How to Capture a Great Group Photo
Unless you are like me and born with a camera in your face, having your photo taken, even as part of a group, can be an awkward and uncomfortable experience. However since discovering the Art of Jumpology, I now realise you can turn this into a fun and enjoyable experience for most people, plus achieve amazing results.
So what is Jumpology? It’s a style of photography bought to life in the 1950’s by photographer Philippe Halsman. He wanted a way to relax people who didn’t feel comfortable in front of a camera, so he asked them to jump. “When you ask a person to jump, his attention is mostly directed towards the act of jumping and the mask falls, so that the real person appears” he once said in an interview.
I have been using Jumpology as part of my Great Escape Waiheke Team activity for the past 2 years. Teams are challenged to find a beautiful Waiheke backdrop and create a Jumpology shot which is then judged. The results are usually brilliant photos because the team is relaxed and having fun — this is the photo that everyone is usually happy to share on social media.
Here are my tips for capturing a great group photo:
1) Take the photo from a low position
2) Ask the team to relax their faces or make them laugh and instead of jumping straight up and down — try to create shapes with their body
3) Have the team count 1, 2, 3 themselves before jumping
4) Use continuous burst mode on your camera or phone
To find out more about The Great Escape Waiheke Team Activities click here
thegreatescape.co.nz info@thegreatescape.co.nz +64 275 479 114
