How to Take Group Photos So That Everyone's *Actually* Happy with the Results

We all want to look better in pictures, but when it comes to group shots, well, that’s hard. Especially for the poor photographer you’ve roped into doing the job. Should you be the unlucky Joe, you’ve got quite the task in front of you, because everyone’s counting on you to make sure they look great. Yikes! As a photographer who’s done many portraits (and group ones, at that) over the years, below are 11 tricks I use to make sure everyone—from tween cousin Justine to Great-Aunt Clara—is happy with the result. Whether you’re photographing a gaggle of wedding guests or trying to get one decent shot at the family reunion, consider these tips foolproof.  

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good, dramatic Caravaggio shadow, but when doing group photos, it can be difficult to manage, especially if you’re just a casual bystander roped into the job. For best results, get your subjects in clean, even light. This is especially important if you're photographing a group and the scenery behind them, say, in a national park or at a beautiful castle. If the mountains or castle are in the shade, move your group into the shade. If the surroundings are completely lit by the sun, put your people in the sun. Otherwise, you’ll be dealing with a nasty case of what photographers call split lighting—because the light is literally split, half your subject is in the shadow and half in direct light. Digital cameras will adjust settings to make sure what is brightest is properly rendered, leaving anything in the shadow super dark.

We’ve all probably been in a group photo where we ended up obscured by someone else’s head or hand. When you’re composing the shot, do a quick scan to make sure all faces are visible. Seems like a no-duh, but the number of times it’s happened to me proves it’s anything but.

I cover what I consider the big three mistakes—AKA, what you should absolutely stop doing in pictures—here, but this is the gist: Tell your subjects to make sure that they’re not lacing their fingers, not putting all their weight on their front leg (if they’re facing the camera at an angle) and not pressing their arms to their sides. Small tweaks that I promise make a huge difference.

While on vacation with my family, my brother was asked to take a couple’s photo. At the time, I thought that he was over communicating and should just press the shutter. But looking back, he’s actually the one person I really want to take a group photo. Why? His communication was crystal-clear. He walked the couple through exactly what he would do and when—which orientation he’d shoot, loud countdowns—so they didn’t just stand there smiling and maybe blinking, wondering if the shutter was going off. If you’re the photographer, do the same. If everyone knows what’s happening, they’ll be ready when the shutter clicks.

I’m talking more about iPhone cameras here with the notorious 0.5 feature. This is a great tool if you’ve packed a ton of people into a small space. Just watch out for the edges of the frame, which can look distorted with the “fishbowl” effect. This is especially pronounced on traditional cameras, so I suggest you don’t do a smaller focal length than 35mm.

For the nerds and those with a digital camera who refuse to shoot on auto, make sure your aperture is small enough that you won’t accidentally blur out people in the back rows. For two rows of people, f/5.6 is probably the lowest you can go, but to be safe, I’d do f/8. Three rows or more? You should be good between f/11 and f/16.

You have to give the people options! Do a mix of full-body and torso shots for variety.

People tend to go into turtle mode when confronted by a camera. Remind your subjects to drop their shoulders, ease their grips and extend their chins. More small tweaks that make a world of a difference when they’re compressed to 2D.

If you’re not a model, it’s hard to visualize what you’ll look like in a photograph, even if you think you’ve posed yourself properly. Help your subjects out by taking a few test shots and showing them, so they can make any necessary adjustments to hair, makeup or the placement of an arm or accessory.

If you know me, you know I love triangle composition, or what I refer to as the “Vanity Fair Rule.” For more advanced photographers, this is a smart way to add visual interest to your group photograph, and I guarantee it will leave everyone impressed. While the article goes more in-depth, the gist of the technique is in the name—create triangles. I do this by posing people in groups of three, ensuring that their heads create an inverted or upright triangle shape. Cue the ooohs and ahhhs.

I’ve literally never met anyone who was unhappy with a silly picture. That’s my secret to a 100 percent success rate.