Cheese

Oh boy. Group shots. The real challenge. Trying to get several people to look good, or at least look at the camera simultaneously. Group shots are tough. Just remember how important they are. There's nothing more important in your photo album that those photographs of your family or friends all standing in line, saying, "Cheese!"

I would guess that group shots account for 90% of the bad photography produced on the planet Earth. And that's such a shame because photos of families, friends, your bowling team— these are important images that you will all treasure for years to come. They chart the growth of a family, the shared moments between friends, and the smiles on faces of the bowling league champions. They are important. So here are a few suggestions for taking better group shots.

Organize The Group

There's no secret to arranging a group of people for a photo. One row, two rows, standing, sitting; the options are endless. But keep your group relaxed. Don't force anyone to do anything they aren't comfortable with. For example, some people will insist on being the back row where they can hide behind the people in front of them.

I usually let a group figure out a lot of their initial arrangement on their own. Like a school of fish, they will come together instinctively. Then once they're settled I'll move in and make adjustments. Make sure everyone is close together. Close is best.

And it goes without saying: Short in front. Tall in back.

Move Away From The Wall

For some reason, it's instinctive for people to line up right against a wall. If there is room, keep them away from the wall. This isn't a firing squad! Ask everyone to take a few steps forward. This will help your group be the focus of your photograph, rather wall behind them. And if you're using flash, this will reduce any shadows on the wall.

See The Faces

The whole point of any group shot is to show the people in the group. You want to be sure that you can see everyone's face clearly. I know, there's always a crazy uncle in the back row, hiding behind the person in front of them. For history's sake, coax them out.

Make sure you can see each face, from forehead to chin.

Get Close

Factoring in the importance of the background, you want to fill the frame with your group. If you're too far away you'll lose detail in your subjects' faces.

But Don't Get Too Close

There's a real tendency to use a wide angle lens to photograph large groups. Fight it. If you have room, back up and shoot with a longer lens. When you use a wide angle lens for a group shot, anyone standing on the sides of the photograph will look like they gained fifty pounds. Making people look heavier is not a good selling point for a photographer.

If you're using a flash, keep in mind when moving back that your flash will need more power to illuminate the scene, especially in fill flash situations.

Get Their Attention

Once everyone is in place it's important that you have the group's attention. Make sure that everyone is listening to your instructions. If you have to be forceful, so be it.