Metering with a very large group of people

12 years 7 months ago #153231 by Casey T
We have our annual company picnic coming up and this year I've been asked to take the employee group photo. There are going to be nearly 60 people in this portrait that I believe will be outside or under a roof with no exposed walls (so some light is able to come in) and everyone will be on a set of bleachers. I don't have a external light meter, so how would I meter a large group like this. I was even thinking about bracketing the shot perhaps a stop in each direction. Or do you think that would look to fake at the end?

My Passion is being behind my camera and my family.
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12 years 7 months ago - 12 years 7 months ago #153234 by MLKstudios
No different than anything else. Meter as usual, and make sure the flash is up to light up the eyes.

:)

PS check that you have NO exposure compensation set (a plus or minus). It should be EV=0.0.

It's something many people adjust accidentally and will make ALL your pics come out over or under exposed.

Matthew L Kees
MLK Studios Photography School
www.MLKstudios.com
[email protected]
"Every artist, was once an amateur"

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12 years 7 months ago - 12 years 7 months ago #153319 by photobod
Bracketing shots is a common thing in photography, nothing fake about it, if anything it will make sure you get a well exposed shot and therefore eliminate your worry, I assume you use a DSLR so you can keep an eye on the rear screen and the histogram, look for a fairly even histo preferably biased towards the right side, not to much though.
If you are under a roof watch out for shadows you dont want half the group in shade and half in full sunlight, if you are in charge, wich you should be, insist on an area that gives you a tidy background and offers light shade.
Dont forget its your picnic too, so enjoy yourself.

www.dcimages.org.uk
"A good photograph is one that communicate a fact, touches the heart, leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective." - Irving Penn

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12 years 7 months ago #153442 by The Gardener

photobod wrote: Bracketing shots is a common thing in photography, nothing fake about it, if anything it will make sure you get a well exposed shot and therefore eliminate your worry, I assume you use a DSLR so you can keep an eye on the rear screen and the histogram, look for a fairly even histo preferably biased towards the right side, not to much though.
If you are under a roof watch out for shadows you dont want half the group in shade and half in full sunlight, if you are in charge, wich you should be, insist on an area that gives you a tidy background and offers light shade.
Dont forget its your picnic too, so enjoy yourself.


:goodpost:


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12 years 6 months ago #153646 by bcap fish

photobod wrote: Bracketing shots is a common thing in photography, nothing fake about it, if anything it will make sure you get a well exposed shot and therefore eliminate your worry, I assume you use a DSLR so you can keep an eye on the rear screen and the histogram, look for a fairly even histo preferably biased towards the right side, not to much though.
If you are under a roof watch out for shadows you dont want half the group in shade and half in full sunlight, if you are in charge, wich you should be, insist on an area that gives you a tidy background and offers light shade.
Dont forget its your picnic too, so enjoy yourself.


Great answer.
Would love to see the photo and any candid shots you may taken during that day.


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12 years 6 months ago #155520 by Mayo
You could always adjust exposure compensation on the fly to get the right look?

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