yodleboy Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 ok, i got drafted to do a group shot this afternoon for the departmenti work for. I have to cram about 90 people in the picture, and i amsomewhat limited in space and lens selection. I have 2 cameras available at the moment, 35mm minolta w/ 50mm/2.8lens and my bronica ETRS w/ 75mm/2.8 lens, 120 back. Any suggestions on which one might be better able to handle this job. Due to the selected location ( a lobby) i can only back up about25-30ft. this was originally going to be an outdoor shoot, but weatherconcerns have forced it indoors at literally the last minute and itcan't be rescheduled. With more warning i could have rented a widerlens.... so, any advice would be greatly appreciated. thanks,js Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdp Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Depending on how big the lobby is, my guess not very big.. Get chairs... make 2 rows if they're sturdy to stand on.. have guys stand on the back row, another row stand in front of them, then have people sit on the front chairs, and if still needed, younger folks kneel in front of the sitting folks. That should give you 4 levels with about 20/row. As for your lens.. I don't know how the Bronica 75 compares in width to the 35mm camera, but since they're both 2.8's, go with the widest angle. If it's going to be used for a HUGE image, go with the 120-back. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timcorridan Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 it just sounds like you'd need something wider. like a 35mm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kari douma Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Your MF75mm is comparable to a 45mm on a 35mm camera (I think). So, it should be a little wider than your minolta with the 50mm. I would bring both along, but try to use the Bronica if you have enough room. The MF will give you a better print of the group than the 35mm. Take the advise of the posing with the chairs. And, if you could stand on a ladder, you might get a better view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yodleboy Posted March 28, 2006 Author Share Posted March 28, 2006 thanks tim.... : ) i would love to use something wider, but don't have the option now that they've changed the location last minute. now that i think about it, the 75mm is a 'normal' lens for 120 and the 50mm is 'normal' for 35mm, so the field of view should be about the same, right? thanks for the tips Bob! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lb- Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 hate to be the guy to say it but I would NOT ask people to climb up on chairs unless you have your own liability insurance. and it's easier for you to get up on a ladder anyway. I would use the bronica. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelging Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Get a 6ft or 8 ft ladder and shoot down on the people. You will not need chairs and everyones face will be upturned. This is a flattering way for people to look. If you bouce a flash it will look even better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picturesque Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Don't mean to be negative, but I don't think you can do this shot with 90 people and normal lenses. Best you could do is get up as high as you can--a 6 or 8 foot ladder is not enough--more like 20, 30 feet up. Of the two cameras, medium format would be preferable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie_podolsky Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Nadine is right on the money... a normal lens won't cover that shot in a lobby... and how about lighting? The further you back up the further your light source is from the group. You already said it's raining so even if there are windows you won't be able to count on available light. I'd reschedule for a better day, or at least get a digital with a wider lens so you can choose 800 or 1600 iso with no flash (or you can use your flash for fill, but I'm guessing with those equipment choices that there's no light meter available). This sounds a bit like "how do I fit 30 people in a phone booth..." The answer is, "You don't". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_nelson___atlanta__ga Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 You could ask everyone to stand very still and take a string of images to piece together a "panorama" from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelging Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 What did you end up doing and how did it turn out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovcom_photo Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 Dave has a very...ah...interesting idea....perhaps better would be to ask every other person to just get lost, create a smaller narrower group, snap the shutter and call it a day! ;-) Seriously, big group, long focal length...I'm very curious how the poster solves this issue. I hope he does...would love if he posts the image here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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