Attempting family photoshoot on my own please help...:)

Ok,
Well I'm really new to photography and going to attempt a really basic urban style outdoor photoshoot tomorrow a few a couple of hours before sunset. The reason I am trying this on my own is because our pro photographer got hurt in accident was unable to take our christmas pictures. I just need a a couple of poses to go on a christmas card but want them to look nice and sharp.
I know of a pretty popular spot that pros use downtown that has good lighting.
So camera gear consists of a Rebel T1i, 18-55m kit lens, 35mm 1.4L, 430ex ii, canon remote trigger and tripod.
So basically I was thinking about setting camera on tripod about 8-10 feet away, and doing a 2 second delay to get picture of my family of three (wife, 2 year old son and myself). All photo backdrops will be old brick buildings downtown.
For some reason with the 35L I get one of us really sharp and the rest blurry.

My questions are what lens should I use? Should I use the 430 ex ii on top of camera with a bounce card? And I was thinking a good starting point on manual would be 1/50, F4 or F6, ISO auto. Looking for something similar to pic down below.
Thanks,
Adam

http://brandilyndavids​onphotography.com …ACHEVERSION=130​4821399825

I don't want to derail your thread but I'm wondering how you like the 35L on the T1i? Can't find many people with that, and I'm debating picking one up. I'll pm you

CanonGrl01 wrote in post #13520331
I don't want to derail your thread but I'm wondering how you like the 35L on the T1i? Can't find many people with that, and I'm debating picking one up. I'll pm you

You know I feel I jumped the gun and making such a big purchase on the 35L before actually learning how to use the Manual setting on my camera. I used the 35L in Full Auto for the first 5-6 months I had it and I was really happy with the focal length, but the image quality was not what was expected. After learning how to use the Manual settings over the past few weeks the 35L has performed up to expectations. I debated over and over about the 35L and the sigma 30 1.4, but I did not want to deal with the focusing issue people go through with it sometimes and If I ever decide to go to a full frame camera, I can still use the 35L. I actually started off with nifty fifty, nifty two fifty, and 85mm 1.8 and sold all of them to fund the 35L purchase..
The nifty fifty was great but felt I was always backing up too much indoors. The 35 focal length was perfect on a crop for me....hope this helps. Heres a few pics I shot over the weekend of my family with the 35L. I used a 30 day free trial of aperture 3 to edit.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/66230786@N03/6​496209885/

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Good job! Might look at the white balance, though, your son seems a bit "pale". I might have cropped the 1st and 3rd a bit differently, but that's a matter of taste.

adamg5 wrote in post #13523859
You know I feel I jumped the gun and making such a big purchase on the 35L before actually learning how to use the Manual setting on my camera. I used the 35L in Full Auto for the first 5-6 months I had it and I was really happy with the focal length, but the image quality was not what was expected. After learning how to use the Manual settings over the past few weeks the 35L has performed up to expectations. I debated over and over about the 35L and the sigma 30 1.4, but I did not want to deal with the focusing issue people go through with it sometimes and If I ever decide to go to a full frame camera, I can still use the 35L. I actually started off with nifty fifty, nifty two fifty, and 85mm 1.8 and sold all of them to fund the 35L purchase..
The nifty fifty was great but felt I was always backing up too much indoors. The 35 focal length was perfect on a crop for me....hope this helps. Heres a few pics I shot over the weekend of my family with the 35L. I used a 30 day free trial of aperture 3 to edit.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/66230786@N03/6​496209885/
DowntownFresno by agoot1, on Flickr
DowntownFresnoUncroppe​d by agoot1, on Flickr

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IMG_2610 by agoot1, on Flickr[/IMG]

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IMG_2729 by agoot1, on Flickr

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IMG_2635 by agoot1, on Flickr

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IMG_2653 by

This is a great pic. Most people who aren't photp nuts will never notice the lighting Meanderthal spoke of.

Thank you

I don't have any CC, but just had to say that I'm so impressed you were able to get your son to look at the camera with no one behind it LOL I have 3 young kids, and I don't think I've ever taken a family photo myself where everyone was looking at the camera with a pleasant expression on their faces ROFL

Lol. Thank you I actually used this method:
https://photography-on-the.net …hread.php?t=912​133&page=3
Great, great thread by the way

...except I rubberbanded one of his toy cows from his farm set to the lens and told we kept telling him to "look at the cow" haha.
I'm sure if there was someone behind the camera he may have laughed or smiled, but just looking at it was half the battle.

Thanks for the positive feedback, much appreciated