If you read my last blog, you know that our family is dealing with the unexpected death of my daughter, Anastasia. I wanted to give you tips to get your group picture and to continue encouraging you to get family pictures regardless of if they are done by a professional photographer or by yourselves.
Most people know how to get the phone camera to turn around so you can do a selfie group shot. Instead of an individual holding out the camera and pushing the shutter button hoping they get everyone in the picture, why don't you try these two techniques.
1) Invest in a camera tripod. There are several brands out there and several models that can do different things.
**These pictures I got off Amazon. I do not get paid by Amazon nor the companies that produce these products. They are just examples of what is available.**
Both can hold a phone or a compact/point and shoot camera. I like the "Spider" model (top picture) because you can attach it to things and get good pictures. However, the stationary tripod can be adjusted to various heights and sometimes a little bit more stable.
Now that you have your handy tripod, you can attach your device and make adjustments so everyone is in the picture.
I like putting the youngest in front. When working with a "young at heart" individual(s), I like to make sure they are sitting and having the rest of the group surrounding them. Adjust the camera or the people, so everyone is in the picture. DON'T FORGET TO SAVE A PLACE FOR YOU! It can be at the end or front and center. Just make sure you're in it and nobody's heads are covered by the person in front of them. It might take a few minutes asking people to move a step here or there.
To get people in the mood to get their pictures taken, I like to put on "happy music". It doesn't necessarily have to be holiday themed, but I find (especially with little ones) playing kid friendly music gets people in a lighter mood.
Now PICTURE TIME!!!!
Phones and cameras have self timers. With my android phone camera, you can set it to 3 seconds or 10 seconds. On some phones, there's a function that if you say "Take a Picture" or "smile" it will take a picture. Magic!
My rule of thumb is to take at least 3 pictures. The first one will be like the first pancake: edible but not very good to look at. The second someone might sneeze, cough, or blink. The last one is usually the best one. Don't forget to do a silly face one for the kids!
Depending on how familiar you are with your camera, how cooperative the group is, and other factors, this process can be done in 3-5 minutes.
Like I said in my last blog post, it doesn't have to be perfect--it just needs to be done. You never know when life will throw you a curve ball and you will wish you had just one more picture.
Many Blessings,
Sarah Patch, Proud Owner and Photographer of Unspoken Images Photography
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