What are some good ways to pose people for a large family photo?

Question

This Sunday (Mother's Day), my husband's family will all be together and we want to take a good, frameable shot of the entire family. This includes his parents, 9 siblings, 3 in-laws, and 3 babies. I will be masterminding the whole thing as I am the photographer in the family. However, I've never done this many people at one time (on a self-timer, no less) and I would appreciate some ideas for posing everyone so no one is hidden yet it does not have the typical crowded feel of so many family photos.
So does anyone have any ideas? Links to photos that I can look at?
We will be shooting outside and everyone is wearing blue denim and white shirts.
Thanks!

Answer 1

You can have 3 rows. Have the back row stand. The second row sit and have the small children in laps or sitting on the floor.



Or you could elect to go outside and have some people in trees (or some platform type object or stairs etc), others standing and maybe others sitting on rocks or stumps (etc). To get a more natural flow. Sometimes taking an overhead shot turns out better with large groups!



Either way, you're trying to work on several levels to to avoid overcrowding.



Try images in google too:

http://search.live.com/images/results.aspx?q=large+family+photo&FORM=IGRE#

Answer 2

3 rows. front to back...

sitting, kneeling, standing.



short people in front.

zippers on the jeans lined up between people not behind heads.

extra large people on the ends not in the middle

put 6 inches between people in the kneeling row and everyone else will fall into place.



you... on the end of the standing row will make it easy to slip into the pic after you click the shutter.



take at least 3 shots. bracket the exposure. pay attention to direction and harshness of light and where it puts shadows.



Look at what is behind your group and think about how it will look in the photo. that large tree may be nice but you dont want it growing out of someones head. a messy patio can turn a pretty picture ugly faster than you can say cheeze.



oh yeah.... no hats and no eyeglasses prescription or otherwise.

Answer 3

Check out the e-how article below.



If possible, set the parents in chairs, let them hold the 3 babies, then place the others around as appropriate.



Consider getting a tri-pod (or something to hold the camera) and a remote control (if your camera can use one). We bought a remote for our Nikon that is "universal" and could control Canon and other types of cameras for $25 at a local camera shop. This will save tons of time on the set the timer then run to get in the picture, wait wait, finally take it, then repeat since you need to take many pics to get one with no blinking.

Answer 4

you should have the tallest people in the back and shortest people in the front/thelittle kids should be in the back or in the back getting held in the air and if the woman are taller than the men they should be on the side and if i helped you in any way your welcome or gave you any ideas.