Which lens to use for a photo of a large group of people on a stage?

[Lightsped]

I am supposed to do a photoshoot for our martial arts school for the annual Christmas photo. We have roughly 200 people enrolled. We have a large stage that everyone will all stand on. I would guess that everyone will be organized with roughly 5 rows of 40 people wide.

Should I use a 24-70mm F2.8 lens or a 17-35mm F2.8 lens? I really won't have time to be swapping out lenses while everyone stands in formation. Which lens would give a more realistic better wuality photo?

Thanks

 

[Solarflare]

LOL good one.

You are supposed to shoot a freaking 200 people, but you dont even expect to be able to even have enough time to even just change lenses ?

In your boots, I would go to the location with a tripod and two helpers. Place one helper at the front of the area in question, the other at the back. Set the camera to 1/30 sec shutter speed. Close the aperture and yank up the ISO until both faces are sharp. You can also figure out which focal length to use as well, to get the whole scene.

Also during the actual event - shoot a series, so you have a chance to pick a picture without people who had just closed their eyes etc.

 

[Mach0]

LOL good one. You are supposed to shoot a freaking 200 people, but you dont even expect to be able to even have enough time to even just change lenses ? In your boots, I would go to the location with a tripod and two helpers. Place one helper at the front of the area in question, the other at the back. Set the camera to 1/30 sec shutter speed. Close the aperture and yank up the ISO until both faces are sharp. You can also figure out which focal length to use as well, to get the whole scene. Also during the actual event - shoot a series, so you have a chance to pick a picture without people who had just closed their eyes etc.

He asked for lens opinions. Not how to take it. OP, j would just check the spot out ahead of time and see what you're working with. It depends on working space. You mentioned a stage so I'm thinking you should have a good amount of space where the 24-70 should work fine.

 

[The_Traveler]

LOL good one. You are supposed to shoot a freaking 200 people, but you dont even expect to be able to even have enough time to even just change lenses ? In your boots, I would go to the location with a tripod and two helpers. Place one helper at the front of the area in question, the other at the back. Set the camera to 1/30 sec shutter speed. Close the aperture and yank up the ISO until both faces are sharp. You can also figure out which focal length to use as well, to get the whole scene. Also during the actual event - shoot a series, so you have a chance to pick a picture without people who had just closed their eyes etc.

He asked for lens opinions. Not how to take it. OP, j would just check the spot out ahead of time and see what you're working with. It depends on working space. You mentioned a stage so I'm thinking you should have a good amount of space where the 24-70 should work fine.

Don't you think it is a bit ironic that you chastise solarflare for a very sensible comment and then you essentially repeat what he said with fewer usable details.

Really what lens you use depends on where you are in the auditorium.
Secondly, if you are 'supposed' to do the shot, they better cooperate so you can get the shot.

 

[Mach0]

Don't you think it is a bit ironic that you chastise solarflare for a very sensible comment and then you essentially repeat what he said with fewer usable details. Really what lens you use depends on where you are in the auditorium. Secondly, if you are 'supposed' to do the shot, they better cooperate so you can get the shot.

Did you read his post and the op's? OP asked for lens suggestions not how to take the photo. That's all I said toward it. Take it however you like but it wasn't part of the question what so ever.

 

[robbins.photo]

I am supposed to do a photoshoot for our martial arts school for the annual Christmas photo. We have roughly 200 people enrolled. We have a large stage that everyone will all stand on. I would guess that everyone will be organized with roughly 5 rows of 40 people wide.

Should I use a 24-70mm F2.8 lens or a 17-35mm F2.8 lens? I really won't have time to be swapping out lenses while everyone stands in formation. Which lens would give a more realistic better wuality photo?

Thanks

Well I'm assuming you have access to the auditorium and if I remember correctly you mentioned you already have the 24 mm, I would go to the location beforehand and just check to make sure you can get far enough back from the stage so that you can photograph the entire stage at 24 mm. As long as you can get the entire stage in the frame you should be fine and you really shouldn't need a wider angle lens for the shot. I'm guessing the 24 mm should be just fine, most auditoriums have enough room in them that you should be able to get far enough back from the stage to get the wide enough angle you need to capture all the participants.

As far as better quality of photo, that will most likely be more influenced by lighting and technique. Ideally you might want to take a couple of people with you and do some test shots in advance, get a better feel for what the lighting is like and what your best options will be as far as setting up your shot. Then as Solarflare mentioned, you'll want to take as many in series as you can and then pick the best one from the bunch.

 

[SCraig]

Depends on the camera. A crop-sensor camera is going to have a much narrower field of view than a full-frame sensor camera. 0.67 times as wide on a Nikon, 0.625 on a Canon. My guess is that to get everyone in the field so that faces are identifiable neither a 17 or a 24 is going to work, but as others have said you need to try it out beforehand and find out for certain.

NEVER go a shoot where people are depending on you to get the shot without knowing for CERTAIN that your gear will do the job. The vast majority of the time that may well mean going to the site ahead of time and finding out for yourself. Find out how many rows deep and how many people wide. Don't guess at it, ask someone or be prepared to tell them what you can and cannot do and spend a lot of time rearranging people to fit your camera as opposed to adjusting your camera to fit the people.

 

[robbins.photo]

Depends on the camera. A crop-sensor camera is going to have a much narrower field of view than a full-frame sensor camera. 0.67 times as wide on a Nikon, 0.625 on a Canon. My guess is that to get everyone in the field so that faces are identifiable neither a 17 or a 24 is going to work, but as others have said you need to try it out beforehand and find out for certain.

NEVER go a shoot where people are depending on you to get the shot without knowing for CERTAIN that your gear will do the job. The vast majority of the time that may well mean going to the site ahead of time and finding out for yourself. Find out how many rows deep and how many people wide. Don't guess at it, ask someone or be prepared to tell them what you can and cannot do and spend a lot of time rearranging people to fit your camera as opposed to adjusting your camera to fit the people.

See, that's why your the smart one and I'm just the one with the pretty hair.. lol

 

[Lightsped]

The camera I use will be my D800. There is plenty of space in front of the group, so I will take the advise here and use 24-70mm. I'll position myself so that I can get the entire group at 24mm.
Thanks

 

[SCraig]

Using the calculator on This Page, with a 24mm lens on a full-frame body, and assuming 2' wide per person and 40 people wide (= 80' horizontal focal width) you'll have to be about 53' from the subjects. In addition, with a 2:3 aspect ratio you're going to get about 53' of vertical coverage as well. I'm not sure you're going to be able to tell one face from another at that distance. If you go with your 17mm lens that drops down to 38' which I think would be a better choice.

 

[EIngerson]

You could do a three photo pano of the group too. That way the lens doesn't matter as much. You'll just have to explain the process to them ahead of time.