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10 Fool-Proof Posing Tips for Group Portraits

Looking through the Improve Photography facebook fan page, the most common question is how to pose people for group portraits.  I think the reason that many of the members of our community are nervous about this taking this type of photo.  Fortunately, group portrait photography of a family or other group is not overly difficult as long as you know a few steps to take in order to get a great photo.

Break up lines of people for family portraits
The rows of heads in this photo don't look too bad, but breaking up the pattern would make them feel more like a tight group.

Tip #1: Get the heads on different levels

This posing tip is first for a reason.  It is probably the easiest way to dramatically improve your compositions for group photography.  The idea is that you get the people to be on all different levels so that any pattern of heights does not distract the viewer from seeing the group as being one cohesive unit.  In the photo at the right, you can see that the parents are roughly equal in height, and the children are equal in height.  Standing this way would be fine for a snapshot, but it does not look like professional posing.  Changing this pose up just slightly could make a big impact in the overall photo.

Tip #2: Make sure no one is covered up

Pretty simple, but it can ruin even the best poses if someone's face is covered.  Trust me, it will be the first thing that your client or your family notices even if the rest of the picture is perfect.  Just remember to scan the entire group before taking the photo to make sure that everyone can clearly see the camera.  Some photographers say “If you can't see the camera, I can't see you.”  This might help for larger groups, but it makes people think that they are completely uncovered if their eyes can see the camera, so it's best for the photographer to take control and check before each shot.

Composition? Nah… just fun!

Tip #3: Let the group unfold naturally (AKA “Have fun!”)

Formal group photos are tough to pose because people will not remain still.  Even shifting their weight from one foot to another can completely change the pose.  Posing a group of five or more can be like playing Whack-a-mole.  As soon as you get one in place, another one moves and you have to get the other one set!  If the group is willing to try something different, you could completely throw the formal group photo out the window and just have fun.  Here are a couple ideas for doing casual group photos: (1) have the group run toward the camera, or (2) put the group casually lounging on the couch and the floor like a family would sprawl out for movie night in the family room.

Posing this group on uneven footing makes the composition feel natural and there are no distracting patterns of even heads.

Tip #4: Pose the subjects on uneven footing

One of the best ways to get the subjects heads on different levels is to find a location that will allow for it.  For example, you could pose the family or group on a staircase so they are all sitting on different steps.  This will easily break up any patterns of head levels so the group looks like one and no pattern distracts the viewer.  You could do the same thing by placing the group on fallen down logs or on boulders or any other uneven surface.

Tip #5: Rip that shutter!

As you look through your photos in Lightroom after a shoot, you sift through until you find the perfect photo.  Then, you notice that one of the people was not looking at the camera.  So frustrating!  When I shoot group photos, I always put the camera on “continuous low” so I shoot 3 frames per second.  I grab three frames of each shot I want to take.  It is more time consuming and it can be a pain to edit, but this allows you to mask together multiple shots to fix the one person who is not looking at the camera or is covered up.

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Tip #6: Light with care

Lighting groups can be tricky if it is your first time.  There are basically two mistakes that most “first timers” commonly make.  First, they use only one light for a group.  This will make the one person who is close to the light overly bright, and the people on the other side of the frame will be mostly untouched by the light.  The second common mistake is placing the lights too close to the axis of the people, so one person's head throws a shadow on the next person.  When shooting group photos, I usually pull the lights in much closer to the camera than I typically do when shooting one or two people.

I think I see what the photographer is going for here, but the group is so far spread apart that it feels unnatural.

Tip #7: Tighten things up

Most people have a natural bubble.  When you ask a group to stand together for a picture, particularly if it is a business group rather than a family, the group will be spread much further apart than they should.  If you take the shot with the group too far apart, they will not feel like a group at all!  If you find yourself constantly saying, “Can you all squish in a bit tighter?” then you're probably on the right track.

Tip #8: Show confidence

If you shoot group photos for profit, you must absolutely dominate the situation.  When there are a lot of people getting together, it will be chaotic and will take twice as long as it should if you don't step in and take control of the situation.  They will not know where to go unless you tell them.  These things don't pose themselves….

Triangles for composition in group photography.
This triangle works perfectly as a composition element for this family photo.

Tip #9: Use a triangle as a composition technique

Triangles are an underused tool of composition, and yet it is probably the most important rule of composition for shooting group photos.  It will be unlikely that you could successfully shoot a group photo following the rule of thirds.  Wouldn't it look strange to have the family squished off into the corner of the photo and then a giant space of nothingness in the rest of the shot?  Yes, it would.

So the best way to compose group photos is to use triangles to your advantage.  Have the group positioned so the bottom of the people is wider and have only one person at the top of the pose.  This makes the group look like a single unit and the composition looks complete.

It's insanity! Save the children! Someone stop the photographer from scarring the children for life!

Tip #10: Don't get too “creative” in your posing

It might seem like a good idea, but seriously… don't do anything embarrassing like in the photo on the left.  Group photos can get awkward fast if you aren't careful.

If you are ever tempted to do posing like in the photo to the left, just give me a call on my cell phone.  My number is [redacted because 4 or 5 people ACTUALLY CALLED in the last few months–this was intended to be a joke].   Just don't do anything crazy before I talk with you.

P.S. If you haven't LIKED Improve Photography on Facebook, you're missing out on half the fun!  It's the perfect place to ask photography questions or to get group therapy for when you're considering an awkward pose!

48 thoughts on “10 Fool-Proof Posing Tips for Group Portraits”

  1. Hello, I’m new here I just discovered your blog last week and I really enjoy it! I have a question about today’s post. In the introduction paragraph you referred to 3 other posts. I cannot find them on the blog. I am most interested in the “large group poses” post. I tried to use the search feature, but could not locate that post. Can you please point me in the right direction? Thank you so much! Like I said, I really enjoy your blog and I have already shared it with a few friends 🙂

    1. I’m like Valerie, I could use some help with this subject, desperatly I might add. I volunteered to help a friend with a charity in a week. I will need to shoot several small teams for most the morning, sounds easy to most I’m sure. Thing is I don’t photograph people, I’m more a landscape/nature girl. This will be at a golf course where I don’t know the layout or anything and cannot access till the day of the shoot. I know this is sort of vauge but anyone have any ideas please?

  2. That last photo reminds me of the book “awkward Family Photos”. I’m just getting back into photography after a bit of a hiatus and just found your site through PINTEREST. Glad I did.

  3. I have seen a few people take family photos recently worse than this bottom one. They have family with Dad laying on the ground on his stomach, Mom laying on top of him, then kids with smallest on top. What are they thinking? I have seen it a couple times in the past couple months.

  4. You better call the photography police on me. I have committed group-posing-crime #10 according to Trax and yourself.

    I really liked tips 1-9 and think my photography could benefit a lot from them. Perhaps #10 was meant in jest, but either way, I’d always encourage photographers to push the bounds of creativity. Just keep the shots that crashed and burned to yourself!

    By the way, not only was this family extremely happy with the dog-pile shot,it also sold over 15 times on Getty as of this writing.

    Cheers,
    Greg

  5. Thank you so much for this incredibly informative article. I’ve got some shoots coming up soon and this changes the game altogether for the better, keep up the great work!

  6. hi jim,
    just started reading your stuff… love it. i just started my photography business and i’m doing so so considering i have not had any formal training. i know i still have a long way to go. i am looking forward to take’n a few of your classes. unfort’ly i missed this tue live broadcast. now i have a reminder in my phone. i have my first wedding coming up in june and i’m scared to death. i don’t have someone to partner with accept my pen/pad. going tomorrow with client to check out the place. i’ve not done much inside photography because i’m not real good at understanding/using an external flash. so i’m taking my camera to do some test shots. so between making sure i get every granny, mother-n-law and twice removed uncle and using this flash… i’m having a hard time sleeping a night. got any advise? anything would be useful. oh and if you look at my website, don’t be too harsh. i really am getting better. lots of my photo shoot were “free” by the way…. ok, ok, enough:)
    goodbye

  7. Definitely laughing at #10. I work part time in a chain photography studio, and I another photographer I work with did that same pose (except sitting). It’s so awkward for the family!!!

  8. Great tips! I am taking photos of a family of ten in a little over a month. I will definitely use some of these techniques!

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