out of place ...
rent good studio lights... start with some simple light and umbrella and go from there.. I can rent a 800watt mono light with soft box for about $30 for the weekend... I find they help lots..
Bigger people in the back, put smaller ones in front of them blocking parts of their body.
Whatever is closest to the camera will look largest, even with a long lens.
Whatever is placed STRAIGHT on to the camera will look stumpy and distorted.... like feet and hands and arms. SLIGHT angles are the best.
If you are using a short lens, be sure to keep that in mind when posing and positioning people. The distortion could really be a problem. Put the CENTER of the croup the furthest back and work towards the front on the sides, THINK ARC
Every person should have their own space horizontally and vertically, no lines or totem polls.
If you're using studio lighting, have a good play with it before you shoot. The inverse square law of lighting plays a very big part when shooting groups - I always move the lights as far back as possible to keep the light more even from front to back, but I have some big lights (1000W) so it's easy for me. You'll need to play a bit so you know how much fall-off you have.
Ditto what Koshi said with clothing. I tell clients to get all their clothes out on their bed, as in, everyone's clothes that they're thinking of wearing, all together. They shouldn't all be the same (it looks stupid, imo, when they all wear the same thing), but they should all go together, as though it were one outfit. If one item of clothing looks out of place on the bed, that person will look out of place in the photo.
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Whatever is closest to the camera will look largest, even with a long lens.
Whatever is placed STRAIGHT on to the camera will look stumpy and distorted.... like feet and hands and arms. SLIGHT angles are the best.
If you are using a short lens, be sure to keep that in mind when posing and positioning people. The distortion could really be a problem. Put the CENTER of the croup the furthest back and work towards the front on the sides, THINK ARC
Every person should have their own space horizontally and vertically, no lines or totem polls.
Watch for shadows.
HAVE FUN
Ditto what Koshi said with clothing. I tell clients to get all their clothes out on their bed, as in, everyone's clothes that they're thinking of wearing, all together. They shouldn't all be the same (it looks stupid, imo, when they all wear the same thing), but they should all go together, as though it were one outfit. If one item of clothing looks out of place on the bed, that person will look out of place in the photo.