Large Group Shot (>600pax)

[pinholecam]

Never taken 600ppl before, but at that size and from seeing such corporate photos with many people, these are 'not important photos' in the sense that most likely they will/can never be viewed under too much scrutiny
Most people won't bother looking too long at them either for various reasons (eg. Not printed too big; can not tell too clearly who is who; cannot/hard find who is who; on corporate website or publications where readers can't be bothered with such photos (just turn to the performance summary page), etc)

So don't loose hair over this shot.
Maybe at least get the important folks (who are paying you) in the front and in good focus. :bsmilie:
Other than that, as suggested, take it as any other shot or like a landscape shot.


My worthless few cents....

 

[coolthought]

Never taken 600ppl before, but at that size and from seeing such corporate photos with many people, these are 'not important photos' in the sense that most likely they will/can never be viewed under too much scrutiny
Most people won't bother looking too long at them either for various reasons (eg. Not printed too big; can not tell too clearly who is who; cannot/hard find who is who; on corporate website or publications where readers can't be bothered with such photos (just turn to the performance summary page), etc)

So don't loose hair over this shot.
Maybe at least get the important folks (who are paying you) in the front and in good focus. :bsmilie:
Other than that, as suggested, take it as any other shot or like a landscape shot.


My worthless few cents....

I think this is the best advice of all.

 

[Dream Merchant]

Never taken 600ppl before .....

get the important folks (who are paying you) in the front and in good focus. :bsmilie:
Other than that, as suggested, take it as any other shot or like a landscape shot.


My worthless few cents....

Sage advise!

Oh, and the lighting ...

Cheers!

 

[allenleonhart]

get the important folks (who are paying you) in the front and in good focus.

and yes. best advice of the day

 

[wootsk]

Nah, mostly people will push the "important folks" forward while people who actually don't want to be noticed in the photo hide at the back. Regarding the one who is paying you, just let him be. If you shoot him with a chunk of meat in his mouth or some eye wax in his eye, he might complain to you and extra PP needed.

 

[kiddyduck]

Haha... Here's my plan:

1) Gather everyone... do pan shot + stitch
2) Gather in 3 groups + gaps in between + pan shot stitch
3) Take by 1 photo squeeze everyone in...

if all cant work out,

Take by groups... individual shots 50-80 per shot...


Another question:

1) For panoramic shot right, do you take all the photos in one spot, by rotating your body and then stitch with PP distortion correction? or do you take 1 photo and then move to take another 1 (with overlapping), then take another 1 at the next spot, then stitch together...?


Usually i take panos is to rotate body, then PS to do the stitching. Just to make sure that I dont screw up the whole thing...

 

[allenleonhart]

Haha... Here's my plan:

1) Gather everyone... do pan shot + stitch
2) Gather in 3 groups + gaps in between + pan shot stitch
3) Take by 1 photo squeeze everyone in...

if all cant work out,

Take by groups... individual shots 50-80 per shot...


Another question:

1) For panoramic shot right, do you take all the photos in one spot, by rotating your body and then stitch with PP distortion correction? or do you take 1 photo and then move to take another 1 (with overlapping), then take another 1 at the next spot, then stitch together...?


Usually i take panos is to rotate body, then PS to do the stitching. Just to make sure that I dont screw up the whole thing...

cheat a bit...

do a chromakey...;p do in small groups. and photoshop the bg in. done!:thumbsup:

 

[fotoudavid]

i wonder will u be paid...........:think:

 

[fotoudavid]

My best record is 300 over ppl........... and i assure you, ppl at the back dun care and ppl on the front have little time.......

 

[kiddyduck]

My best record is 300 over ppl........... and i assure you, ppl at the back dun care and ppl on the front have little time.......

Quite true.. but now the front people want those that are behind them to stay..

i wonder will u be paid...........:think:

Well... Thats my job... rare opportunity... you dont get to "gather" so many for a group shot!

 

[kiddyduck]

Oh... My question as yet to be answered..

For this kind of panoramic group shot, do we stay in a spot and rotate our body and take the shots?

Or do we shift to left or right to take the subsequent shot?

Since this is different from scenery pano, moving is needed for closer subjects?

 

[Doctor Inferno]

I would stay on the spot and rotate my camera.

Actually, I would rent a fisheye lens for this shot.

 

[fotoudavid]

Oh... My question as yet to be answered..

For this kind of panoramic group shot, do we stay in a spot and rotate our body and take the shots?

Or do we shift to left or right to take the subsequent shot?

Since this is different from scenery pano, moving is needed for closer subjects?

stay on one spot and shoot.
also try fisheyes, so whatever happen, still have a fisheye picture.

better ask how big they wanna blow........

 

[Narsuitus]

If I were asked to take a large group shot, I would not think of taking it with a small format camera. I would tackle this assignment with a large format camera (larger than 8x10 inches) and at least three assistants (one to handle the lights on my right, one for the lights on my left, and one to help steady the ladder and tripod).

 

[2100]

If I were asked to take a large group shot, I would not think of taking it with a small format camera. I would tackle this assignment with a large format camera (larger than 8x10 inches) and at least three assistants (one to handle the lights on my right, one for the lights on my left, and one to help steady the ladder and tripod).

Can be done, renting of bodies/strobes with stands or even transportation etc. They used to charge in excess of 2k for starters, prints are extra. Then they give FOC extras like photo support (say 3hrs) for the executive dinner at night for one of the jobs which I got a chance to follow through. .

Issue is, even if its "amateur/hobby", if I may make a quick perhaps even hazardous guess I hope the TS is getting more than 300 bux for this. I used to be doing, in the end even 600 bucks also not worth, too much work for loading/unloading setup and you gotta standby way before the shoot. But then for me its all the big shots top management type of shoots....
I did a couple of hit n go 6 years ago, as in $100 and you just go there, arrange, shoot and F off all in all not more than 30 mins. jpg return with editing thrown in as complimentary (usually company logo and event tax, resized for different print sizes for the client to DIY print etc).

If I am not wrong, I saw a quotation which is 1.2k already, even for a 50 pax, full ballroom setup kind of stuff, but that's with express prints.

 

[MinisQQ]

If you are going to do stitch then try to use a wide-angled lens with low distortion at the edges. Distorted head and bodies are a no-no in commercial shoot. May have to stitch more pictures but at least it's easier than to correct a badly distorted one.

 

[geraldkhoo]

Hey TS... show us the end result leh

 

[kwttan]

Wow, 600 ppl photo, guess everyone will look like ant and need magnifying glass to identify. Yah, pls show us the photo after you have taken.