A group portrait needs enough focus depth for the people in it, including anyone standing near the edges or leaning forward. Arrange the group before choosing the aperture. Reducing an unnecessary gap between rows can help more than closing the lens further while leaving faces scattered across several distances.
Ask which people and combinations the photograph must include. A small family group and a deep crowd need different arrangements, and a seated person may establish the position around which everyone else is placed.
Keep a small group close to one focus plane
For two or three people, begin with faces at roughly similar distances from the camera. Look from the actual camera position to judge that relationship. Shoulders can overlap naturally while one person leans far enough forward to put their eyes outside a shallow focus range.
Give clear individual adjustments. Ask one person to take a small step back or another to bring their face forward comfortably. Avoid pushing everyone into a rigid line when a slight rearrangement gives you the depth you need and a more relaxed posture.
Position the camera before making these refinements. Moving sideways afterward changes the distances across the group. Recheck the nearest and farthest faces whenever the viewpoint changes substantially.
Make rows shallow and readable
For a larger group, place rows close enough together to limit depth while leaving clear sightlines. Check that every face is visible between the people in front. A person may see the camera with one eye while most of their face remains hidden, so inspect the whole arrangement through the frame.
Choose levels that people can use comfortably. Chairs, safe steps or an existing slope may help, provided access is permitted and the footing works for everyone. Keep room for someone to leave the group without climbing over others. Ask about comfort before arranging a long-held pose.
A modestly elevated camera position can reveal more faces in a deep group. Use a stable, appropriate position and check how the angle changes the front row. Do not solve a sightline problem by balancing on furniture or directing people onto an unsafe edge.
Choose aperture from the actual depth
Set an aperture that has a reasonable chance of holding the nearest and farthest required faces, then make a test. An example comparison might use f/5.6 and f/8 for the same arrangement, with exposure adjusted accordingly. Group depth, camera distance, focal length and output size determine whether either is adequate.
Focus placement needs a check across that depth. For a compact group with faces close to one plane, choose a representative face near that plane. For multiple rows, test a point within the required range and inspect both extremes. Use the test images to choose a focus position that holds the required faces across the arrangement.
If an automatic face or eye selection keeps choosing the nearest person, select the intended target more deliberately. Watch for focus moving to someone who steps in front while you prepare the frame. Refocus after everyone has settled.
Inspect faces across the frame
Magnify the nearest face, a face in the farthest row and faces near both sides. Edge detail can differ from the center, and people at the ends may stand at different distances. A single sharp face in the middle cannot confirm that the whole group works.
Use the UCSC Graduation project when discussing the formality and framing of graduation-related portraits. For your own group, check that expressions and regalia remain readable in the full composition before deciding the technical test is finished.
If the rear row is soft, first see whether reducing row spacing is practical. Then compare another aperture or focus placement. Increasing ISO may be necessary to retain a shutter speed that handles small movements. Lengthening exposure until the group sways can trade a focus problem for a motion problem.
Ask everyone to relax while you inspect the technical test. Bring the group back to its marks before the next sequence, checking anyone who has leaned toward a friend or shifted to see the camera. A successful earlier focus check applies to that arrangement, so confirm it again after people move.
Make several frames with clear pauses
Tell everyone when you are ready, make a short sequence and allow a reset. Check for blinks, hidden faces and people looking at another camera. Ask other photographers to wait briefly so the group has one clear place to look.
A burst gives alternatives for expressions, but each frame still needs enough sharpness. Review before dismissing the group. If the arrangement changes for a smaller combination, check focus again because the relevant faces and distances have changed.
Browse the photography portfolio for framing references before planning your group coverage. Keep a note of the combinations completed, and confirm the important group at a useful magnification while everyone is still available to repeat it.