On a foggy morning, Tammy headed to her favorite beach to photograph the Titus family— Mom, Dad, and daughters ranging from early elementary school aged to college aged. She posed the family walking hand in hand in the sand, then photographed the group under the pier. Finally, she created individual portraits.
“I exposed enough frames to get the expressions I want, knowing that people tend to look down when walking.”
Tammy says, “I try not to pose families initially. I ask them to stand in a group where they wish, then I fine-tune positions and rearrange individuals so everyone is pleasantly visible. I do it this way to ensure that people stand next to persons they are most comfortable with. It’s easier on them, it helps to keep them happy, and I’m more likely to get expressions I want.
“I sat the girls individually in front of a pier. With the hazy sun off to the left, the pilings added texture. I scrimmed off a bit of light, creating a nice shadow, defining each of their faces. When I pictured the whole group on the beach, I changed my focus to continuous mode so that I could easily track their progress. I exposed enough frames to get the expressions I wanted, knowing that people tend to look down when walking.”
When you use a tripod, you can frame your image, leave the camera to adjust people, then return to the camera knowing the group is still framed properly. Using a tripod may slow you down, but it guarantees sharp images.
Hand-holding the camera in sufficient light offers the advantage of shooting from various angles. Choose a shutter speed of 1/125 or faster to prevent blur due to camera shake.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS USM lens. Exposure: 1/250 second at f/5.6 and ISO 250.
Exposure: 1/250 second at f/5.6 and ISO 250.
Exposure: 1/250 second at f/5.6 and ISO 250. No flash.
