How to Take Group Photos

Group photos are a great way to commemorate events or gatherings. Whether you’re just hanging out with friends or dressed up at a formal family affair, you might need to know how to take a group photo including yourself or one of all of your companions. Knowing how to take good group photos is a great skill to have, not to mention that it will probably make your grandma very happy at family events!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Taking a Group Selfie

1
Choose the location. It is important to choose the right location for a group photo so that you have the best chance of getting a good view of all the people. For example, if there is a light source behind the photo’s subjects, the people will appear darker and less visible than if you position the picture so that the light is behind the camera instead.^{[1]XResearch source}
- You also want to make sure that there is something you want to commemorate in the background of the photo, rather than something unappealing.
Different angles can make for a completely different picture. In general, if you hold the camera at a slight elevation and angle it down toward you, this will make for a more flattering picture.
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3
Organize the frame. Use a front-facing camera (if possible) to make sure everyone fits in the screen. Rearrange people as needed to ensure everyone is visible in the picture. Make sure you can see everyone’s faces and that there aren’t any unwanted items in the background.
- If you’re having trouble fitting everyone in the screen, it might be a good idea to try using a selfie stick.
4
Use a selfie stick. Selfie sticks allow you to capture more in the screen of the camera because it helps you hold the camera further away from your body. This means that you can fit more people into a group shot, or you can capture some cool scenery in the background behind your group shot. Either way, if you are having trouble fitting everything in because your arm just isn’t long enough, try using a selfie stick.
- With most selfie sticks, your phone fits into a slot on the end and connects wirelessly (usually through Bluetooth) to the selfie stick. This allows you to use a button on the end of the selfie stick that you hold to take the photo, while your phone is too far away to physically reach the button.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Taking a Group Photo with a Traditional Camera

1
Figure out your camera’s timed photo settings. All cameras are different, but most have some kind of timer settings that allow you set up the camera and join the group before the picture is taken.
- Some cameras even come with a remote feature that allows you to take pictures by clicking the remote rather than figuring out the timer process.^{[2]XResearch source}
Instead of having to find an object to prop the camera on and awkwardly adjust until it is pointing in the right direction, use a tripod. These hold the camera firmly in place and are adjustable to any angle. So you will always be able to aim at exactly the picture you want to capture.
Look through the camera’s lens and make sure everyone is in the frame. If anyone is standing too far outside the camera’s view, tell them to move so that they’ll be in the picture. You can also check that everyone looks acceptable (hair in place, no ruffled clothing, etc.).
4
Get everyone ready. The more people there are in a photo, the harder it is to get a good shot of everyone. Someone will inevitably blink or sneeze or look away. This problem gets exponentially worse when people don’t know when the exact moment of the picture will be. If you know your camera takes the photo after five seconds, you need to count out loud to five so everyone can be prepared.
- Many cameras have a flash feature that warns you when it is about to take the picture. Just make sure that everyone knows what to look for (the flash) so that they can be prepared when it is time for the picture.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Taking a Group Photo of Others

If you are the photographer and not the subject of the photo, it is easier for you to prep for the perfect photo. Choose a nice background that is worthy of the occasion. Make sure there are no unsightly objects in the frame that will distract from the photo.
As the photographer, it is your job to ensure that everyone is visible and looking their best in the photo. Make sure that you can see all of the faces (especially if there are a lot of people of varying heights) and that no one will be embarrassed by anything in the camera’s frame – like spinach in their teeth or their fly being down.^{[3]XResearch source}
Try to be cute and funny to get people to feel more comfortable with you. This will help them produce more natural-looking smiles. Make sure you let everyone know when you are taking the photo so that they can smile on cue.
Inevitably, someone will not look their best in each photo that you take, especially when you are dealing with large group shots. The more photos you take, the more likely it is that there will be one that is acceptable to everyone. Take several so that they have some to choose between.
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Expert Q&A

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How do you take a picture of a large group?
Adam Kealing
Professional Photographer
Adam Kealing is a Professional Photographer based in Austin, Texas. He specializes in general wedding, destination wedding, and engagement photoshoots. Adam has over 11 years of photography experience. His work has been featured in Green Wedding Shoes, Style Me Pretty, Once Wed, and Snippet Ink. His work has won numerous awards with Fearless Photographers and Masters of Wedding Photography.
Adam Kealing
Professional Photographer
Expert Answer
For group photos, I snap a bunch of shots, like 10 in each pose. When I go through the pictures, I start at the first one and look for reasons it's not perfect, like closed eyes or a glare. And as soon as I see something, I go to the next one. Once I find a shot with no mess-ups, I can move on to the next shot.
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Tips

Instead of using a tripod and figuring out your camera’s timed settings, ask someone else to take the picture for you. Sometimes it’s easier to have another human take the picture (as long as it is not another person you want to be in the picture) than to worry about all of these extra technical things.
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