Posing a small or large group is no different than posing a single person;
the poses used are the same or similar. What makes it more challenging is
that each person must look good as an individualandthe group must be well
composed as a whole. Also, you have to keep the faces on the same plane to
ensure they all remain in focus. Many group portraits have some of people
softer than others, because the faces did not fall within the allotted depth of
field.
When posing a group of people that include Mom and Dad, always place
the parents in the back and children up front. The kids are usually more pho-
togenic than the adults, so you can use them to conceal what the adults won’t
want to see (namely Dad’s belly and Mom’s hips and thighs). As always, sug-
gest the darkest colors for those with weight issues, guiding larger clients
away from the “white shirts and jeans” look if you think they might be self-
conscious about their size.
As you look for a scene in which to pose people for a group portrait, look
for uneven areas, slopes, or even stairs. This will make posing the faces at dif-
ferent heights a much easier task. We will discuss group portraits further in
chapter 8.
72 JEFF SMITH’S POSING TECHNIQUES FOR LOCATION PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY
ABOVE—Getting the kids and adults down to
the same level adds an instant sense of fun
and closeness to a family portrait.FACING
PAGE—When posing groups, each subject
must look good individually and the group
must look good as a whole.