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!!! :)