Scottish Bagpipers
As a photographer, probably the hardest thing for me is the “group shot”. I always approach these kinds of pictures very methodically, hoping they don’t look like soldiers lined up. The key to a great group shot is COMPOSITION. You must pose your group in a way that looks visually interesting. Otherwise, it’s going to look like anybody just lined up a group of people. Obviously, the more people, the tougher. My suggestion is to start slowly, one person at a time. As the group starts to take shape, look at the weak spots in the photograph, and move people. Yes, move people as many times until it looks right. This can be very taxing on your group. It’s sometimes helps if you explain the timetable to the group before you start. Then they won’t be so irritated when you start finalizing your pose. I was honored to photograph a group of bagpipers last summer. We found a great location in the center of the woods. Perfect…..right? WRONG! As we started posing, I forgot about the mosquitos. My poor group was so cooperative. That’s not always the case. You must be prepared, even for bugs!. This kind of situation is really the difference between a pro and an amateur. You must be able to get this kind of shot, and have it look interesting….under any circumstance. Lastly, make sure you have everyone’s undivided attention before you start shooting. Many in the group will be emotionally tired, waiting for you to get it “just right”. These group shots will always challenge me. I’m always striving for the perfect compostition. I’ve always said, it’s takes 30 minutes to pose a group picture, and 5 minutes to shoot it.
