Team portraits

After any tips people may have on shooting some team portraits. Next weekend i've got around 15 junior soccer teams to shoot and was wondering if anyone has any do's or don'ts they can share?

Don't get too close to the group. Doing so (and using a shorter focal length to get them all into the image) causes perspective distortion. The people on the ends of the group would not like the images. Back up and use a longer lens. For your 400D, if you can get the group into your viewfinder with one of your lenses set to around 50mm or so, you should be in good shape.

Get above the group if you can. A six-foot ladder would be a very good thing to have with you.

If you cannot get the group in a place with good lighting (to allow a fast enough shutter speed for hand holding while stopped down to f/8 or better), make sure you have a good bean bag (for atop the ladder) or tripod to steady the camera.

For each group, make sure you shoot more than one shot, as somebody's going to have their eyes closed. Of course, talking to the group is good while you're working to try to get their attention and keep them looking at you with eyes open, etc.

As for posing/lining them up..

Say you have 11 kids. Line them up tallest to shortest. The tallest will be the center person on the back row. Next to him put the next tallest,followed by placing the next kid in line on the opposite side of the tallest. (one on the left,one on the right) Do this for all 6 kids on the back row. Do the same for the front row placing each kid in the gap of the 2 kids behind him. Depending on how tall the kids are you can have the front row have both knees on the ground, just one knee or sitting cross legged with hands on their thighs.

Coaches (there's usually more than 1)can either be behind the back row of kids or you can have one on each end placing their inside knee on the ground.

My efforts are here...http://davemorgan.smug​mug.com …048_Aiuzp#29026​2068_DY7dv

Thanks for the tips guys

bildeb0rg wrote in post #5672536
My efforts are here...http://davemorgan.smug​mug.com …048_Aiuzp#29026​2068_DY7dv

You really need to watch your backgrounds. There was laundry hanging on lines in some of the shots. I know that you can't have trees or empty space behind in every shot.

asysin2leads wrote in post #5677135
You really need to watch your backgrounds. There was laundry hanging on lines in some of the shots. I know that you can't have trees or empty space behind in every shot.

22 teams, plus parents, packed onto 2(two) rugby pitches, means you don't have a choice of where you shoot.
And it's impossible to drag a dozen of someone elses kids half way around the club just to get a clean background
It's a question of damage limitation
Oh, and the dad in your Xmas 2007 gallery has two picture frames growing out of his head.

I suggest you to stay away from the sun. Either shoot on a claudy day or in an area in shade, and use a flash as fill in.

One other piece of advice,
Never let the kids get out of control.
Here's an example

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Hey sparky, before you get pissy with me, listen up and listen good. I was offering advice. If you don't want it, then don't post your samples. Are my pictures are perfect? No, far from it. I was merely making an observation. I didn't know what the conditions you were shooting were. How in the heck would I know? You can criticize my photos all you want. I'm not going to let the rantings of a mental midget worry me.

bildeb0rg wrote in post #5677579
22 teams, plus parents, packed onto 2(two) rugby pitches, means you don't have a choice of where you shoot.
And it's impossible to drag a dozen of someone elses kids half way around the club just to get a clean background
It's a question of damage limitation
Oh, and the dad in your Xmas 2007 gallery has two picture frames growing out of his head.

asysin2leads wrote in post #5680470
Hey sparky, before you get pissy with me, listen up and listen good. I was offering advice. If you don't want it, then don't post your samples. Are my pictures are perfect? No, far from it. I was merely making an observation. I didn't know what the conditions you were shooting were. How in the heck would I know? You can criticize my photos all you want. I'm not going to let the rantings of a mental midget worry me.

Man, somebody got up on the wrong side today.
"You can criticize my photos any time you want, I don't have to listen!"
My suggestion is "Bring a ladder and shoot from a higher position", that will help eliminate background clutter.
By the way, this is good advice for all group photos.

DAMphyne wrote in post #5678798
One other piece of advice,
Never let the kids get out of control.
Here's an example

Now that is a team pic.
Did you get a "formal" one before it all went downhill

Seriously people. If you can't take constructive criticism, don't ask for it here. There are loads of people here that can offer great suggestions if you listen. This thread has been really helpful to me as I may be doing this type of thing soon and haven't got a clue about it. If we can get back on track, it would be great.

Mum2J&M wrote in post #5685280
Seriously people. If you can't take constructive criticism, don't ask for it here. There are loads of people here that can offer great suggestions if you listen.

100% correct.

It's a few years that I take the picture of school classes at the end of the year. Here below what I have learnt with pain:
- Don't use wide angles. Get far way to make them fit in the image.
- Don't shoot in the sun. Doesn't matter were it comes from, it's always a problem.
- Use f/8 or smaller, so to have enough DoF.
- Have a powerful flash with you, with enough juice. I use a Metz 60 CT1 for this job.
- Shoot in manual mode, RAW. Use the flash as fill in. I normally set it to one stop less then camera reading.
- Don't let it go out of control: watch the kids all time, and check what they do when you are shooting: check expression, position, arms, legs, skirts...
- Have then remove sunglasses if possible
- Take multiple shots. I always take at least 5 for each class, without making them change position between one shot and the other: this way you can easily replace one face with eyes closed taking the same with eyes open from another picture.
- Be careful to use a calibrated monitor for your edit, and have the images printed in a good place. I always have issues the print colours (well, maybe because I get my prints done in the cheapest available place )

I think that's all.

Tiziano

Thanks so much for that. I really need to calibrate my monitor. And I have no flash as I've sold my 430EX. If they are going to want my help, I'll obviously need to invest in another flash - at least the 580? Seems rather daunting as I took a pic at my son's party the other day of 5 kids. I took multiple shots and at least one kid always had his/her eyes closed. The lighting sucked too. I will definitely remember nothing wider than f/8 and nothing shorter than 50mm! How do you set up the team at outdoor swim meets? I mean, isn't it kind of tough for them to be kneeling? Maybe they should actually be on the steps in the pool? Anyone have any pics? I know I am jinxing myself here. But I don't want to go to my interview tomorrow completely clueless. This is the kind of stuff I'll want to know. Thanks again!