How would you set your camera for shooting a team photo? Advice please.

[WyzMan]

Hello,
Sorry if this has been discussed before - if anyone can point me to an appropriate thread I would be grateful but if you were asked to shoot a team photograph a team of soccer, volleyball, rugby, basketball ... whatever .. players - outside / inside, what settings would you use in terms of 'F' number? Ideally, I would think that we want an out of focus background so f/22 is out of the question but equally, we want front row, middle row and back row players IN focuse so f/1.8 is no use.

Any advice on what aperture to use and where to focus on the assumption that ISO and speed could be set to accommodate it?

Assume say, 3m or so in front of the group - not on top of them but also not shooting with a 400mm lens half a mile away!

Thank you,
Alan

[SNSagency]

Choose a clean background being careful not to have too many (if any) flagpoles to stick from players' heads/shoulders.

I use a 24-70 for all my team shots, unless it is a major cup final celebration where really a 70-200 or even a 300 are the way to go, because they are so stage managed for the TV ppl and not the stills boys.
I normally have the 24-70 set at f8 and aim to focus on the front center player's head, everything else falls into place.

Tip: don't be tempted to use an extreme wide angle if the shots are going to print, normally what happens with them is that the players on the top left and right can look soft unless the lens is stopped down a lot. Also the bloke with the 17mm lens is usually the one getting in all the other togs' way, and as such can expect a sore head!

[Mike R]

I shoot them at f/2.8 f/3.5 and f/4 if outdoors. If the team is against a backgdrop you can stop down and not worry asbout having to blur it. and at least 3 at each setting in case someone blinks. The point to focus on depends on the number of rows.

[fslshooter]

Alan - See THIS STICKY (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=112409).

[WyzMan]

Thank you guys. The teams will be seven a side plus (maybe) a couple of subs - say groups of nine or ten. Will use my 24-105mm f/4 lens at f/8 and around 50mm I think - and focus on the front row as suggested. Will also use my two 550s with Stofen diffusers on stands - one either side at 45 degrees - and out of shot as fill light fired from my STE2 on the camera - and of course go for at least three shots of each group - to try and get over any blinking. (Mike-R: Not brave enough to down as far as f/4 I am afraid - will have to get my wife and two children onboard for some test shots I think!).

Sound about right?

Thanks again,

Alan

[1downfall]

here is one I shot a season ago....It was shot @ f4 with my 24-105 as well. I had to use remote release so i could be in the pic. It was very chilly and running late on sunshine. Not at all great and kids could hardy sit still! I have 2 more coming up from 2 teams....I think I can do much better. I will try f8 next time. No money for the off camera flash set up yet.
(wow.....my print is much sharper than this upload....):oops:

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s174/1downfall/USETHISFACE.jpg

[Patrick]

It all depends on how deep the rows go and your distance from the subject.

The last team shot I did was in a gym after a game with a bounced 580ex2.
I make sure the f stop will give me good dof on all of the players and then adjust my shutter and ISO accordingly to give proper exposure and aviod blur.

I always take multiple photos and check them in between shots on the camera by zooming in on the faces to make sure everything is in focus.