Tips for taking group photos

I don't have many people around to practice portrait photography on, and even less opportunity for group portraits.. but I have run across some tips for taking group photos that I am going to try out in the upcoming weeks...

Tip 1: If shooting pics of people at the dinner table - get your shot set - then tell everyone to look down at their plate, no smiling, and then on the count of three they should all look up at the camera with big smiles on their faces ... that way - you are ready and they have fresh smiles!

Tip2: When shooting a group - get everyone situated in the position that you want them in, get the camera set..have everyone then leave the position and come to you at the camera, then set the camera timer on and have everyone race back to their positions and smile - you get much more natural looking rosy cheek smiles.. this might be more difficult for a huge group - for for say 10 people or so - should be a hoot.

Tip3: Tell everyone you want to get a picture of them jumping. Get the camera set up and say, ONE TWO THREE……JUMP!!! The picture of everyone up in the air is hilarious, and then, when everyone lands, say, “Ok, real quick, a group shot,” and take it - people will be rosy cheeked and laughing.

Tip4: for smallish groups, if you can get some height, have everyone lay down head to head - and shoot the group from overhead or if the group is young have them huddle, with you lying down in the middle - shoot upwords - or have everyone place their arms around each other's waists and lean to one side...that huddling tip won't work for women of a certain age - we never want to see that angle...

I thought these looked like fun and different ways to capture some group photos.. Beware friends who come to visit - I am going to be trying some of these out on us!