Suggestions for a family portrait

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Revet

Senior Member
I am new to portrait photography. I currently have a D3100, a 60 mm Macro lens, a 18-270 mm zoom lens, an SB-700 Speedlight (with sync cord), an an umbrella (white, with removable back for shoot through).

I have been practicing all of the standard shots (Rembrant, loop, Split, butterfuly, etc) so I have various lightening techniques and camera/flash settings down pretty good for one person (not sure how well these apply to group shots)
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I want to do a family portrait (4 people and 2 dogs). My problem is, I would love to shoot all sorts of shots with different lighting, etc but I don't think my family or dogs has the patience. So I want to try to get the best set-up I can without a lot of practice shots. What I am really looking for is some lighting suggestions. I have the one speedlight and umbrella and can also use the on-camera flash for fill if needed (in SU-4 mode).

I am not looking to renting or buying any new equipment at this time. I just want to attempt a nice shot with the equipment I have.
 
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spyderdos

Senior Member
I would suggest to shoot outdoors.... You really wont be using the umbrella or you can use the flash to fill in the shadows on the face....and your dogs would enjoy it for sure :)
 
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Dave_W

The Dude
Some of my best family shots come from getting the family together at the park or a beach and let them play. You'll end up with far more natural and better looking portraits than if you were to pose them all. Not to mention the quality of their smiles. Smiles that happen naturally look very different from the ones you'll get when you pose people.
 
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kluisi

Senior Member
Dave_W said:
Some of my best family shots come from getting the family together at the park or a beach and let them play. You'll end up with far more natural and better looking portraits than if you were to pose them all. Not to mention the quality of their smiles. Smiles that happen naturally look very different from the ones you'll get when you pose people.
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I'm guessing the OP means a portrait of the whole family together rather than a series of individual portraits of each family member. I would imagine it would be much more difficult to get that shot without posing than individual shots.
 
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Dave_W

The Dude
kluisi said:
I'm guessing the OP means a portrait of the whole family together rather than a series of individual portraits of each family member. I would imagine it would be much more difficult to get that shot without posing than individual shots.
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I'm pretty sure 4 people and 2 dogs would work just fine this way.
 
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kluisi

Senior Member
Dave_W said:
I'm pretty sure 4 people and 2 dogs would work just fine this way.
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Any tips for it...I'm not being a jerk (as I thought it was possible that you misunderstood), but legitimately would like to learn since it would also help me. I don't have any dogs, but would like to get better pictures of my three kids together.
 
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Dave_W

The Dude
What I like to do with my own family as well as clients, is have a picnic with them and bring some family games like hula-hoops or soccer balls, etc., and during the time eating the family (if they're clients) get a little used to the camera being there and then after lunch tell them to play and have a good time. You then follow them around snapping shots and interacting with them as they play around or climb trees or maybe go out into the waves. Then you can come back to the picnic blanket and have ice cream or some kind of dessert and capture them there. It helps a lot with kids if you have a parent there to jump on and to roll around with. At first everyone is a little stiff but once the playing around gets going they all quickly forget about you and your camera. Then at the end if you're worried you didn't get enough together shots you can pose them for a few final shots. The beauty of doing this in the afternoon is that by the end it's moving into the golden hour so that you'll have that nice warm light to play with. In addition, by the time you're done they'll be so used to you and your camera all the stiffness will be gone.
While I'm sure there are many other ways of approaching portraits, this seems to work the best for me. The downside is it's time consuming and you'll not be able to just hit it and split. So I guess it all depends on how much time you have to devote yourself to a shoot.
 
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kluisi

Senior Member
Dave_W said:
What I like to do with my own family as well as clients, is have a picnic with them and bring some family games like hula-hoops or soccer balls, etc., and during the time eating the family (if they're clients) get a little used to the camera being there and then after lunch tell them to play and have a good time. You then follow them around snapping shots and interacting with them as they play around or climb trees or maybe go out into the waves. Then you can come back to the picnic blanket and have ice cream or some kind of dessert and capture them there. It helps a lot with kids if you have a parent there to jump on and to roll around with. At first everyone is a little stiff but once the playing around gets going they all quickly forget about you and your camera. Then at the end if you're worried you didn't get enough together shots you can pose them for a few final shots. The beauty of doing this in the afternoon is that by the end it's moving into the golden hour so that you'll have that nice warm light to play with. In addition, by the time you're done they'll be so used to you and your camera all the stiffness will be gone.
While I'm sure there are many other ways of approaching portraits, this seems to work the best for me. The downside is it's time consuming and you'll not be able to just hit it and split. So I guess it all depends on how much time you have to devote yourself to a shoot.
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Thanks Dave...I'm going to try something like this next time.
 
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Revet

Senior Member
Thanks to all for the input. Let me rephrase the request I made. I am currently playing around with indoor portrait photography with off camera flash using either just the speedlight or the speedlight off camera and the on camera flash (set to manual) for fill if needed. I wanted to try these techniques out on the family (and woofers). Since my dogs (and wife and kids) have the patience of a gnat (photography is my passion not theirs!!), I won't be able to keep them around long for a lot of shots. With the equipment I have, what would be a nice starting point for lighting???

In addition, do all those cool techniques (Rembrandt, split, butterfly, wide, narrow, etc) work well in group shots as they do in individual portraits?? Hope that is clearer.

Maybe I just need to pay my kids $10 bucks a piece to sit for me awhile and go nuts with the camera. A box of biscuits for the dogs would also help
 
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WayneF

Senior Member
Revet said:
In addition, do all those cool techniques (Rembrandt, split, butterfly, wide, narrow, etc) work well in group shots as they do in individual portraits?? Hope that is clearer.
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No! :) Concepts like Rembrandt, butterfly, etc, and lighting ratio are local effects, on one small facial area. We cannot do that over a wide area.

A 45 degree light at the side of a group will not cover the entire group evenly. Near person is bright, far person is not. So, we give up most of that, and try to light the group evenly.

In that way, groups are a rather different subject than "portraits".

There are sort of two categories for lighting groups indoors..

1. Put a light in front of each edge of group, aimed in about 45 degrees to overlap in center. This overlap evens out the light falloff from the distant edge lights. This works pretty well for a group of one row. It is about the worst thing possible for a group of multiple rows (because of the shadows not in sync with the camera lens).

2. Multiple rows, put one or two lights at the camera (above the camera), if two, aimed out towards edges. The light falls off, but the shadows it makes will agree with the lens... that is, it lights what the lens sees. No really terrible shadows.


Outdoors in bright sun becomes more like regular pictures, but shadows are a tough problem, which fill flash can solve (with same issues as indoors). Otherwise, shade is a lot better.
 
Scott Murray

Scott Murray

Senior Member
OK i am new to portrait photography, but what I think this aims for is exactly what you are asking for. Dramatic portraitriator then add to what you see. If you can light up everything you need then thats all that matters. Backlighting is a key as we need to hightlight the adults the kids but everyone. It needs to be now and not then.
 
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Revet

Senior Member
I thought so on those lighting techniques not being applicable for a group. Ok, since all I have is one speedlight and an on-camera flash, what would you think my best option is? This is purely a fun thing, not a professional quality family portrait shoot. Sounds like I want to do a direct flash above the camera. I could try an umbrella that way also I guess. I think I could hold them together for that long. I could practice on myself to see the quality of light and fall off with some objects placed around me simulating a group.
 
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WayneF

Senior Member
This is indoors? My understanding is we are limited to one SB-700, which is either hot shoe or hot shoe cable, or SU-4 mode. But a group is sort of different, some groups are smaller, but a bigger area to light evenly. Bounce should be a consideration for indoor groups (for a nice even lighting, with more depth of light in the room). It really can handle a pretty big group. Internal flash could be fill for a remote SU-4. The SB-700 has the pullout bounce card too, which can be surprisingly effective.

Re bounce, maybe it is blasphemy to think it, but the umbrella is not as absolutely essential for groups. The light has to be well back to cover the group, maybe ten feet, so its size is not as effective or necessary. I would bet on the bounce. Try a few things though.

So, how is the umbrella working out in general? Not like walkaround bounce, it does force a fixed situation, but how's the light?
 
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Revet

Senior Member
I almost wet my pants when I saw my first shots using the umbrella!!! Beautiful. What a difference from off-camera direct. The shadows on the face really create some dramatic photos. Once a get the various techniques down, I am going to post some in the portraits forum for critique. Yes on the bounce, I have an 8 foot white ceiling to use and I bet that will work nicely, I'll pull out the card to get some fill and catch light
 
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Lawrence

Senior Member
Revet said:
I almost wet my pants when I saw my first shots using the umbrella!!! Beautiful. What a difference from off-camera direct. The shadows on the face really create some dramatic photos. Once a get the various techniques down, I am going to post some in the portraits forum for critique. Yes on the bounce, I have an 8 foot white ceiling to use and I bet that will work nicely, I'll pull out the card to get some fill and catch light
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Let us know when you have posted them. I would be keen to see the results.
 
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WayneF

Senior Member
Revet said:
I almost wet my pants when I saw my first shots using the umbrella!!! Beautiful. What a difference from off-camera direct. The shadows on the face really create some dramatic photos. Once a get the various techniques down, I am going to post some in the portraits forum for critique. Yes on the bounce, I have an 8 foot white ceiling to use and I bet that will work nicely, I'll pull out the card to get some fill and catch light
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I know what you mean, the umbrella is like magic, it makes photography easy. I use it a lot around the house for the little quicky things too, often just hand held (holding the bracket, which holds the umbrella and flash).

The next new technology leap needs to be a button on the camera that unfolds the umbrella. :)
 
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