I'm scheduled to shoot our local high school's dance team & individual photos soon.  I spoke with the coach today and she wanted a group shot (20 girls!) all with sassy poses and their hair blowing. 

First of all, I don't think I could get 20 girls on a 10x20 background!  Second of all, I'd need 20 fans to get all their hair to blow.  Then could you imagine how hard that would be to keep it out of the other girls' faces? 

I told her the only way I could achieve that would be to take the shot outside and hope for a windy day.

Do you guys gave any suggestions?

Also, if you know of any unique poses for that many girls, I'd love to see it!  There's a small open field about 15 minutes from here where I considered shooting the group shot.  The problem is that she needs it to be done at 4:00.  I think the sun would be too harsh at that time.  I could do it if I could take a couple of my Alien Bees, but I don't have battery packs for them and there's no place to plug them in. 

I shot this lady's daugter's senior pictures and she expects a lot! 

This is a very good opportunity for my studio, but I'm not looking forward to this at all!

 

**Any help would be appreciated!

check out this link

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=178350052&albumID=938465&imageID=11962555

 

they're the Diamond Girls for the East Ky Miners.

there are only 10 there, but i love their poses. and, you could put a girl in between each of them, posed on their knees.

as for the fans, all i can say is box fans are like $15 at walmart! lol...ask each girl to bring a fan if they have one.

 

You could do some kind of collage of individial girls.

 Usually the dance girls know how to do sassy poses.  They've been doing them for years so I wouldn't worry too much about that.  I went to a workshop where the photographer talked about putting 2 10 x 20 muslins together to shoot dance studios.  Maybe you should meet with the dance instructor in person just so you can try to catch what her vision really is?  I've found that lots of times, what they explain isn't really what they mean.  Does that make sense?

Cibamaca:

You could do some kind of collage of individial girls.

 

+1. What if you shoot them all individually on the same background and make a collage? My mentor did all the shots for the WKU Men's and Women's basketball teams and they shot them each individually then arranged them into one picture.  

jenny! that would soooo work. like they do for the group shot on ANTM! where they take the one that goes home away.

ChelseaRenae:

they're the Diamond Girls for the East Ky Miners.

Thanks for trying.  The page was private.  :(   What is their myspace address and I'll request them?

Karenl39:

 Usually the dance girls know how to do sassy poses.  They've been doing them for years so I wouldn't worry too much about that.

 

Actually this fall is the very first time a dance team has existed.  The county high school opens next month, so there's a lot of new sports/activities.  From what she said, I think she wants fashiony type shots.  She said she wanted one standard group pose (probably in 2 or 3 rows) then one where their hair is blowing, no smiles, some with arms crossed, some kneeling, etc. 

I just don't think I could do a group shot with that many girls in the studio. 

JennyB:

What if you shoot them all individually on the same background and make a collage?

 

I thought about that.  I've just never tried it before, so I'm not sure what the final product would look like.  I'm not great at visualizing the end result and knowing how I should pose each girl to make them fit together. 

I need to brainstorm exactly how to do it. .. 

• I'd have to shoot them all on that same background (obviously), maybe black?
• They'd all have to have the same kind of lighting
• I'm assuming they'd have to be shot same focal length...so maybe shoot on a tripod? 

Anything else I need to do?

I'm not totally sure how to go about pulling it off. I feel like there was someone who made a soccer poster the same way who posted recently? But it might have been on another forum....does anyone have any idea? 

 There was a post about it in the tutorials... they were using the same person, but it should work with different girls too. If the back ground was plain, you might be able to clone the make the background seem larger and then place each girl on it. I think the focal length would have to all be the same. It would get tricky though. I'm not sure if it would be as easy as it seems. I think your best bet would be to try outside.

I'm not sure how big your studio is, but when I worked for a large chain... they had me in a teeny tiny studio. But, they insisted that I could shoot large groups there. I shot a family of 15... it was awful. The perspected starts to get all out of wack.

Here's the link for the tutorial -  http://community.mpix.com/forums/t/75747.aspx

Hope it helps!

JE Photography:

JennyB:

What if you shoot them all individually on the same background and make a collage?

 

I thought about that.  I've just never tried it before, so I'm not sure what the final product would look like.  I'm not great at visualizing the end result and knowing how I should pose each girl to make them fit together. 

I need to brainstorm exactly how to do it. .. 

• I'd have to shoot them all on that same background (obviously), maybe black?
• They'd all have to have the same kind of lighting
• I'm assuming they'd have to be shot same focal length...so maybe shoot on a tripod? 

Anything else I need to do?

 

maybe have an "x" on the backdrop to place right or left foot so you'll have the same focal length, and def use a tripod.

oh, her myspace is

myspace.com/sarahdenise92

and, it may be worth it to invest in a chroma key background. and just digitize it.

Why not turn your 10X20 muslin (I presume) sideways and use the widest width?  If needed, as previously suggested, clone in the part underfoot.  You could even find an outdoor location to clip it to, like the fence of a tennis court if you need wind for blowing hair.

Another idea would be to place them on a slight rise to cut out background and expose to white out the sky, giving you at least a white background.

Then again, there's a multitude of backgrounds available outside as well as their most common locale - a gym, which if the walls are white, a modicum of cloning would make it completely white.  You'd likely have to clone out doors, plugs, items on the wall, etc.

 With that many I would likely put a lot into prone poses, seated and kneeling with the remainder standing, perhaps a couple leaping.

 Eyes open and in the right direction will be your most daunting goal.

 If you have time, try a couple of different set-ups and backgrounds.

The easiest way would be all of you skydiving but I'm betting not in the choices open to you. They'd all have blowing hair anyway.

jollygreen:

Why not turn your 10X20 muslin (I presume) sideways and use the widest width?

 

I did this a few weeks ago for a large class reunion.  I didn't clone the floor, just left it tile.  It worked ok, but it was just a class reunion.  This coach is going to be expecting much more.  Plus, I don't think I could make it look real photoshopping in a different floor.

 

jollygreen:

perhaps a couple leaping

 

I really like this idea...I may try that.  Maybe I'll have them all leaping...that should get some hair blowing! hehe

I guess before we can answer is she asking too much we need to know is she offering to pay enough to cover what she wants.  This sounds like a pretty serious production to me.

Shooting them individually and compositing them together should be your last resort.  For one thing it isn't easy to make it look natural (particularly if you've never tried it before) and will take a lot of post shooting time to do.

Where do they normally perform?  Can you use that area?  Maybe a stage with theatrical lighting?  Or at least a large enough area that you can light them and let the BG go completely dark.  (A gymnasium maybe.)

Also, is there by any chance a theatrical lighting company near you?  They might have wind machines you could rent for the day of the shoot.  If not that, check with your local Home Depot or similar store and enquire about renting large ventilation fans.

Let us know how it turns out.

You can rent very large fans used for factories, barns, etc...  They are like 5 feet across, and should be able to blow a lot of hair.  As the post above mentioned, are they paying for all this production?  Sounds like besides renting a giant fan or two this might require hiring some assistants.   

another option if you find you have to shoot them individually is going to be to shoot them in small groups and put the groups together.  If you can break it down into four posed groups of four say where you can get the depth naturally between the girls then put the groupings together it might look more natural.  If you have a local theater I would look into finding out if you can use their stage.

Here is why, they usually have a huge backdrop staging area... props, blocks, stands etc that you can utilize.. etc..  Plus there is additional lighting there if needed.

good luck

I know you are in a small town, probably small schools.  BUT I would consider going to the school and looking at their stage setup.  I am the cheer coach at our small school but we have a stage (with large curtains... backdrop?!) check it out.  Maybe you could bring your lights there and bring your black 10x20 for the floor.

My opinion: regardless of what the client wants, you must be confortable with the task.  If you are not just let her know what you can deliver and what she can expect.  That way, she is a happy customer if she chooses to continue to ask for your services.  It's hard to say no when it's such an oportunity and your just starting out... believe me, I am there with you! but you don't want to do business with someone who doesn't want what you can deliver.  And I've seen your work you CAN deliver--- just sounds like she is thinking too hollywood and not so much high school production.... And that is from a coach's standpoint!

I gave her the option of a 10x20 storyboard where each girl is cut and pasted in PS.  She told me not to worry about it.  So, we're just going to go with a standard poses shot (still don't know how I'm going to get 20 girls on a 10x20 muslin) and do the hair blowing shots of the individual pictures.

I'm NOT looking forward to this!

The countdown is T minus 1 hour and 45 minutes. 

 

Wish me luck? 

Jessica-

Good luck, glad I'm not you today.  Come back and tell us how it goes.

 

Noelle

 Good luck!

Lucky vibes aimed your way :)

Are you sure you rocked it out! Would love to see what you can up with!