Someone has asked me to do a "family portrait". I might opt out of this one if it is anytime real soon! I simply do not have experience or equipment for a "studio" type shot. If we do it, this will have to be outside or if inside, using my single off-camera strobe and foam board reflectors. I won't do it untill I know the set-up will work. So, it this did happen, even outside, good lighting will still be needed. I can use reflectors to add some light to the sides and shadows of the "family group". So, if so, what sort of contrast ratio is considered for a group, family style shot? I think 4:1 might be too contrasty for a group of folks..haven't done it. LOL. Lol and lost! Any suggestions? The prob with outside and no backdrop is the actual background. This background will have to be well selected and not hit or miss with whatever is there. Agreed? As I said, I might not try this one unless I really feel ready for the set up. I am certainly more of a "what is happening" and "catch the shot" photographer than a studio one. Any advice in general on "family style" photos will be appreciated a bunch. Believe me, I want to do it but not unless I know I can pull it off well. Thanks. TomDart.

The post seemed too complicated in first post title. Try this.

Still beats me Tom :D How big is this family ?

hi tom, i've never used strobes so can't help you there. kemal and i just got some portable studio lights for our birthday presents to each other, but this past week has been such a blur with family stuff that i haven't had time to practice. if the weather is nice, why not just go to the park? the fall colors make a perfect background if you ask me! what do you mean when you say "contrast ratio?" 4:1??? i'm confused? how i would shoot a family...go to a park. do they want their portrait formal or informal? if i was shooting my family, i'd have some of them sit on top of a picnic table. then i'd have some sitting on the picnic table benches. then, i'd have some of them (maybe kids) below the people on the benches. hope i'm explaining right. a lake makes a nice background i think. kemal and i have been asked to shoot some family portraits, and they want them to be informal. it's how i plan to do it. we still don't have a date set for it though. they're waiting for a family member to come to town. now if the weather is nasty, then you've got to have a back-up plan. find a place with a shelter house or a gazebo. if you know anyone who owns a boat, a neat family portrait would be everyone on the side of a boat. well, i like that idea but i don't know anyone with a boat. i like the idea of shooting a family portrait down by the waterfalls. that makes a wonderful, natural background! haybales...i like that idea. around here folks are pretty relaxed and luv family portraits taken outside. several people have asked us to shoot them outside, and i think haybales are wonderful. u have access to a few haybales Tom? stack 'em up, stagger them about...do a bit of fall decorating with pumpkins and stuff and have some of them sit on the haybales...maybe a few stand? well, that's if they like a casual portrait. if you don't have the equipment for an indoor studio shot, then do it outdoors! YOU CAN DO IT, Tom!!!!!!! You shoot outdoors all the time! just throw in a few people and that's it! what other ideas??? well, if you can find a place in your house that has some decent lighting, set up and decorate your Christmas tree. Wrap up some empty boxes. Have them gather around the tree. would make a neat portrait if it's a small family of 3 or 4 maybe...and they would love to send those images out to friends and family for Christmas! uh...what else? For an indoor shot with some decent lighting, you can have a small family pose on a staircase. anyway, if i think of anything else, i'll let you know. Good luck, Tom!!!! I know you can do it!!! :)

Attached Link: http://www.popphoto.com/article.asp?section_id=4&article_id=706

Well Tom ya' got me on "4:1 might be too contrasty".... what?? *smile* You really don't need any fancy lighting equipment. A flash unit such as the SB600 or the SB800 that is meant to work with Nikon's CLS is all you really need. That, and a flash bracket with a diffuser (I recommend a Lightsphere II, no flash bracket needed) which will diffuse the light will work fine. Do a google for Gary Fong, and you'll find the Lightsphere..... Learn how to use fill flash. Or bounce flash if indoors. The secret is to have it look as if you didn't use flash at all. The link goes to a cheat sheet at POP Photo that will help. As far as backgrounds go just remember the DOF is your friend..... if you're faced with sub-par in the beauty department locations shoot wide open..... When you shoot on location as much as I do, you learn quickly that even the best plans don't always work out. This appointment was scheduled 4 weeks in advance. We were supposed shoot at a pumpkin patch.... back up plans for this was to use the covered barn at the patch which is filled with bales of hay and pumpkins..... It was still raining heavily the day of the appointment, but the Mom did not want to reschedule because she wouldn't be able to do it for at least another 2 months.....and besides we had the barn! Well due to 7 days worth of torrential down pours, the Pumpkin Patch was submerged under 2 feet of water because of flooding. I didn't find out that the location was completely shut down until 45 minutes before the schedule time. We spent a frantic hour trying to find another suitable location, roads were flooded... it was a mess... But it all worked out in the end...... 3 locations and 2 state beaches later, we ended up here. And the sun came out! Mom was happy..... Lesson learned: have a backup plan for the backup plan.... These two images were both taken using a 50 f/1.8 lens, SB800 flash and a Lightsphere II.....

Same as above..... fill flash.... outdoor location.

Thanks very much! If they will go for outdoor I can pick some locations..with fingers crossed for weather! I am used to using the SB800 in bounce and fill flash modes. For some reason, dof just slipped my mind totally! Shots like those shown here are so much more natural than the studio with the "grand masters" or some other background..looking so studioish. These outdoor shots show more heart in the people "as people" and not just a lineup for the studio shot. The contrast ratio is the relationship in light from essentially one side of the shot to the other. 2 stops difference...2 squared is 4. Ratio is 4:1. Maybe I should have said 1:4 Done with one light and reflectors or two lights positioned differently or at different power levels. If one side of the face reads f/11 and the other reads f/5.6(incident metering), you have 2 stops difference or the ratio of contrast shown. I can say it..have only tried using this a few times but no real experience. I would be much more comfortable with the camera and flash outdoors. We will see! Greart shots, btw. Tom.

Attached Link: http://www.studiolighting.net/

I am educated formally in English Literature and Physics...lol..and am a jeweler by trade! So, I am flitty sometimes and simply curious of tools than may help, sometime, somewhere. The "contrast ratio" is one of those tools, like wood working tools in the garage purchased and used not often enough. That is part of me. A link for studio lighting stuff is here with info on the contrast ratio thing. This is a tool I may never use but am aware it exist! Sort of like zone metering...to me, another tool in the bag but not used to potential. You folks are very helpful and beleive me, I will call the possible client and talk about real to life outdoors shots. You helped me get the "department store photography" ideas out of my head. I just have a hard time with the regular stuff, the straight on studio shots. Sure, studio shots are wonderful when done wonderfully and I have seen many here on 'rosity. The others..well, we all have opinions.

In doing outdoor portrait photography, I always try to either match (or exceed by 1 stop) the ambient light with a diffused strobe. You get the color of the sky (not blown out), and everything comes out nice and rich. It doesn't end up being too contrasty, and some contrast is actually a good thing or it will look "bland". While I happen to have battery powered units, you can use a regular on-camera flash (put it off-camera on a stand to get a more portrait look) shot through tracing paper to diffuse it. Grab your camera, flash, a stand, some tracing paper, and some friends - experiment for a bit and find out what works for you. Work on positioning, work on lighting, find what feels comfortable. Tell them not to wear anything white as it blows out in digital (don't know if you're using film or digital - just taking a chance there). Tell them not to wear any clothing with heavy patterns or very bright colors - it'll detract from their personality in the final image. As a nice touch, they could wear "like" clothing that is relaxed like jeans and all roughly the same color shirts. They can have different style shirts, but it'll still come across as unified. Side note - each stop up or down is double or half the amount (measurement) of light you give the exposure - hence "squared". Good luck and have fun.

Good advice from all. Thanks. I will be trying these methods and gain some confidence with the setup. And..adapting the flash exp properly for fill. Tom