Tips for a huge group photo...

I did search without much results.

I have a 7d and a 5d2, with a 580 ex ii.
This photo will be outside during the day or if lucky at dawn and will have 60-70 people in it. Its taken every year and its from a balconey facing down or angled on everyone. I have never taken it and the results are definatly "snapshotty". This year I was asked to do the photography for the 3 day event. This group picture is my only real concern... As i only get obe shot.

1. Any ideas for better composition? Like maybe level?

2. Should I use the 7d to slave the flash on the ground point up at crowd for fill?

Any tips, suggestions or ideas are appreciated. My gear is in my sig, and i have a good tripod. Also a flash cable to hold it off camera

In assuming the 24-105 or 28-75 is the best option for FF.

Thanks in advance!

try at the flash department, they may help better!

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/forumdis​play.php?f=35

JersFocus wrote in post #14609854
I did search without much results.

I have a 7d and a 5d2, with a 580 ex ii.
This photo will be outside during the day or if lucky at dawn and will have 60-70 people in it. Its taken every year and its from a balconey facing down or angled on everyone. I have never taken it and the results are definatly "snapshotty". This year I was asked to do the photography for the 3 day event. This group picture is my only real concern... As i only get obe shot.

1. Any ideas for better composition? Like maybe level?

2. Should I use the 7d to slave the flash on the ground point up at crowd for fill?

Any tips, suggestions or ideas are appreciated. My gear is in my sig, and i have a good tripod. Also a flash cable to hold it off camera

In assuming the 24-105 or 28-75 is the best option for FF.

Thanks in advance!

How about showing us what previous shots looked like, something about the venue, etc.?

A Speedlite would be almost useless for a large group shot, especially outdoors. However, I've found that the best lighting for a large group shot is with the light source above the camera. That prevents shadows from one person's head covering another's face.

Make sure that you are not placing the camera too close to the group and using a short focal length to "get them all in" as being too close will create perspective distortion which usually looks quite bad in group photos.

If you don't have access to at least one moonlight, available with tripod is probably better.
5DII at about 35mm or even 50mm is you can get up enough. You will also need to stop down to get everyone reasonably sharp.

ISO 400 or even 800 is probably OK as long as you take care with exposure.

This was my first big group shot. I took this one level with the second row of kids, sun behind them so I blew out the sky. I forgot to blow the dust off the lens (had been shooting outside) so I have the lens-flarey-looking blobs.

One note is that the first row heads are a fair bit bigger than the last row heads, so I think a longer lens could really help with this. I had the pool right behind my heels and couldn't shoot from the other side b/c of the backstroke turn flags hanging over it.

At any rate, it looks great printed at 8x10, with lots of good detail. I only had a couple half-hidden kids (my daughter was one!)

See my comments in you "flash" posting, but this seemed like the right place to post. This is not a speedlight type flash situation; you would need power for this!