I'm a yearbook photographer for the largest public university in the US. I
often have to shoot lots of group shots which are around 130-150 people.
But I do it with a really old medium format (6x6) with a 50mm f4 and a very
very powerful and old metz flash directly fired.
*Since they'll be arranged on somekind of stepping, all of their faces will
be at a different distance to the flash AND film plane. What you need is a
latter shooting down towards them and somehow have the flashes at the same
height directly fired at them. Since the flash will be fired off at such a
height, the shadow casted will be downwards so there's less hard shadowing.
*Film: Portra 400 NC or VC
If you need more film speed, try Fujipress 800.
*Shoot lots of different configurations: for example, different flash
angles, flash-to-you distance, flash-to-group distance, different f-stops.
*Lense wise, use between two stops below the largest aperture and f8. (Is
that Tokina a 2.8? If so, use that one.)
Most importantly of all, the photographer needs NOT to be nervous and speedy
about the process. Double check everything twice.
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