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How to Pose for Group Photos

Photographs capture a moment in time, preserving a permanent record of an event. This permanence makes proper composition and posing of photographs crucial. Few photographs present as great a challenge for composition and posing as a group photograph. From sports teams to large families, you must ensure you capture every person clearly and in a visually engaging way. With some basic techniques you can manage large groups of people to produce engaging, well-composed group photographs.

Instructions

- 1
  Keep the light source in front of your subject. Arrange your group so that the light source, whether natural or artificial, shines on them rather than from behind. Back light will produce a shadow effect, obscuring the faces of your subjects.
- 2
  Arrange the group according to its size. Arrange large groups, such as sports teams or school classes, in rows. Arrange smaller groups in a single line.
- 3
  Place the tallest members of the group in back with shorter members in the front. If you arrange subjects of a similar height in rows, have the front row sit or kneel so you can see the subjects in the rear.
- 4
  Experiment with different shapes. Rows and lines may not suit every group photo. For example, a photo of a seated family leaning in toward the center of the frame produces a triangle shape. This shape guides the viewer's eye toward the center of the image and the faces of your subjects.
- 5
  Pose your subjects in a large, close irregular group. This can create visual interest and illustrate the size of the group well, as in wedding or convention photos.
- 6
  Elevate yourself above your subjects. You can pose and capture a large group of people well if you shoot them from above, such as from a ladder, window or roof of a building.

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