Easy Things you Can Do NOW to Start Getting Sharp Photos The Stay Focused Podcast Episode #1 Welcome! I’m so excited that you are here today listening to the first ever Stay Focused Podcast. This podcast has been in the works for a long time and I am beyond excited to share it with...
How to Get Sharp Focus in Large Family Photos Are you wondering how you can get sharp focus in your photos that have 6, 7, 8…25 family members in them? Taking large family photos can be challenging and making sure you get clear focus can be another battle. But you can do it! Keep reading...
I’m curious, is there a reason why you and others are preferring to shoot with a fixed lens? Why not with an all-around one, say like the 18-270mm I have? So there isn’t so much having to move around to get the shot you want. Does the quality of photo degrade with such a lens? I’m honestly wondering if I’ve been doing photo shoots all wrong (I just have fun with it, as a hobby). I have a 50mm, as well as a 18-55mm, and the 18-270mm as I said previously. I’m trying to decide which would be best for a family photo shoot of 2 adults, 2 young children. I always get so anxious….the kiddos can’t stay still and then the amount of different cropped and different positions the mom wants. Also, is it terrible to go ahead and shoot in P, AV, or T mode? So I don’t always have to worry about EVERYTHING? With children, I find I’m not having the time to take a photo, change all my settings, retake the photo, change them again, etc. etc. M is too difficult for me. I need just a smudge more help. Any insight? ReplyCancel
Hey Rebecca! I tend to shoot with a prime or fixed lens mostly because I find I get much sharper images. The 50mm is a great one to work with! Just relax at your shoot, you’ll do great! Take your time and if you want to switch out lenses, give that a try! I switch out lenses a lot during a session:) If you’re not completely comfortable in manual, that’s OK. Use a mode your most comfortable in, but you will find that as you practice in manual it will get easier and easier:) EmilyReplyCancel
I’m shooting a family with a nikon d5500 this weekend. My problem tends to lie with what AF settings and focus modes. I always think I have it set right and then the camera is only focused on one person and everyone else is slightly blurry. What are the best setting to use for family portraits? ReplyCancel
Hey Tara!
I usually shoot AF. For family portraits your settings are really dependent on several things.
First, I would take a look at the focal length of you lens and the double that for you shutter speed.
Next, set the aperture based on how you have the family posed. If they are in a line or all on the same plane you can set it much wider. If the family members are in several lines or staggered, set the aperture more narrow.
Hi Lucy! Sure! I’d probably shoot with the 50mm or a focal length shorter than that to make sure I had enough room. Also, make sure you have enough room indoors for that many people. Make sure there is plenty of natural light or use an external light source (or speedlite). Have fun! Good luck! EmilyReplyCancel
Hi Mica!
I would use both lenses for more variety, but I’d start with the 85mm. You setting wwill be differetn based on you light and how you pose them. If they are lined up straight, I might set it a 3.2, 1/250 and then adjust my ISO accordingly. If they are posed more staggered, make your f stop narrower. Hope this helps. Good luck! -EmilyReplyCancel
If i am shooting a large family of 20 and i am using a 24-70mm lens. I have trouble with my focus and would love to be able to have tac sharp photos for this one. I do have a 100mm lens as well but i feel it is hard to shoot with this one since you have to be so far away. Im sure there will have to be multiple rows of people. What do you suggest? thanks – DelaneyReplyCancel
Hi Delaney!
With a group that large, I would pose them in two rows -shorter ones and kids in front and very tight together. Use the lens you are most comfortable with (sounds like the 24-70) Set your shutter at least double your focal length and the the aperture no less than 3.5 Good luck!
EmilyReplyCancel
Hi..what setting do you set first…for some reason my shutter speed slows down and I get blurry photos..ive got some large family groups coming up and want to nail it. These will be outdoor shoots using a speedlight because most of my natural light portraits look flat. I will be using a canon 50mm 1.4..or 24-105.,,ReplyCancel
Hi Kamma!
I set my shutter first, and always at least double my focal length (and many times even faster to make sure I nail focus). When I shoot with my 50mm , I usually don’t shoot slower then 1/250. Next I set my aperture depending on how they are posed and finally adjust the ISO accordingly. Hope that helped a little and good luck with your sessions! EmilyReplyCancel
Hey Darlene! That sounds like fun. If the family is one the same plane or in a line I would start with an f stop of 3.2. I don’t think I’d go wider than that for beach shots just because you’ll want that water in focus too! You’ll want to adjust your shutter and ISO from there. I proabavly would shoot slower than 1/400 with that lens. Hope that helps a little !
EmilyReplyCancel
Hi Ivona! Thank you! And yes, I do have a few articles on posing. You can check out this one on family posing or here on child posing🙂 Hope it helps! -EmilyReplyCancel
Hi Emily, this is great article and topic. But still, I’m bit curious on using wider aperture (small F number) for group photo. Because the wider aperture that we use, usually we’ll get the narrow area that get focused and sharp. Hope you can share the tips and tricks by using wider aperture such as F3.2 for family/group photo.
Thanks a lot.ReplyCancel
Hi Ben!
It’s all about how you pose them. If you want to shoot wider and have a large number of people you are working with, first try lining them all up- especially their faces. Try to get them all on the same plane. This might mean if there are smaller kids-have an adult pick them up so everyone together. The more rows of people you have, the narrower your aperture will have to be. Hope that helps a little! -EmilyReplyCancel
Hi Debbie! A couple things I do. One, put a reflector to the front/side of the group (if you have an assistant you could hold a big white sheet up too. Two, make sure you are exposing for their skin and set your metering to spot metering. And last, try making sure that the sun isn’t directly behind them, but slightly to the side. Hope that helps! -EmilyReplyCancel
Hi Breanne! You got it! Band portraits sound fun- I bet you can get pretty creative with those:) I only auto focus because that is what I find I get better results with, so I can’t really recommend manual. I know photographers that prefer though, so I’d say whatever you are more comfortable with!
EmilyReplyCancel
I am taking a 33 member family portrait Saturday. I know about WB and ISO and that’s about it. I have a Canon T5 and I am using my 18-55 mm lens with a tripod. I’ll be using my timer for the first time as well. It is forecasted to be cloudy at best. Any tips? Thanks in advance! Have a very Merry Christmas!!ReplyCancel
Hey Kimberly! Sounds like fun:) I would shot at around 50mm, just so you avoid distortion. Cloudy weather is great- it will give you nice even light on a group that big. Take several shots just in case anyone closes their eys or isn’t looking during the group shot- chances are with that many one person is bound to. Keep your shutter speed faster than 1/100 and adjust your other settings from there. Good luck! Hope this helps:) EmilyReplyCancel
Hello! I’m doing my first family photo shoot this weekend and I’m super nervous! I found this article on Pinterest and it was REALLY helpful! Do you recommend using manual or automatic focus? I can’t decide which I like better, but I also need to practice using the auto focus more because I can never get it to focus on what I want. Do you have advice or an article you’ve already written you can direct me to? Thanks in advance!ReplyCancel
Hiya, loved this post. I take photos of a community school therefore the group shots are usually 3 rows . I still have trouble getting it sharp as. Because such a big group i usually shoot it at F9/f10 to make sure everyone is in focus. i use a 28-135 (i try not to use it zoom in as i know this loses quality too but i often have to but no more than to about 40) and shoot at 1/125 and 100-200 but no more than 500 iso if light is ok . I still find the group.isnt super sharp its fine but not super sharp.
Thanks.ReplyCancel
Hi Tracey! Thanks! There are a couple things you might try to get better focus. From the information you gave me, I would probably start with increasing your shutter speed and widening your aperture just a little. Bring your three lines in tight and focus on the middle person in the front row with the middle focal point. If you’re consistently getting soft images, it could be you need to clean or calibrate the lens. Hope this helps! EmilyReplyCancel