Boo Boo Loc: Mass

Hello everyone. My friend asked me to take a family portrait at a beach, and this is my very first shoot so I'm very exited, but also VERY nervous! Any suggestions? I own a Nikon D5100, so I know that I do have the beach option on there. I know I'm supposed to take the picture either early in morning or later in the afternoon. So depending on the person, I'll suggest around 4ish in the afternoon and maybe between 7 and 8 AM. Does this sound right to anyone? There will be 6 people total, so I'm wondering who would I focus on? Also the ISO setting should be around 200 maybe 400 max? One last thing I'm wondering if there are any programs out there where I could edit the pics? I do have photoshop (CS5), but it's not installed on my computer yet. (it's a new computer). Any other input on what I could do to make the pic better would be much appreciated.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

Use a tripod.

Try the afternoon. People tend to still be "puffy" from sleep early in the morning and they will NOT like the images.

Who to focus on? You try to get them ALL in focus, of course.
But the most important person if it is a family is the mother. SHE will decide what is good and what is not.

Use the lowest ISO you can use and still use an aperture of at least f8 (for six people). f11 is even better. Use a tripod.

Get the sun behind them and use a flash at relatively low power to fill. Under no circumstances should they face the sun.

Shoot loose enough to allow for cropping to an 8x10.

Use a tripod.

Do not pose them in a straight line unless the shooting is from a firing squad. Pose them in triangles - no two heads that are side-by-side should be at the same level.

Did I mention that you should use a tripod?

Shoot RAW to cover your butt for exposure/white balance errors.

You have CS5? Use it.

Oh, there is lots more, but this will get you in the ballpark.

Tripod

andyc Loc: Hull UK

having just read captains c,s reply am I to understand that the use of a TRIPOD is a good tip lol

andyc Loc: Hull UK

oh yes did I say use a TRIPOD !!!!!!!!!

sixshooter Loc: constitution state

Under No circumstances change your lens while on the beach!!! and be very very careful with sand....Carefully clean your camera and lenses afterward as soon as you get home..Salt spray can be very corrosive.And a single grain of sand inside your camera will wreck havok. Tape and saran wrap are your friends!!
Other than that have fun!!

Vetteran Loc: Yorkshire. So big it has to be split.

Captain C covered it well.

Continuous setting for the shutter.

NOT a wide-angle setting.

Beware of background.

Bret Loc: Dayton Ohio

Pay attention to your background...shore....water line....sky...birds and so on. Mite even take a reflector if you have one.

CurreyPhoto Loc: Reddick, Florida

As Captain C wrote in his great reply, posing will be the key. I would google "family portrait" and see what others have done with different sized people so you have some ideas going into the shoot. The main problem I see with family portraits is not being close enough together. With the family's permission, let us see what you get.

marycar53 Loc: Tuscumbia Al

Be artistic

Boo Boo Loc: Mass

Thanks for all the tips...hope I can pull this off and make the portrait look beautiful!

Zero_Equals_Infinity Loc: Canada

Shoot during the golden hour with back and side lighting and have at lease one flash, and preferably several to control lighting. Keep the ISO at base if you can, and don't let it float above ISO 800. Bring a reflector, and use your imagination. Isolate your subjects, (i.e. keep the depth of field shallow.) Use an appropriate fast lens. I would say use a 50mm f1.4 or f1.8 prime, but you should not change lenses on the beach without extraordinary care. In low wind conditions it is doable, and you should face away from the beach to avoid spray or loose sand, with the camera pointed downward. Have an assistant hold and exchange lenses. I have done lens changes by myself on a beach with safety, but it requires extreme care, wind and spray awareness. Do not change lenses in the rain under any circumstances.

Scout out the location ahead of time and take some practice shots using a friend or family member as a model. Already knowing what you want and how to get it will assure you of success ... and yes bring a tripod, but don't be afraid to take some handheld shots with a single flash unit and umbrella, diffuser or flash attachable softbox mounted on camera.

Boo Boo Loc: Mass

Ok, I'm getting frustrated! I am trying to download "Picasa" for watermarking, but can't seem to find anything after I download it or how to use it. I never had trouble downloading things before, but I can't seem to get anything right..It's only for a friend and she actually wants the pics burned to a disc, which thankfully I do know how to do (hopefully, I haven't done this in a long time either!) I do have a tripod, but it's not a very good one! It's medium duty, but my husband originally bought it for our camcorder. I'm just worried that I'll take these pics and not be able to edit them or watermark them or whatever. Am I just freaking out because this is my first time doing this? Do I need a watermark when just starting out, or a copyright. HELP!!!!

Zero_Equals_Infinity Loc: Canada

Your images are automatically under copyright unless and until you release them explicitly from copyright protection.

Watermarking has some value both as a means to limit / inhibit copying, and as a marketing tool, (when used appropriately.) see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nqfm6EeQhc for creating watermark action in PS CS4

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

Just my personal opinion, but the advice to use a 1.8 or 1.4 lens is a horrible idea. A tip I learned a few years ago was to use an f-stop AT LEAST equal to the number of people in the group. This is not so much a rule as as something to make one THINK about keeping everyone sharp. Having the BG a bit more in focus is preferable to having one or more people OUT of focus.

A 1.4 lens for a group shot? Disaster awaits.

Why a prime? So you have to keep moving to frame it right? Zooms are perfect for this type of work.

As to watermarking - you are going to give these to a friend on a disk. Why bother? Forget it.

Boo Boo Loc: Mass

Thank you Captain C! I really wish I had you by my side to teach my some things, seeing as I'm an amateur..you seem to really know your stuff. Feedback much appreciated:)