Group Photo - C&C Please

Flashes are cheap? If you consider $300+ each to be cheap. Especially when he may have paid $700 for his lens and camera! The OP probably only has the kit lens and his camera. Making the jump to 3 external flashes is far in his future if ever.

RedHot wrote in post #3622687
Flashes are cheap? If you consider $300+ each to be cheap. Especially when he may have paid $700 for his lens and camera! The OP probably only has the kit lens and his camera. Making the jump to 3 external flashes is far in his future if ever.

lol... yes, flashes are relatively cheap. You don't need to spend $300+. You can easily find used flashes for $100 or so. I didn't say they needed to be Canon 580EX II's. They don't. I also mentioned using a reflector. That's about $30.

The OP asked what could make his group shots better. I'm simply telling him that not underexposing the subjects would be a significant improvement...in addition to the placement of subjects as others have previously stated. He never stated anything about a budget constraint.

...I'm wondering how you're so well informed of the OP's financial status? How is it that you know that "3 external flashes are far if ever in his future?" He may very well think that to be pocket-change

Thanks to everyone who provided tips on what I did wrong in terms of settings. I realize that you can’t “put the pose of the people aside” from a complete critique of a photo, but I was really just looking for settings feedback on this one. I clearly blew the pose and should have been much more assertive with the group in getting them in position. That’s something I’ve been trying to work on. I usually like doing candid stuff where I’m trying to get people NOT to pose.


I used the onboard flash because it’s all I have at the moment. I’ve only owned my XT since January when I paid $578 with abesofmaine.com I might pick up a flash down the road but would like to get a lens or two first (50mm 1.8, maybe even a 1.4). I’m currently using the 18-55 lens. In terms of budget, it’s pretty low right now as I’m doing some major remodeling around the house (doing a 3rd floor loft/media room).


Thanks again. I'm so glad I found this site!!

Is this pose a little better? I really worked on directing the crowd on this one. I think the technicals of the photo turned out not so bad too.

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I definitely like you placement of subjects better in this one. Everyone's face is clearly in an open space. It's obvious that you provided them some direction.

This is still underexposed, but the straight-on flash has caused some unpleasant little highlights, like on the tips of noses and cheek bones and foreheads.

The little blue thing hanging in the background along with the orange pole in the background are distracting.

And if I were to get real picky, the skin tones look a little orange, but I'm not on a calibrated monitor right now either.

Good improvement I'd say.

Good call on the flash highlights. I'll have to do a little more work in photoshop on that. I should also nix the background objects, I agree. Yah, I'm not seeing the people as being too orange, though, so maybe it's your monitor! I wish I would have shot this in RAW to give me a little more flexibility (I shot in portrait mode), but such is life.

The orange could very well be my monitor. I'll take another look on my main workstation this evening. For a casual picture of friends, this shot is great. But if you're really wanting to make it more of a portrait and less of a "snap-shot," here's my advice, in addition to my last post:

1. Don't use portrait mode. Ever. In fact, stay out of those automatic modes altogether. My cameras RARELY move off of Manual Mode. Av and Tv are fine too, but don't let the camera make all those decisions for you in the auto-modes.

2. How are you focusing? Consider moving your AF to a different button than AE lock and use the center AF point only and recompose the shot.

3. Watch those backgrounds. Its hard especially with a group because you're worried about directing the people, but don't forget to look behind the people as well.

4. General Rule when using TTL Flash. Make your ambient a little more than 1/3 and let your flash fill in the remaining 2/3 of your total exposure. Of course this is just a rule of thumb and is meant to be broken