Lighting for Large Groups

One of the most common types of images to photograph is the "group photo". Lighting, posing, and communication are all essential skills required to capture a great group image. In this article, we share a few helpful tips.

Lighting

Use large, soft modifiers to evenly light your subjects. The light position should be further away to reduce the severity of falloff and allow it to spread evenly across your subjects.  

Posing

If the shot is centered around one or two people, make sure they are the central focal point. For larger, formal group photos place taller individuals centered in the back with shorter people on the edges.

Communication

It's easy to lose control of a group session without effective communication. It's important to keep talking with the group to let them know what you want them to do, motivate them to show emotion and how much time you'll need from them.