How To Get Everyone In Focus In A Group Photo

[@scottwyden]

If you have any questions about this, something else, or a topic request for the future, please comment here.

[@mizzyfromkingz]

What about for recording, I’m doing a let’s play with 2 ppl and a canon m50, I thought I set the autofocus right but a lot of my footage came out blurry.

[@myfakeguuglaccount8307]

What focal lengths were some of your samples shot at? I'm starting my lens collection. Would 20 or 24mm be good for group photos?

[@antigonooo]

How should I pose a family of 20 for an outdoor photoshoot??

[@smith8948]

I’ve watched 50 million videos on this subject and you just explained it in 3 steps in about 3 minutes. Have mercy, THANK YOU. Large groups have been the thorn in my side!

[@Ozhtube]

Hi Scott! What auto focus to use to photograph 40 people standing on stairs in five rows? I’ll be using Sony 35 mm gm

[@markgoostree6334]

So much goes into a group shot! That is why many of us struggle with it. Far too easy to let something slip by and ruin the photo. We always try a family group shot at every gathering... they are tough.

[@hurleygreen927]

Great posing tips...I appreciate your video!

[@scottwyden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@rickymundy8663]

Great video and just what I was looking for. May of already appeared in comments but learned to try to keep your subjects away from outer parameter of your lenses. On some lens there is a distortion on the edges !

[@kylepwagner4853]

UGH!!!! I wish i'd watched this before I shot a group today (for pay!). Its a nicely composed shot & I thought I'd brought the aperture down enough to get them all, but the two further subjects are the only ones in focus. I'm so annoyed with myself! I just did some tests here in my room (with a flash) & they were indeed sharper. I got some good basic portraits which was the primary goal, but I feel like a total amateur (which I am, really). Live and learn, right? Thanks for the pointers.

[@kmdecocreative9838]

So concise and informative. Loving your tutorials. Quick question, shooting on an R5 some dance routines next week…what would you recommend for best video settings? The dancers will be changing plains and I will be mobile on a DJI Ronin RS2. I’m thinking to avoid any unwanted rack focusing to put settings around f11-f16 and doing a point focus on the floor in middle of all of them? Having a heck of a time finding a video walking through steps for this type of video setting. What are your thoughts?

[@karenm.crye-leikerealtor6215]

With my aperture at F8 or higher the darker the image is. So where should shutter speed and ISO be to prevent noise and also be properly exposed? I need help!

[@ronlippitt]

Great video. Might be worth mentioning the ability to crank your ISO up such that you can get a shutter speed of at least 125 to avoid movement blur.

[@michael-4k4000]

yea you can always crank up the ISO, but its really a last resort. I use the Z6ll and actually like the way the ISO grain looks for sports. Shot a basketball game at 8,000 ISO and very useable shots. However, its when you zoom in, that's when you really see the noise.

[@royaltykidstv]

I am having a team photoshoot, actually a retake due to blur shots last week. I do not yet own a flash nor umbrella. I shot with a EOS R, f/5.6, 1/250 and ISO 2000. This was a basketball gym, and a team of 19. I had setup 3 rows, seating, kneeling and standing. Why did I get blurry pictures? And how can I get sharp pictures without flash? I will be using my Canon R6 for this retake with my 35mm. Also does it matter how far away or close I am to the team?

[@Baman21]

@@royaltykidstv I shot with flash two people at about the same aperture and when you zoom in one person who was standing closer to the camera was slightly out of focus. It wouldn't be noticable unless you zoom in but you probably could raise the aperture more and drop the shutter speed since they are posing.

[@gusdee4844]

@@royaltykidstv im assuming it was your smaller aperture. They recommend like f8 for group shots

[@brecht3813]

@@royaltykidstv maybe try to stand further away, the closer you are to the subjects the shallower the depth of field is.

[@abrahamgrc2243]

This is great but how do you ensure that the quality of that focus is good at f10? or higher? I’ve face the situation in wich throwing up my aperture reduces the quality/sharpness in the focused areas and i’ve seen really big like graduate group photos 30…40 people everyone very detailed focused.

[@GosWolf85]

Photographing a large group of people is an absolute nightmare, because clients sometimes choose the weirdest and most diffucult places to take those photos.

[@jasmina_ollee]

I agree with u so much. But i always get to position them the way i think it will be the best for shooting

[@thedonleeboy]

Great video, thanks.... Any input on how a face/eye detect/ autofocus would function if shooting 2 or 3 people? Maybe 4? Does it/you just focus on one person, ay the middle person, and the others are captured with a high enough f-stop, or can it auto detect multiple faces/eyes?

[@blockbusterlatefees7713]

Great video! To the point no fluff! At this point, I'll just whip out a secondary tool...a cell phone...which focuses on everything 😅

[@scottwyden]

thanks

[@maxhammer4067]

Ok this guy is a boss

[@saintwolfvision]

Does this same thought apply to video? Have a 3-5 person podcast I'm recording in a living room type setting. Sony zv-e10 apsc with Sony 16mm 2.8 lens. Thanks!!

[@jonathonaustinphotography3815]

Thanks for this

[@hoswayhouse7342]

Great video! I have some family group photo sessions coming up and this really helped a lot!

[@scottwyden]

Thanks for watching. Good luck with your session.

[@Cas_98]

Thanks mate

[@jenqq8514]

what aperture is good for 6-7 people and has blurr background?

[@saintwolfvision]

8-11 like he said - if the BG is far enough away you will still get some blur.

[@Ahmedpakido]

How about using zone focus with f8?

[@lamoonhs]

Video is very helpful

[@lockstarkingding]

How do you find the lens sweet spot

[@lizpify]

Thanks, helpful!

[@scottwyden]

Thanks for watching

[@mtbboy1993]

great tips, but yea masking works in some cases only, best for objects not people. but some people are good at being still. not everyone is a fake statue. manual focus is important, but many with phones just to auto focus. I always use manual, only time I use auto focus is for unusual angles where I can't see ,for those taking burst and many photos works. those people with phones, might still be able to use somewhat auto mode with on a point you touch, works quite well, most apps have this feature. but phone is not as easy on a camera I guess, especially for shooting people. so then I would just shoot several photos.

[@scottwyden]

Most new cameras, especially mirrorless, have people, face or eye detection. Many also have touch screens for a while tap too.

[@mtbboy1993]

@@scottwyden my phone has face focus, but I haven't tested it, but I have to switch between focus modes to do that.

[@mtbboy1993]

@@scottwyden I think I might go for mirror less, not sure which, but if so screen must be good, so I can see somewhat realistic representation of the photo I am taking.

[@nobbysphotography5944]

what about focus stacking would it work

[@scottwyden]

Your subjects would have to stay very still to accomplish that.

[@nobbysphotography5944]

@@scottwyden with new Canon R6 the time between shots is fairly fast and is automated so no manual focus between frames

[@scottwyden]

@@nobbysphotography5944 still, it would be extremely difficult with how people move their bodies.