Group Photo taking


Status
Not open for further replies.

HELLOSTEVEN

New Member
Mar 1, 2008
433
0
0
Hi all,

Thinking to get the Tokina 11-16mm lens.. As I know that this is a very good/sharp lens.


Setting is SB 900, F5.6, 1/60 & ISO 200~400or 800, shooting indoor (meeting room, hall).


Q1: Can I use this lens for group photo (about 13 persons in 3 rows).

Q2: Any distortions and what is the best mm to shoot?

Thanks..
 

You can use any lens to take a group photo provided that you have the space to move back.

If the hall is big enough, I would suggest moving back and zooming in to reduce the distortion...

Is f/5.6 small enough for 3 rows..? I would personally stop down to f/8...
 

i dont own that lens. But what i always heard is...avoid using ultra wide angle lens especially for group photos since the 1 standing at the sides will be distorted.
hmm maybe more experienced user can comment on this. And i wont use 5.6 for group.. ill stop down to ya 8 or 11 should be better.
 

Q1) Any lens can be used to take this kind of shot...(300mm also can :bsmilie:)

Q2) If you have the option of moving back a few steps, I would like to use 30~35mm (assuming crop body, aprox 50 on FF). This focal length should gives you the least distortion... Using focal length of 10-1X will normally result in some distortion and it will be much more visible towards the sides (and the result will be either a thin guy turn plum or some weird "looks").
 

Hi all,

Thinking to get the Tokina 11-16mm lens.. As I know that this is a very good/sharp lens.


Setting is SB 900, F5.6, 1/60 & ISO 200~400or 800, shooting indoor (meeting room, hall).


Q1: Can I use this lens for group photo (about 13 persons in 3 rows).

Q2: Any distortions and what is the best mm to shoot?

Thanks..

Frankly, 13 people in three rows is not that massively large group (around 4 to 5 person per row). Don't need a UWA for this type of shot. Heck... even a kit lens is more than enough. And yes, I would not use f5.6 but like what other had said, step up your aperture so that everyone will be sharp. Stand back a bit when shooting and make full use of your flash... be sure to use the diffuser so that the flash will not be that harsh.
 

13 persons you don't need 3 rows deep, two is good enough,
I would use longest focal length setting available, as long I have the space to move backwards
 

F5.6-6.3 is just enough depth of focus to get everyone in focus especially shooting with a 11-16.
F8 will be unnecessary. Shoot at 16mm.
11mm is too wide and will cause your friends to have their faces stretched due to the rectilinear distortion of the UWA lens if you choose to place them near the corner of the frame.
 

Last edited:
Oh and one neat trick I heard from someone to prevent someone inevitably blinking is to say:

"OK to make sure that no one blinks, please do this: everyone close your eyes and when I count to 3 please open, smile and look at the camera."

Then after everyone closed their eyes, you count 1, 2, 3 - then snap after they have all opened their eyes and smile :)

Unfortunately, don't work on kids.
 

Oh and one neat trick I heard from someone to prevent someone inevitably blinking is to say:

"OK to make sure that no one blinks, please do this: everyone close your eyes and when I count to 3 please open, smile and look at the camera."

Then after everyone closed their eyes, you count 1, 2, 3 - then snap after they have all opened their eyes and smile :)

Unfortunately, don't work on kids.

For kids... you need to have some candy on hand and ask them to stare at the candy :)
 

You can use any lens to take a group photo provided that you have the space to move back.

If the hall is big enough, I would suggest moving back and zooming in to reduce the distortion...

Is f/5.6 small enough for 3 rows..? I would personally stop down to f/8...

Ok, as for my hall I'll move back but however our meeting room are small and I might not able to move back.. :-(

Therefore, think to get 11-16 to shoot...
 

i dont own that lens. But what i always heard is...avoid using ultra wide angle lens especially for group photos since the 1 standing at the sides will be distorted.
hmm maybe more experienced user can comment on this. And i wont use 5.6 for group.. ill stop down to ya 8 or 11 should be better.

F8 or F10... will take note.. thanks.. :)
 

13 persons you don't need 3 rows deep, two is good enough,
I would use longest focal length setting available, as long I have the space to move backwards

ok, noted. thanks. :)


F5.6-6.3 is just enough depth of focus to get everyone in focus especially shooting with a 11-16.
F8 will be unnecessary. Shoot at 16mm.
11mm is too wide and will cause your friends to have their faces stretched due to the rectilinear distortion of the UWA lens if you choose to place them near the corner of the frame.

So if I shoot at 15 or 16mm using F8... any distortion? :)


Oh and one neat trick I heard from someone to prevent someone inevitably blinking is to say:

"OK to make sure that no one blinks, please do this: everyone close your eyes and when I count to 3 please open, smile and look at the camera."

Then after everyone closed their eyes, you count 1, 2, 3 - then snap after they have all opened their eyes and smile :)

Unfortunately, don't work on kids.

For kids... you need to have some candy on hand and ask them to stare at the candy :)

ha ha ...something new.... noted. Thanks. :-0
 

Ok, as for my hall I'll move back but however our meeting room are small and I might not able to move back.. :-(

Therefore, think to get 11-16 to shoot...

I doubt many people would recommend this... but if you really got no space and so you need to use the 11-16.. try to keep the group in the center of the frame... and crop out the sides if you need to...
 

Personally, I use a little of the hyper focusing theory to achieve max sharpness on all person's face. In a 3 tier situation, use a wide angle focal length (about 24mm to 28mm on FX or 17mm to 20mm on DX) use F/5.6, focus a little behind the most front row people, which is some what about 1/3 into the depth of their entire group of people then takes the shot. If there's sufficient light, you can choose to going down to F/8 to ensure enough depth, but your background might be a bit too focus if you didn't want it in.
 

I doubt many people would recommend this... but if you really got no space and so you need to use the 11-16.. try to keep the group in the center of the frame... and crop out the sides if you need to...

Rectilinear distortion will still be present at 16mm but not as much as 11mm. Also, a higher f-stop will not resolve any distortions.

Personally, I use a little of the hyper focusing theory to achieve max sharpness on all person's face. In a 3 tier situation, use a wide angle focal length (about 24mm to 28mm on FX or 17mm to 20mm on DX) use F/5.6, focus a little behind the most front row people, which is some what about 1/3 into the depth of their entire group of people then takes the shot. If there's sufficient light, you can choose to going down to F/8 to ensure enough depth, but your background might be a bit too focus if you didn't want it in.

Noted and Thanks to all for the input... :)
 

Status
Not open for further replies.