Need help with Family/Granddaughters portraits on beach

[theantiquetiger]

I am planning on doing a family portrait and portraits of granddaughters (no grandsons in our family). We are all going to wear similar clothing (white shirts, khaki shorts). I figure there will be a set of each granddaughter (5), each family (3), all granddaughters together, and full family (12 people). I know to shoot in the evening with sun on the right or left sides of the subjects. I plan to use off camera flash, camera flash, and/or white card reflector.

BTW, the beach runs east - west

What lens should I use?:

Tamron 70-200 2.8
Tamron 17-50 2.8
Canon 18-135 3.0
Canon 50mm 1.4

What will be my best distance from the subjects and best aperture setting for each lens above (I plan to shoot in AV)?

Any helpful hints will be greatly appreciated!!!

We are doing it this Thursday and Friday

[theantiquetiger]

I was playing around with the off camera flash. The only thing I have to trigger it is my pop up flash and if I turn it down (off ETTL), it does not fire my off camera speedlite. It still causes some hard shadows behind her

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2862/9140301008_60aae77d2e_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theantiquetiger/9140301008/)
maddy quick portrait (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theantiquetiger/9140301008/) by Theantiquetiger (http://www.flickr.com/people/theantiquetiger/), on Flickr

and this one, she is too close to the off camera flash

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5333/9140330108_0f170a367a_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theantiquetiger/9140330108/)
hand stand (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theantiquetiger/9140330108/) by Theantiquetiger (http://www.flickr.com/people/theantiquetiger/), on Flickr

[Marko]

The full group lens best one imo is the 18-135.

With respect, my advice is to not do it this way until you are comfortable doing it this way....these poses do not simulate the reality of your shoot so this practise isn't as useful as.....

1 - Solve the syncing issue immediately. (shoot it ETTL, trigger, wire etc.) The off camera gig depends on this. make sure it works predictably.

- Practise this setup at the beach with one or 2 daughters first and you will see it's not easy when you have never done it before. It gets harder when there's kids and people waiting to be guided by you.
An assistant will be handy to dial up or down the flash unless u can control the flash from your camera.

Scout the exact location, note where the sun is and time of day today or before the shoot. Plan your composition now. Shoot them as though they were part of the group so back up in a few shots.
Bring all your lenses. Practise with each lens from a fixed location that suits the lens.
Love to see those practise shots first - imo - Everything else is pure speculation. If you can't do this my best advice is to shoot it on camera ttl, likely with the fill flash set to the minus side.
Hope that may help.

[theantiquetiger]

With respect, my advice is to not do it this way until you are comfortable doing it this way....these poses do not simulate the reality of your shoot so this practise isn't as useful as.....

1 - Solve the syncing issue immediately. (shoot it ETTL, trigger, wire etc.) The off camera gig depends on this. make sure it works predictably.

- Practise this setup at the beach with one daughter first and you will see it's not easy when you have never done it before.
Scout the exact location, note where the sun is and time of day today or before the shoot. Plan your composition now.
Love to see those practise shots first - imo - Everything else is pure speculation. If you can't do this my best advice is to shoot it on camera ttl, likely with the fill flash set to the minus side.
Hope that may help.

I have figured out what I was doing wrong with the timing of the off camera flash. I had the wrong thing selected in the camera.

What about my other questions, lens, distance, camera settings, etc? I am just looking for something to get me in the ball park.

I am guessing to use my 70-200mm with a large aperture on full body shots of individuals, 50mm for up close individual shots, and my 17-50mm for group images.

[Marko]

We can't know how large they will be in your frame or if you want the shot full body... not sure what you are asking here. That will affect the distance from the lens.
Not fond of just shooting out exposures for various reasons...but if pressed f/8 is normally a safe aperture at 1/200 minimum on the 70-200 at the 200 end.


I am guessing to use my 70-200mm with a large aperture on full body shots of individuals, 50mm for up close individual shots, and my 17-50mm for group images.

I'd use the 70-200 as mentioned and the 18-135 for the group. 70-200 could also work for close up indiv shots.