Which Lighting Modifiers Are You Using For Small To Mid-Sized Groups?

I've been getting more calls for group and family portraits and I'm evaluating the modifiers I have and looking at some others.

I want to be able to properly light a 10 to 12 person group with 2 strobes, each with a large octabank (about 5 feet) of some sort, as I believe I'll get better coverage than with square or rectangular softboxes.

What are you guys using for group portraiture? Would you just use 2 large umbrellas instead?

For somewhat larger family reunion groups (up to 40 or so people), I have used from four to six 640WS lights (AlienBees B1600's) at full power, bounced off 60" satin white Photogenic Eclipse umbrellas (with black covers) at about 10 feet from the floor. The results have been quite good.

In each case that I've set up this sort of lighting I have used a meter to make sure the whole group is lit to within ±1/2 stop or so. Some of the light usually bounces off the ceiling, so moving the lights around a bit allows me to even out the lighting. Getting the lighting even from the back row to the front row is the tricky part, but I've been successful with a little tweaking.

Thanks Skip. I should have mentioned that at least for the warmer weather I seem to be getting more interest in outdoor and location shoots. I don't plan on shooting in mid day sun so I'm not concerned with battling or overpowering the sun.

I have a 60" White Eclipse umbrella and like it very much. I was thinking that perhaps a good portable way to do this would be to add a second Eclipse.

TMR Design wrote in post #5875709
Thanks Skip. I should have mentioned that at least for the warmer weather I seem to be getting more interest in outdoor and location shoots. I don't plan on shooting in mid day sun so I'm not concerned with battling or overpowering the sun.

I have a 60" White Eclipse umbrella and like it very much. I was thinking that perhaps a good portable way to do this would be to add a second Eclipse.

I have four 60" Eclipse umbrellas and my son has two (along with the B1600's that support them) that I borrow for the big family reunions. They set up and tear down so nicely that I wouldn't even think of doing the job with softboxes (or something like them).

Thanks again Skip. I think that's how I'm going to do it. I'll order another 60" white Eclipse tomorrow.

I would use umbrellas..

Skip - How far typically the umbrellas from your subjects?

bobbyz wrote in post #5879427
Skip - How far typically the umbrellas from your subjects?

For a group of 40 or so, the light stands are maybe ten feet in front of the front row and the lights/umbrellas are at about ten feet from the floor.

For the large groups, especially those with no stepped stage to provide different elevation for the various rows of people, I typically work with the camera on a rig made from a tripod center column with a special clamp at the top of an eight-foot ladder, looking down into the group from above them a bit. Thus I keep the lights a little higher than the camera.

Thanks Skip - Appreciate your response.