Every once in a while, you will find yourself taking a group photo at a wedding, birthday party, sporting event e.t.c. Chances are, you’re not a professional photographer but that should not stop you from taking great group photos.

Apart from the group and a camera, there are several tips you should have at your finger tips to help you take the best group photos when you’re called upon to.

Camera:

To take a great group photo, you need a good camera. Most middle class and high end smartphones have good cameras on them. Some have better cameras than your digital camera.

Preparation:

You need to be prepared before taking a group photo. First identify a location with a relevant background and good lighting. Try not to take group photos when the sun is over head. This will prevent unnecessary shadows on the eyes and shiny fore heads in the photo.

Then inform the people whose group photo you want to take that you’ll need them in a few minutes.  People hate waiting for a photo.

If it’s a large group of people, you might consider using a wide angle lens or changing the perspective. For instance, taking the photo from an elevated point allows you to capture a huge group of people without being too far away from them.

Taking The Group Photo:

For group photos, landscape mode works best. So you need to hold your smartphone horizontally. Look through the screen to make sure everyone is covered.

To make sure no one is blinking, make everyone close their eyes and open them at the same time when you are taking the photo.

credit: Donna & Antti

Smile. A smile is contagious. A smiling photographer makes the subjects smile nine times out of ten.

Take multiple shots quickly. Better still, set your phone to take continuous shots. From the collection of resulting images, you can pick out the best group photo.