coolhanduke Loc: Redondo Beach, CA

Use a ladder to be higher than the group or try to find some bleachers.
Tell everyone to make sure they can see through the person in front of them.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

mrozzoo Loc: Illinois

hello everyone... I do and have done several large groups in the past and currently.

tips:

groups of 50-60 use two rows of chairs, the front sits on the chairs even on the spaces between the chairs, cheek to cheek fill the seats. 2nd row stands behind the chairs... 3rd row stands on the chairs... the suggestion for 3rd-row chairs, turn the chairs backward to let the people step up on them. 1st row st on the floor in front of the people seated on the chairs. I usually ask for all the good-looking people to sit here this way they tend to volunteer to sit on the floor. For larger people, I make sure they sit or stand behind the sitting people.

If using a strobe make sure the right and left sides of the groups are exposed the same. Don't want your flash point to be one direction more. Standing on a chair or short ladder does help.

A 35mm focal length with an F stop of 11-13 for depth of field works great.

Double-check that everyone's face is between the people in front of them. DO NOT totem pole people's heads.

Slow down with your placement of people, double-check head placement take several images checking for exposure and head placement. Have glass wearing people tilt the glasses down a bit by raising their ear pieces or tippin their chin down.

TIP: "We have to do it again someone was scratching their nose" then take another. " one more time that good-looking person moved" etc.... just buying time to review and let the flash recycle.

good luck have fun

Floyd Loc: Misplaced Texan in Florence, Alabama

To elaborate on a previous suggestion: Taking pictures of church groups from10 to 35 people), I've had very good luck in catching all eyes open. I tell the group that in a few minutes I'm going to ask everyone to close their eyes, then open their eyes on the count of "3". I then ask everyone to close their eyes, and immediately count 1, 2, Open! Try it.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

I would be extremely cautious about having anyone stand on a chair.
They are not designed to stand on, depending on type can collapse or move etc.
This for liability is extremely foolish.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

These people were posed in an arc to help prevent volume deformation.

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azted Loc: Las Vegas, NV.

Be sure there are no distractions like open doors, backpacks on floor, etc.
Take a half shot of the group of each side, so that later in editing you can replace someone who might have their eyes closed, or is distorted.
Make sure you have plenty of room to walk backwards to fit the group in.
Do not have a building behind the group that might reflect a lot of light.
If using on camera flash, have a large reflector to spread the light.

rcarol

Tell all of the people "Make sure you can see me (the photographer). If you can't see me, I can't see you."

manofhg Loc: Knoxville, TN

This past weekend, I shot a father-daughter dance. Other than candids and some portraits, I didn't know what would be expected. They asked for a group shot in a dark room, where I had been shooting the candids. I put on my 20mm and got up on the stage which was as high as I could have gotten and took the attached. Used my flash shooting straight up. Is it as good as it could have been? No, but it was adequately lit and the folks I shot it for were happy. I didn't pose them, but might should have moved them closer to the stage except then I would have probably had to shoot two shots and stitched them together to get everyone.

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photoman43

And another benefit from the shooting down vantage point is that any distracting backgrounds will disappear.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

Great shot!

Desert Gecko Loc: desert southwest, USA

Use an intervalometer to shoot photo after photo, even when your group thinks a photo isn't being taken.

Consider camera angle. I set up mine on a tripod in the bed of my pickup for a informal group shot at a large family gathering. It's easier to get all the faces from a higher angle.

Have them do something. They can look up to the side and point at something in the distant sky. They can use a hand as a sun visor. They can glare at the camera instead of smiling -- a group wearing funny scowls makes for an interesting photo that's far more memorable than one with traditional smiles.

Again, take lots and lots of shots. You can still prep the group with a "say cheese," but you should already be shooting, so an intervalometer is key.

Finally, consider using Photoshop for a face swap or two. Let's say you have a perfect photo but for that one guy whose eyes are closed. What do you do? Choose between that photo and a lessor one that has everyone's eyes open? Or do you pull his eyes or face from another shot and slap it over his face on the eyes-closed shot? Even a novice can follow a YouTube tutorial and swap a face.

[edit: One more thing. Consider aperture to make sure all faces, front to rear, are in focus. Depending on focal length, distance to subjects, and focus point, something like two stops from the lens' max aperture (smallest f-number) is probably reasonable.]

Luft93 Loc: Finger Lakes, NY

The first thing that comes to mind is to tell people that just because they cane see the camera doesn’t mean the camera sees them. Those in back rows need to ensure that there is an opening in front of them so their face will be seen.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Since you're going to try a lot of shots, try this: set your ISO to the highest level compatible with image quality. Set your camera to a fast burst. Take 3-4 burst shots with your camera. At high ISO the flash should be able to loaf, so you can get several shots on one charge. The primary cause of blinking is the preflash. A burst will take a shot long enough after the preflash blink to get a shot with the eyes open.

mrozzoo Loc: Illinois

full power on your strobe not auto all TTL....

standing on safe chairs....