Photographing a large group can get complicated fast. In this behind-the-scenes tutorial, photographer Gary Hughes shows how he planned, posed, and photographed 23 people using the existing stage lights, one Flashpoint XPLOR 100 Pro II, and a multi-frame composite. The assignment took place at the historic Athens Theatre in DeLand, Florida, where Gary set out to create something that felt more like a Broadway cast portrait than a typical staff photo. Follow along as Gary covers: • Building a large group pose from the principal subjects outward • Creating natural-looking levels with furniture, props, and people’s heights • Keeping every face visible without falling back on rigid rows • Planning for comfort and mobility • Mixing warm, gelled flash with cool ambient light • Using a light meter to balance the flash and ambient exposure • Locking the camera and focus for a multi-frame composite • Combining the final images using layers and masks in Photoshop This technique can be used fo...