Andrew Boyd

Group shots are always a challenge, but family holiday gatherings present a special set of problems. You can’t hold a group together long amid the distractions of bowl games, family Xbox tournaments and sweet-potato pie. Andrew Boyd, a photojournalist and educator, has written extensively about group shots on his blog, The Discerning Photographer. Here’s his recipe for getting it right.

Grab the Spotlight “Attention span is the issue,” said Mr. Boyd. You have to engage attention long enough to get your shot. “It’s critical that you be entertaining,” he said. “I’m not a standup comic by any stretch, but I am going to joke around.” He has a routine of patter, in which what you say isn’t as important as some brisk chat . “Let’s all get in a little closer. Too tight, John, you’re too tall! Back row,” demonstrated Mr. Boyd. “I am talking the whole time, giving direction, and not giving them too much time to think.”

Go Fast Unless you really are a standup comic, your ability to hold attention is limited, which adds to the reasons that speed is essential. “The hallmark of a good session is people are surprised you are done,” said Mr. Boyd. That means having your shot ready to go before the subjects pose. “You are not fumbling with your equipment,” said Mr. Boyd. “No one wants to wait while you are changing the double-A batteries in your flash.”

Get Set If you are going to pose a shot, get slow-moving elders seated first, so the rest of the family isn’t waiting around. And don’t spend a lot of time optimizing the placement of every shoe and shoulder. Less composed is more natural. The one cardinal rule, said Mr. Boyd, is that “you’ve got to be able to see everyone’s face. You don’t want Aunt Dorothy behind the kid who grew a foot last year.”

Table It Table shots aren’t a great photo opportunity -“People eating food is always tough,” said Mr. Boyd. But sometimes it is the only time everyone is in one place at the same time. “What I will do for that picture, because it isn’t my favorite shot to take, I’ll get everyone at one end of the table and work quickly,” said Mr. Boyd. Another option is to single out smaller groups in conversation at the table or elsewhere. “In that case I am going to shoot with a longer lens to be less intrusive,” he said. In that case, also turn off your strobe.

Safety First Start with the clichéd group shot, then encourage everyone to loosen up. “Once you have the safe picture, the bankable shot, you can take some liberties, do something unusual, and those shots usually are the best ones,” said Mr. Boyd, who has a favorite from his own work, of his son spontaneously leaping into the arms of his female cousins. “That was a great shot,” he said. “They were laughing so hard.”

In a Flash It’s hard to get great shots with a point-and-shoot camera because of shutter lag. You can reduce lag using manual settings, but, said Mr. Boyd, if you know how to use manual settings, “you are ready for at least an entry-level DSLR.” He stressed the need for an auxiliary flash with a long cord to get the light source away from the lens. “It eliminates those issues of red eye, that awful flat light, and the nasty shadow under the chin,” he said. It’s not complicated if you get a flash made for your camera – many now automatically work together to produce subtle lighting. Even so, don’t forget to use a flash diffuser. Also don’t forget to use your flash in bright daylight to temper harsh shadows. “If anyone is wearing a cap,” Mr. Boyd said, “or you are shooting a little league team, you are going to need that flash.”

A common error Mr. Boyd sees over and over is simple to fix. “The biggest amateur mistake is a basic composition,” he said. Especially a tendency to leave too much empty space over the heads of the subjects – who needs a photo of the ceiling? “Just fill the frame up. Photography 101” he said. “Just doing that will improve a lot of photos.”