Lens choice for family groups

A portrait lens works for a group as well as an individual.

When you are taking an individual’s portrait, you should maintain a certain comfortable distance between you and your subject, one that allows you to use a long lens, preferably a medium telephoto lens in the 80 to 130mm focal length range if you are using a 35mm camera, or the focal length equivalent* for a digital camera's lens. A lens in this range is commonly referred to as a portrait lens because of its pleasing results in taking people pictures. (*To learn why the same lens has a different result when used on a digital camera than on a traditional 35mm camera, click here and scroll down to "Crop factor.")

When faced with a large family group, the tendency may be to remain at roughly the same distance from your subjects and use a shorter focal length lens, often a wide-angle variety, to ensure that everyone fits in the frame. The intention is good, but the technique is not ideal.

A wide-angle lens tends to distort, making people look unnatural, particularly those at the edges of the image. When selecting a location for a family group photo, pick a place that will allow you to stand well back from the group and use the same focal length of lens that you would when photographing an individual - a portrait lens. This has a number of advantages, and two pitfalls to be aware of.

ADVANTAGES

By positioning yourself further away from the group, you will not only be able to fit everyone in the frame, but they will also all appear to look natural - i.e. normal perspective with no distortion.

Not only that, but a longer lens tends to compress an image, making persons in the back row look closer to those in front, providing the group with greater cohesiveness.

If you are unable, because of limited space between you and the group, to use a lens with a focal length in the 80 to 130 mm range, then a normal lens (50 to 55 mm) will still do an acceptable job.

And don’t be shy about using a wide-angle lens if you simply have no alternative to getting everyone in the picture. It is better to get the picture than to miss the opportunity altogether.

PITFALLS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM

What are the pitfalls in using a portrait lens or an even longer lens for group photography?

The first pitfall. Your distance from the group may make communication more difficult, especially if you are outdoors and there is ambient noise. You may find yourself shouting to be understood when you ask Aunt Millie to move closer to Uncle Ben, or when you want everyone’s attention when you’re about to release the shutter. The best way around the problem is to move close in to set up the photograph, positioning people from a few feet away, then move back to the camera position to take the portrait.

• When everyone is properly organized, explain that you will be “way over there” and you’ll need everyone’s attention for just a minute or two.
• Be sure to tell them you will be taking more than one exposure, so everyone will need to remain in position until you signal that you’re done.
• Ask everyone to relax, straighten up and look towards the camera. If appropriate, as it usually is, encourage them to smile. Then, move quickly back to your camera position; give the group a quick signal by raising your hand, and take the picture when you feel that everyone is looking their best.
• Be sure to take more than one picture, since the odds are great that someone in the group will have blinked, licked their lips or turned away just as the shutter was released. Five or six exposures would not be out of order, more if you noticed problems when the first exposures were made.
• Take the time to correct any problems. If you are using a digital camera, you can review your pictures to check for irregularities. Keep the group in place, explain what you're correcting, and do it again.

The second pitfall is one of focus. Depth of field is shallower when using a long lens. If your group is organized in two or more rows, you must ensure that your lens aperture will provide you with sufficient depth of field for everyone to be in sharp focus, particularly if the light is dim. In order to use an appropriate small aperture for sufficient depth of field, you may need to use a slow shutter speed, in which case a tripod will ensure optimum sharpness. However, it is often difficult for everyone in a group to remain motionless during a relatively long exposure, even as short as 1/30 or 1/15 sec., so you will be better off to switch to a faster film or a higher sensitivity setting (ISO) in your digital camera that permits you to use a shutter speed that can be hand held. An alternate solution is to employ fill flash to illuminate the group.

Your point of focus, when shooting a group of people who are arranged in rows, should be about one-third of the distance from the nearest to the farthest person.

USE A TRIPOD ANYWAY

Even though you are able to hand hold, using a tripod is still a good idea since it will allow you to properly frame your family group picture while you then stand beside the camera to capture their attention and provide direction while you take the picture.

Be sure you fill the frame, but not so much that people on the sides may be cut off if the group is arranged horizontally.