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Large Wedding Group Pose - LiveShoot

Lesson 5 from: How to Pose Family Portraits

Michele Celentano

Large Wedding Group Pose - LiveShoot

Lesson 5 from: How to Pose Family Portraits

Michele Celentano

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Lesson Info

5. Large Wedding Group Pose - LiveShoot

Lesson Info

Large Wedding Group Pose - LiveShoot

So michelle, while we've got some non family members in and we've got mom out there, a lot of people are asking about even bigger groups and I'm not sure how many how big you are going to go today in terms of the number of people we got fourteen an audience question about thirty there's also question about wedding, so a lot of people wonder how tow how don't oppose this group's at a wedding? What about when I can't people on the ground? Okay, let's think in terms of puzzle pieces again, always thinking in terms of puzzle pieces, so let's do a wedding group, right? We have thirty people will know we have about twenty people here in the room, let's just do it right. So you guys take a break, can I have that chair right there? So we're going to do and now I know at every wedding there is at least two chairs, right? Armchairs, regular chairs. It doesn't really matter, right? So so we're going to do a wedding pose let's, just pretend and let's have, um, victoria, you were gonna be married. ...

Teo mike yes. So that's, what you get for being in the studio audience at michelle celentano is creative life, so now mike made a classic mistake of sitting down because I would never seat the bride and groom the reason being is that most of the time depending on the bride if you see the bride what's going to happen right and then we don't even see her dress also because we're probably doing multiple family groups his family, her family dad's family step family you know no, I don't know but there's so many families in today's modern world that I will always stand the bride and groom right here in the center and move everyone around them it's the easiest thing to do so let's pretend victoria's gonna have a beautiful dress on you'll be right here mike you'll be right here next to her oh this is gonna be fun there's one of my favorite things do come in a little closer and always bring her flowers to her hip because this woman has nine children I'm sorry but you look so amazing it it's almost sickening like nine like she gave birth to nine children I know because I photographed them like you're not even right and you're so fashionable. Yeah okay, so just lead together they could just stay here boom and be done with it right so way have our chairs here let's see uh jason you'll be a dad or a groomsman it really doesn't matter right? So most of the time I'm going to seat the small women first okay so let's just say we're adding to this group so I'm gonna have you come on standing victorious side right and most of my group and family members wear shoes to weddings but that's ok ok so gonna lean forward just a little bit more right perfect and olivia you'll be over here in this side and you can be uh sister mother doesn't really matter right so here's one group right easy and again I think I kind of like right here everybody lift up lean and notice how the bodies are a little bit more open to each other shoulder's out just a little bit I'd have his hand his right thumb in your pants pocket and then a little bit right here she has a flower in her hand same thing right here ifit's no if it's a suit jacket I'm in the pants pocket yeah so bring the suit jacket over and just right here so you don't want to bring the hands to close together wow you want to bring the hands to close into the pocket can you just do that like bring your hand all the way in like slided it yeah because it's too close and then it looks like it might be pointing somewhere weird so I like to keep it on the outside of the pants right so like right here the other thing it does is see this right here gives us a nice uh a separation and it gives us a little bit more weight on his arm, making him look a little bit more manly, right? If we go in, we just close up his body, see that so outside of the pockets always say thumb on the outside, the pants pocket make a relaxed fist and we're done easy, right? Okay. So brightly in together would get this right here. Squeeze in. Lean in. Okay. Don't you give me your hand. So you have a book? She hasn't. Okay. Okay, perfect. So, that's one. Right. Okay, I'm gonna have you step back just a little bit. So you're gonna go back just a little bit. You're gonna go back just little bit now when we put chairs together. The key thing to putting chairs together is not to put them too close together. If there's no space to put people remember spaces for puzzling pieces together. So, anna, you'll come right here. Um dana he'll come right here and you're just going to sit right on the edge of the seat now remember because they're on the edge of the seat the seats go back a little bit so you don't want the seat all the way out here because now we're no longer on the same focal plane so seat goes back a little bit so when they sit on the edge of the seat now we're closer to the same focal plane okay, so you're going to school back just a little bit more you're gonna get one foot right in here perfect. We're leaning here. Okay, so max you're gonna come right here I'm gonna put you right over her shoulder here and you're going to scoot this way just a little bit more and christina right? Kristine kristina which one? Christina okay you're gonna be right in here and just leaning over her shoulder this way. Okay, now let's say the bridal party we have lots of little kids come on, kids let's go what's that because you have nine children between you before you got married. Okay, great. So you're going to be right here. Yeah, you're going to be right here beautiful. I'm gonna put you right over here you're gonna come right here for me, right? And you can put both knees down okay how many people we have so far turn this way a little bit more okay so check out where the puzzle pieces are okay so I need a taller put what's your name sir byron you're going to go see this space right here at your space and then see this space right here we got a space right here so you want to make sure that you get your foot right in this space where the chair is and they're gonna lift up and I don't mean over okay I need another tall person an audience turn your body this way just little bit who's tall out there yes you come on over honey so so far on two chairs we have how many people twelve people on two chairs pretty good this's a typical wedding group so you're going to be right in here and I want you to lean in this way see where I am yep okay so that's your space okay we're not done yet um what's your name again eva ok you come on over so you've got pants on so let's say she's either groomsman or a kid right we can put him right here but you say ok but we're not done yet right so I'm gonna need another chair on the other side okay perfect right there and then tell me your name again ashland okay you're gonna be right here so right on the edge okay, now check this out what I have right here ah hole what I have right here ah hole okay, great you sit right there um melanie come right here yep you're right here what I got right here what I got right here okay what I have right here what I have right here, right? So little people human as little kids and big family groups write all these well I'm looking for the whole look how many people we got here remember to put your knee on that right this needs going to go in there it's going to be in hugely uncomfortable come forward just a little bit more than that seat back a little bit more there you go see how I really have to tell her to get uncomfortable put her knee in that chair okay yep you're gonna be right here now the key thing is the key thing is when you're posing people on a chair you don't want them to be way behind the chair you've got to make the space so they can come in here because when people get behind chairs on family groups like the receptions look what happens we're all the way back here let's talk to the camera that way some alway back here I'm too far away so if we lean in this way and we come forward I'm now on the same focal plane making me look more proportionate to the rest of the group okay had right in there is there any other people in the hallway that we can use? Okay what's your name so asante yeah, well look what I got right here for her what is this a beautiful little hole right here you go keep going get in their whole way talk about opposing groups right now beautiful and she knew like you put your foot in and now I'm not talking anyone okay, so she knew you put your entire audience is now in my portrait and so she lived it but look what happens here is there anybody else in the hallway will be happy to come in because we could just keep going right? Come on in. I'll put you right back here. So for the cameras right, how many people you're going to go right not space where I was so you're come forward on that a little bit and then cross your ankles just little bit now once I get back to the camera crossing the other way crossing that way across him that way that's okay across this ankle over that ankle there you go. So now we're getting a little picky. Ladies, bring your hands to your laps now check it out everybody lift up nice and tall lean in and towards me boom done how many people are in that portrait on four tiers and the key thing is the bodies are turned out notice that really? No one is like, have shoulders to the camera so you can release that hand, turn the shoulder out just a little bit more. See what happens when the shoulders are all turned this way. You can't get bodies in together, so you have to actually turn the bodies out so you can get all of these different heights. We have every different age in this group, every different body size. But the key thing is, when all these people go to look at this picture what's the first thing they look for themselves so they don't care about anybody else in the group except for them. So it tries in the oh, I look pretty good and it's gonna go. Well, I look good and match your paul. Max is gonna go I look pretty good too, right? And melanie c I'm almost there. Almost got everybody. So every lift up cleaning. Do we have anybody else canyou? Yeah. Can you get in here? Okay, so, let's, get this for the camera for all people at home. Right? So, buddy, lift up, lienen, squeeze together. Everybody wave tall people at home. Okay, good. There you go, that's a big group, right?

Ratings and Reviews

a Creativelive Student
 

Fantastic! A noticed someones posing technique on a portrait and commented on it and they said to check out Michele Celentano on Creative Live.....well, I am so glad I did. This 90 minute video was jam packed full of great information on how to piece the puzzle of family posing. I learned a lot and can not wait to try these tips on my big family portrait session in 5 days time. I was panicking about this session, but now I feel I have a good understanding about the basics of family posing and how it is all just a puzzle that you slot the people in and create triangles, lines and how to make Mum look amazing! Thankyou :)

Joshua Meadows
 

A good course on posing groups and families. It is good supplemental information if you've already studied some other posing courses. The only drawback for me is aspects of the photographers social interactions aren't to my liking (acting like a chimp and blowing raspberries). I will say though that she does have high energy and give compliments and talks with the subjects on things they like. That is what I would do on a shoot and she does that well. As for the posing it was macro level of fitting people together with a skimming of the minor details. It is a good condensed lesson and worth a watch.

Billabongfox
 

Amazing class! I would highly recommend anyone looking for more detailed and in-depth direction with family posing. Michele goes over how to start with a small group and build on to create large group portraits! She shows how to combine different family members to get a wide range of shots with more selection, which we all know translates into more potential profits in print and product sales. She demonstrates by posing a family on the floor, in chairs, and on a couch, using all age groups from 2 years old and up. I could spend an entire day listening to her! She does a great job explaining things and showing just how to do it. Great course, great video, great information! Thank you!

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