We all love to gather big companies: family, friends, employees. In order to see each other, discuss working moments, organize a team building, share a new experience, have fun and just be together. Often, after such events, a huge amount of touching photos, funny pictures and shots that capture all the big friendly company are memorized in the memory of our camera to look through later. Such group photoshoots help to remember this day and people who were close to us.

This article will tell about some funny group photo poses and tricks to achieve successful results, have a fun and interesting experience. You will learn how to plan a frame, secrets of a right light, ideas of making positions for a big amount of people, as well as examples of original and awesome frames that will amuse you both in the process of shooting, creating great albums. Let us start with crucial technique tips to prevent small errors, reducing post-processing editing process.

1. Use a wide-angle lens

This helps to put everyone in the frame without setting the tripod far enough, and thus faces of all participants will be clearly captured. It is important when you want to film a nice memorable prom or grandchildren of a huge family.

2. Remember about sharpness

This is one of the important camera settings for group photos, as it helps to focus at all the faces in the frame. Set the aperture to F8 or higher, with a lower value, some faces can be out of focus or not as sharp as others. With such settings, it is important to ensure that there is enough light in the frame, you have to use a flash when shooting outside.

3. Take a tripod and remote control with you

The tripod needs to be set in the center in front of the group and everyone needs to know exactly where to look, also it will give a good stabilization of the camera. The remote control is an indispensable accessory if you also plan to be present in the frame. You do not need to set a timer and run to the camera to take a few pictures, it is enough just to stand with your models and press a button on the remote control.

4. Choose the right lighting

When considering large family photo ideas, there are two main nuances about the light. First: you can never use only one light source for shooting the whole group, otherwise people who are closer to the light source will be too bright, those who will be farther from the light source will be too dark. And the second: light sources should not be located too close to the group, because it can lead to unnecessary shadow on some models and on faces of others, which can spoil images. You should install the light closer to the camera, to get the best quality results.

5. Shoot in a shade or at the golden hour

Narrowed faces of people, unnecessary shadows under eyes and nose, shadows from trees on clothing are all these results, due to small errors of a photographer. To avoid unsuccessful moments, you need to choose a location and time to shoot. The ideal time for any photographs is the “golden hour” (one hour before sunrise or sunset) when the sunshine is soft and warm. If you cannot choose a great time, then look for an open shadow when the sun is closed, such as a mountain, and try grouping toward the sun to get more light on their faces.

6. Practice funny group photo poses

When working with a large team of friends or business colleagues of people it is necessary not only to control the light and the background, it is also very important to correctly place everyone in the frame and explain how to stand and where to look. All this will need to be thought out in advance and done quickly so that your models do not get bored and do not start looking in different directions and do not pose in different ways. Remember the purpose of the picture: if this is a picture of a sports team or schoolchildren, then a clear arrangement would be preferable if you are photographing a family or guests at a wedding, then the most important thing is that all guests are clearly visible and look in camera.

7. Be creative and capture everything

It is not enough just to build a group of people in front of the camera, count to three and take a photo. Professional group photo has to be worked out. You need to connect imagination and use your creative potential. This is exactly how the best shots come out.

8. Do not limit yourself with one frame, but several options

Often, even with the best planning and placement of models, bad frames happen. Someone closes their eyes or yawns, kids can make weird faces and joke at each other, something extra can get into the frame and other unforeseen circumstances. It’s right to make not one frame, but 5 or 10 shots. So you will have the opportunity to choose the most successful or bring pictures to perfection using image editors.

9. Use context to make group photos

Put the group in your context: if they are tourists, it would be a great idea to photograph them against the background of mountains or sights, for a football team the best location would be a stadium or a football field. If you are filming a family, then a very good decision would be to take a few pictures on the background of the parents' house.

10. Fix a dress code

Clothing is a personal expression and it is not always the one which suits best. Wrong colors and combinations can distract attention in the frame. Bright patterns, large logos, wide stripes on clothes will pull attention to themselves and can spoil even the best idea. Therefore, before shooting, ask the group to choose monochrome clothes and make sure that colors and styles are unique but different.

11. Make sure you see everyone

Before taking a picture, check whether you can see all the participants so that later there will be no awkward situations, when the photo shows someone completely, and someone has only a part of the face. Ask everyone if they see the camera well, if the answer is positive, then everything will fit in the frame correctly. This is where the rule work, if you see the camera, then the camera sees you.

12. Consider small grouping within a big number of people

Make sure that people stand next to their loved ones. This is necessary in order to immediately find family members, not each person separately. If filming is dedicated to a particular corporate or graduation event, then the hero (if there is one) of the occasion must stand in the center. For example, a family birthday photography of parents, then we put them in the center and we place family members around. If this is a sports event, then the central part will have a coach surrounded by his team.

13. Practice cool group photo ideas with children

If there are kids with you, then you need to keep their attention. Suggest them to alternate serious shots where they pose beautifully with funny pictures in which they can fool around and have fun, they surely like this idea. The more interesting and creative the shooting will be, the more interested kid you will get as a model. This helps to save your time and try various options outdoors and indoors. You can also ask parents to take their baby in their arms for convenience and better planning of a frame.

14. Pay attention to details for group photo shoots

Soiled clothes, a strand of facial hair, an extra shadow or a noticeable second chin can spoil a photo. Therefore, when you place your models in a frame, put out the light and carefully look at each participant to check all details. It is important to do this quickly enough so as not to lose attention of the whole group.

15. Be careful with a horizon

When you make portraits outdoors, make sure that heads of your models are not in line with the horizon. Such a situation will spoil the frame and will distract attention from faces, ruining group photoshoot ideas. Choose a position, where heads of people will be against the sky or climb higher and shoot from above. You can also ask everyone to sit down while you photograph them.

16. Get taller to make group pictures

To make people's faces more noticeable, you should capture them from a point that is higher than the group itself. Use chairs, stairs or other elevations for such a frame.

17. Do not spend a lot of time for one shot

If you put light, composition, and people in the frame for a long time, you will lose their attention, because not everyone likes being photographed (for example, children and dads). Tell your models what pictures you are going to take, interact with them, a joke. So they will listen to you and do what you need. A good photo is obtained when each participant is clearly visible, everyone is looking in a cam and everyone has a decent facial expression.

18. All attention to a photographer

When you are practicing group picture poses at an event, do not let other people shoot over your shoulder. This lead to wandering eyes, people will not understand which of you they are posing and the frame will be spoiled. If you shoot relatives at a wedding, ask other photographers to wait until you finish your shooting.

19. Construct a great composition

If your shooting is more formal, then the best way to arrange it is to put everyone according to their height. The highest in the center, people of medium height on sides and the lowest in front. If you are filming a family or friends, it is better to arrange everyone in pairs or in families, it would be a great idea to seat your group on chairs, sofas or other surfaces. So people will feel more comfortable in front of the camera, and parents will be on the same level as their children.

20. Pre-plan and think ahead

Pre-planned location and time of shooting will provide you with the right lighting and perfect background. The most important task of the background is that it should not distract viewers from people. Buildings, shops, large trees will over-attract attention to photographs, so they should be avoided. For shooting a large group outdoors, you need to choose an open space with the least amount of distractions and the most uniform natural light. One of the best locations for such an idea is the beach. Usually, it provides not only numerous props, but also a great mood for all the participants.

21. Use landscapes around

Stones, stairs, small hills will be an excellent prop for your photos. You will be able to seat guests at different levels and get more natural frames. It is also an easy way to avoid misleading height patterns.

22. Get closer to each other

When you shoot a group of people who are not familiar with each other, they often become standing lonely objects in pictures. If people you are photographing are not friends or family, you should ask them to be closed for a good image.

23. Use drones for creative group photos

With the help of a drone, you can rise to a sufficient height to photograph friends from an unusual angle. It is also a great way to attract the attention of children during the shooting, they will definitely look closely surprising about such an unusual way to photograph them.

24. Add an informal touch to your funny group pictures

Ideas to create various emotions are endless. You can easily try one of them for your models. So that your pictures do not look patterned and boring, you will come up with several tips that can make the photo alive and realistic. For example, you can shoot your models without putting them in rows, but sitting or running towards you along the beach, or when they reach out to you with a glass of champagne.

25. Be careful with your ideas

Do not overdo it with creativity, so that the race for an interesting frame does not transform into a complete disaster and awkwardness. Make sure that too unusual ideas do not spoil your shots.

General professional group photos tips

  1. Pictures with colleagues do not have to be boring and formal, prove that you are a team and can not only work but also have fun. Because we all are united with friendship, not only offices!
  2. Triangle. The head is placed at the top of a frame, and the rest in such a way that a triangle is obtained.
  3. Activity. Take unforgettable shots during corporate competitions or holidays.
  4. Scrabble. Arrange the employees and give them sheets of paper with letters that form the slogan of your company.
  5. Family photos have enough warmth without any effort. But if your relatives are cool and love to fool around, then a lot of great pictures are guaranteed.
  6. Copy old style photos. For example, you have pictures of your father and sons playing on the lawn. Ask them to wear similar clothes and take the same shot 15 years later. Everyone will enjoy the result!
  7. Wear the same sweaters and Christmas hats and take pictures with the whole family at a holiday table.
  8. Make the train. The tallest member of the family sits on the floor and the rest of a group follows him and look at a camera. The most important thing here is to make sure that faces of all family members are clearly visible.
  9. Take a picture of how you are cooking dinner with the whole family.
  10. Do not forget about jumping. This is a separate topic for all image types: you can jump from the couch, on the beach, placing your legs and arms like a starfish, jump up and hold hands.
  11. Make touching photos when all family members go and hold hands.
  12. Parents and children. The best perspective for such pictures is a face of a child and parents on the same level. Let the adults and children sit on the couch together or on the ground.
  13. Various optical illusions. For example, when a grandmother in the foreground blows away the rest of the family from her hand.
  14. Random shots. These results are obtained, when the whole family is preparing for a festive barbecue in the courtyard, decorated with garlands.
  15. The most fun photos are always with friends, who helped us to realize our craziest ideas.
  16. Photograph a variety of activities and adventures that you want to remember.
  17. Snowball games and ice skating. All this should remain in our memory and photo album.
  18. Jump as if you are a Kung Fu master.
  19. Copy famous moments from movies like real stars.
  20. Jump out of pools like real dolphins.
  21. Stand in a circle and lean over the photographer.
  22. Sit down comfortably and stick to phones, demonstrating how foolish it is to sit online all the time to chat with each other and not have fun in real life.
  23. Take photos of your picnics.
  24. Don't forget amazing beach shots at sunset with silhouettes.
  25. Jump on each other's back like cowboys.
  26. Take pictures during unforgettable parties.
  27. Use a huge variety of props and accessories to add mood to each shot or a touch of magic to your pics.
  28. And once again jump, jump as much as you can of course, without causing damage to health.

Our lives are full of different events, routine, work. Do not forget to take pictures and keep in memory the most important moments: family holidays, interesting training, crazy parties with friends and colleagues. Let our tips and ideas help you fill out more than one album with pics of memories and important events in your life.