It’s all over social media, you know, those iconic group photo shoots that break the internet. They look so effortless but in all honesty they do require a little coordination. Some of the key elements that make group pictures go viral include great setting, lighting and cohesiveness among the group. Doesn’t matter if you are just taking a casual group shot with your friends, a sultry group vacation post or doing something fun for your sorority I have complied a short list of things you must do for the perfect shot. 

1. Get your group together - There should be some cohesiveness within the group, don’t run and get matching outfits just yet, outfit coordination is fun but it's not required. No matter the theme you want to make sure everyone in the group looks good and doesn’t stand out for negative reasons. This will require you to know your group members so that you can choose a theme that works for everyone. 

2. Posing - This can be a task the more people you have. For things like sorority shoots it can be fun to just line everyone up according to height. If you are in a fitting location you can also spread everyone out. When posing you want to consider those who have a “preferred side” and those who are extremely short or tall to ensure that they are all seen. 

3. Location - A great group photoshoot can happen anywhere but there must be light. A well lit location can do wonders on its own or a skilled photographer can use an array of lighting tools or edit the images after the fact. Just remember that adding light to images that are really dark can be a task even for a more skilled photographer, so choose the location wisely. 

4. Photographer - I highly recommend using a photographer or at least someone with a good eye. While shooting with the photog have a conversation prior to the shoot if possible about the purpose of the shoot and the vibes you are looking to capture. Some photographers can guide you will help with positioning/posing but you can also gather some inspiration pictures so that the photog (and the group) has better direction. 

5. Have fun - I know i just shared some items that’s going to make this feel like work but I believe that your mood can be captured in a photo, so try to have fun with it. One thing I’ve done on to make shoots fun (other than just shoot with actually fun people) is to have some music playing in the background to help everyone relax, and having the music can allow for some fun candid shots if someone starts dancing. 

I hope this helps, did I miss anything? Let me know in the comment below!