COVER FEATURE BETTER PORTRAITS

Better portraits
Taking photographs of couples and groups is more challenging than working with individuals, says Steve Bavister. But follow our advice and youll get great shots, every time!
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ne of the most challenging areas of portraiture is photographing couples and groups because theres so much more to think about and attend to than with individuals. Each person needs to be posed well, lit clearly and looking at the camera, plus the group needs to work compositionally. It can be a tall order, especially with larger gatherings and when there are children and babies, who are prone to having a sulk or crying at a moments notice. But with a little know-how its easy to get the kind of results youre after. Unless theres a particular occasion coming up that you absolutely must photograph, such as a wedding or christening, the best way to get started is by practising

with groups that are small and manageable, and setting your sights higher as your experience and ability grow. With two, three or four people, for instance, you dont have that much more to attend to, but a lot more options about how you arrange them. So why not ask some members of your family or a few friends if theyd mind helping you improve your posing skills? A few minutes spent trying out different compositions will pay dividends when you need to do it for real. If youre stuck for ideas about where to start, you can find inspiration on the following pages. And if you keep your eyes for images of groups that really seem to work, you can build up a mental scrap book of arrangements and poses that you can draw upon.

Success in posing couples and groups is, to a large extent, a matter of where you position the heads, as they will almost always be the focal points in the picture. It goes without saying that you dont want anyone obscuring the person behind, or casting a shadow on them so theres quite a lot to juggle. As a result you can end up with people scattered across the frame without any discernible arrangement, and a picture that looks a complete mess. Whatever you shoot whether youre photographing your family or friends; shooting indoors or outside; using flash or daylight; taking a candid or posed approach keep in mind the need to produce a composition thats visually pleasing.

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How to shoot

Family photos
Most of the pictures that people take are of their immediate family
This pose makes a refreshing change from bog-standard family portraits! Focusing on the second person in from the left adds to the sense of depth in the image

Here, the focus of the image is on the faces and joined hands of three different generations of the same family, framed by the tree

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hile an individual portrait can be interesting, its family shots of people together that are often the most appealing photographs, particularly if you can gather together three generations of child, parent and grandparent. The most obvious way to pose three people is to have them standing in a row. But make sure everybody is touching shoulder-to-shoulder and smiling. This has to be done well, otherwise it can look a little static and like a firing squad! Theres often a variation in the height of people, and its a good idea to place the tallest person in the middle of a family portrait, creating a triangle effect. Asking them to stand behind, so theyre looking through the shoulders of the other two can enhance this composition further. If the height differential isnt enough, see if you can find something for the person at the back to stand on, perhaps a couple of books or magazines. The aim should be to prevent all of the eyes from being at the same height, and to create more of a sense of depth by having some individuals in front of, or behind, the others. Unless youre taking pictures where theres a lot of light, enabling you to set a small aperture of f/11 or f/16, you need to keep everyone roughly the same distance from the camera, in order to keep them all in

focus. You have more latitude when youre using a wideangle lens and the group is farther away, but whenever you zoom in or get closer you cant afford to have the group too deep. As you go beyond multi-generational pictures, you end up with bigger groups. With the traditional nuclear family of four, you can have two people in the front

and two in the back; two sitting and two standing. If youre one of the four, youll need to support the camera and use the self-timer to make sure youre included in the shot. Simple, plain backgrounds, such as a white wall indoors or green foliage outside, have the advantage of concentrating attention on the subjects, but they can

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When youre shooting portraits outside, care needs to be taken with the lighting, especially if the suns blazing down
result in shots that are rather anonymous they could have been taken anywhere. You may like to make use of different locations that are available in the family home: conservatories are often light and airy; lounges generally have the most interesting and attractive furniture; and bedrooms with posters are the most natural locations to photograph teens and tweenies. Another option is to stage a shot with the family in the foreground and the house in the background. How viable this is will depend on where you live and the surroundings. A wide-angle lens will allow you to include as much as possible, perhaps with the family to one side of the frame. To keep everything sharp from front to back, youll need a small aperture of f/16, if light levels allow. Even when youre photographing people you know well, theres often a hint of nervousness when you ask them to pose. If you dont find some way to relax them, the chances are their worst fears will be realised: they will be feeling uncomfortable in front of the camera, so they wont look their best. This is why the best pictures tend to be natural and unselfconscious.
Try this composition for a relaxed, playful shot that is guaranteed to get your subjects smiling!

Parties are full of photo opportunities. Shots of kids in party hats and tucking into jelly and ice cream cant fail!

With really large groups outside, youll need some way of getting their attention. One well-known professional uses a referees whistle!

Who says you need to see faces? The triangle composition creates dynamism in this image, with the shadows adding to the depth

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2 ACTING NATURAL
The subjects in this shots are focusing on the ball, not the camera, which means theyre fully relaxed Here, a small amount of direction regarding who runs where has added depth and composition to this informal shot
www.photolibrary.com Sometimes, the best shots come from breaking the rules. This image captures the action in a family game of beach football

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The same is true when you go out for the day: to the beach; for a picnic in the park; to town or city; or for a longer holiday at home or abroad. When youre shooting portraits outside, care needs to be taken with the lighting, especially if the suns blazing down. What can you do? Well, one option is to find a shady area, perhaps under a tree or canopy, where the pictures can be taken. Cutting out the toplight means you dont end up with shadows under the eyes, nose and chin. The result is that all the light comes in from the front and side, producing a really attractive effect that works really well for groups of all sizes. Another option is to try to find a building or wall in front of which you can shoot. Because the illumination in such spots is reflected, its wonderfully soft and gentle, which is ideal for portraits of all kinds. Once again, you can improvise a similar effect by screening off an area alongside your subject. If possible, photograph them illuminated by the gold glow of a sunset, for the ultimate family portrait.

COVER FEATURE BETTER PORTRAITS

READER
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TIPS

How to shoot
M

Couples
any pictures of couples such as husbands and wives, brothers and sisters and best friends, show them standing awkwardly side-by-side in the middle of the frame staring blankly at the camera as if they were strangers. Theres no interaction, no intimacy and no interest. Usually you need to get involved and give some direction. How should you pose them? Well, there are dozens of effective ways to put two people together. The options depend, to a large degree, upon the relationship between them and what kind of people they are. Lovers and spouses will tend to express their intimacy in a different way from family members and friends. Whatever the relationship, get them close enough so that their bodies are in contact. This creates a nice, tight composition. Theres nothing worse than having two people standing either side of the picture with acres of background between them. Getting them to turn in

www.photolibrary.com The most obvious way to produce a feeling of connection is to have the two people touching placing heads together is particularly effective Photographing couples when theyre doing things together can be an ideal way to capture an unselfconscious, intimate moment

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slightly and point their feet towards the camera, rather than straight ahead, will also improve the results. A simple way to enhance this basic pose with family members or close friends is to ask them to tilt their heads together, so they touch. Then you might suggest they put their arms around each other, or link them if that feels appropriate. Some couples will need no coaxing, and theyll naturally play up for the camera. If theyre fooling around and having a good time, all you have to do is watch carefully whats going on and capture the mayhem when it reaches its peak taking an almost candid approach. Others may need encouragement, and may feel a little awkward for a start. But once theyve got over their initial resistance they normally relax and get into it. Always be on the look out for alternatives to having people side by side. One person can stand behind the other and put their arm around their waist, or they might give each other a piggyback! Photographing couples when theyre doing things together, even if its just having a chat, is a good way to capture them without a feeling of self-consciousness. Having your camera to hand means that you can capture these fleeting, personal moments naturally, without the artifice of setting things up. Youll end up with different kinds of expressions because theyll be looking at each other rather than the camera. In situations like this youre more likely to use a telephoto lens setting, which will enable you to fill the whole frame. It gives flattering perspective and
An ideal portrait captures the personality of the sitters. When shooting a formal shot, keep snapping in between you might just get a result!

helps to separate them from the background. Lighting couples follows the same principles as lighting individuals, except you have to be careful that one person doesnt cast a shadow on the other. Daylight usually gives better results than flash, and its best to have the light behind you or to shoot contre-jour. If you have to use flash, try to stand two to three metres back, so the flash isnt too harsh.

2 ACTION SHOTS
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You dont have to photograph people in stiff and starchy poses. Letting them get about their life, and then recording what happens can produce pictures that are much more natural and realistic. And you can take this approach further by deliberately introducing a sense of movement into your photography. Do you want to freeze the action or blur it? Both can work effectively, depending on the subject. Setting a fast shutter speed of 1/500sec or so or using flash will completely freeze the action. Setting a longer speed from, 1/4sec to 1/30sec (you may need a tripod), will introduce a controlled amount of blur. Either way, youll produce something thats more dynamic and interesting.

When dealing with children, try to make the experience fun. That way, theyll be up for it when it comes to the next time!

The humble step ladder is your friend. Use it to get a different perspective on groups youll capture the faces better when theyre all looking up at you

As with adults, try placing your subjects in front and behind one another to enhance the feeling of depth

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A memorable and beautiful pose that you can replicate in a well-lit bedroom

Leave children to chat and play, and once theyve forgotten youre there youll be free to snap away

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Babies & kids

Take pictures of your children as they grow up youll have a catalogue of shots to treasure
he arrival of a baby in the family is one reason why so many people invest in a digital camera, and the first few weeks are often a frenzy of photographic activity, with the camera being used almost every day. (And youll need to if youre to keep up with the rate at which they grow up.) It all starts, of course, at the birth, and those allimportant pictures of mum and dad holding the baby for the first time pictures that will be treasured forever. Delivery rooms have fluorescent lights, so youll need to set your white balance or use flash if light levels are low. If you want pictures of the baby with many different members of the family, such as proud grandparents, and older brothers and sisters, the best shots tend to be those that are captured spontaneously. Soft lighting is ideal for babies, so avoid direct flash whenever possible and shoot either outdoors on a hazy day or indoors by the light of large window or patio door. As well as such spontaneous shots, remember to take time out to produce some more formal posed shots. Mum and dad with their hair done, and baby dressed in its Sunday best, and lighting carefully arranged.

Kids together
From the day theyre born to the day they leave home, children provide a wealth of photo opportunities and happy memories. Capturing their formative years on

film is something all parents should pursue it would be unimaginable not to have hundreds of pictures of your growing family to look back on in years to come. As ever, you can take a candid or posed approach. Candids work particularly well with toddlers, who often rush headlong at you when they see you pick up the camera, and with teenagers, who can sometimes be sulky and stroppy as hormones kick in, and reluctant to pose. Alternatively, give them something to do, like watering the garden or washing the car. Offering younger children a hosepipe is guaranteed to have photogenic consequences! And nothing beats a pet such as a rabbit or kitten when it comes to keeping your children occupied. When shooting candids outdoors youll just have to take pot luck as far as lighting and backgrounds are concerned, especially when kids are racing around from one area to another. But if they seem amenable, try some posed photos as well. Find a spot where the lightings attractive and theres nothing fussy or messy behind. To help animate children, tell them a few jokes or ask them to say words like jelly or biscuits, instead of cheese. When shooting indoors, use daylight whenever possible rather than flash though you may need to anchor the camera to a tripod or crank up

your ISO setting if light levels are low. Children tend to be more uninhibited than adults, so experiment with different poses to see what works. Try lying on your back looking up at them as they put their heads together and lean over you. Or get them to lie on the floor and spell out letters and words with their bodies as you shoot from above.
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EXPERT TIP
STEVE BAVISTERS PORTRAIT ADVICE

DEVIL'S IN THE DETAIL

You dont have to include everything details can sometimes be as effective. How about photographing the babys soft, tiny fingers as they rest gently in grandfathers large, rough hands?

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If youre shooting a team of some sort, keep in mind what unites them in this case, football!

ith the big groups you get at large family gatherings such as weddings and anniversaries, avoid lining people up as if theyre a sports team or a row of soldiers. If space is too tight for anything more imaginative, at least arrange everyone into an arc, and get the people on the outside to turn their body in more towards the camera, with their front foot slightly forward. With really large groups, if you cant see all of the faces, try standing on a chair yourself, to get a higher view or ask everyone to assemble outside and photograph them from a first floor window. The group will need to stand in a position thats right for the light, which might determine the best time of day to take your shots. The best conditions are bright but hazy, in which case you can place them where you want. If the suns shining, you dont want people looking directly at it, because theyll all be squinting. And dont have the sun to the side because everyone will be casting a shadow on the person next to them. The best approach on a bright day is either to shoot into the light and use exposure compensation or to find a shaded area where the illumination is softer, perhaps against a wall or underneath a tree. Most compact digital cameras feature a wide-angle lens whose angle of view is adequate for all but the largest gatherings. A zoom lens is handy outside, allowing you to be farther away from the group yet still producing a tight composition.
This wedding shot works well the photographer has caught a couple of key people looking at the camera, with the others interacting naturally

Weddings
Once you get known for your prowess with a camera, you may be asked by a friend or relative to be the official photographer at their wedding. If that happens, think carefully before saying I do because you dont get a second chance with weddings. You may feel happier saying youll take shots to supplement those of the official photographer candid, informal pictures of the guests they wont be able to do because theyll be concentrating more on the couple and the groups. If they say they cant afford a professional, and theyd like you to do the best you can, ask yourself whether you feel you have the skills required. Will you be able to organise and manage the couple and the groups, at

speed, under the gaze of those present. Some guests may have wandered off to get a drink, others may start pulling faces when youre about to fire the shutter. You have to deal with it all in a calm and collected manner. If theres no official photographer, you must have shots of the couple and the various family groups. At the very least, take several different pictures of the couple on their own; the grooms parents and his wider family; the brides parents and her wider family; plus a shot of everyone together at the end. Many other combinations are possible, such as all the parents together or all the cousins. How far you go will be determined to a large degree by the time you have available people soon get restless, especially if its cold or wet.
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Bigger groups

How to shoot

CHILDREN

When photographing children, keeping their attention focused is 90 per cent of the battle. You can get around this by keeping them occupied with a task and shooting a number of non-posed shots until you get the picture youre after. It also makes for a far more memorable photograph than a standard pose.

Posing guide
Get great portraits with our guide to the top poses for couples, families and bigger groups

How to shoot

GROUPS

You can really make portraits of small group sparkle if you invest a little time, energy and lateral thinking. Here, the parents and their children are positioned in a spiral, out from the photographer who is lying on the floor, shooting up. Its a fun, energetic pose with the added bonus of provoking natural smiles from your subjects as you lie on the floor.

COUPLES

Theres nothing complic ated about this great pose, wh ich makes it ideal for couple s of all ages. As you can see, the woman is touching her chin to the top of her husbands head and wrapping her arms about him. Its a pose that loo ks slightly unnatural in rea l life but looks relaxed and utterly realistic in a photograph.

WEDDINGS

Shots of big wedding groups often suffer from looking too contrived, with every face locked in a rictus grin as the merciless sun beats down on them. While everyone wants to see faces in some photos, do take the opportunity to utilise any big props that are lying around. Here, our prop is the swimming pool it gives a great reflection that really makes the photo and weve encouraged our subjects to do their own thing.

FAMILY SHOTS

EVENTS

Family portraits can be images that you treasure for years if you get them right. Here, weve got a standard line up, which would be boring if it was not for the composition and the setting. The arrangement of the adults and children gives us a smooth line flowing through the image in contrast to the flat horizon a third of the way up. The surf adds to the fun of the image as well as keeping the children smiling throughout the shoot.

A memorable photograph is often one that shows an event from an unexpected perspective. Here, the bride is throwing her bouquet. Weve climbed to a higher vantage point in order to fit in all the action and as the bride is looking up at the bouquet, were in the perfect position to capture her smile. The outstretched arms of the guests are also a strong element in the composition of the shot.

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