Lighting 30 kids cheaply..?

[stevewestern]

A school wants me to take classroom sized pictures so up to 30 kids but the equipment budget is very low....
I have a Canon 580 flash, a big pop-up reflector and a 70cm softbox and stand.
I am slightly tempted to look into getting another 580 and 2 shoot-through umbrellas and position them above me, pointing slightly outwards so try to keep the light even across the 3 rows of 8-10 kids.
Any thoughts about this, or alternative suggestions ?

Thanks in advance !

 

[SamuelHearn]

You would lose a massive amount of power using umbrellas, what's the venue like? Have you considered the straight forward bounce off ceiling technique? Maybe you could have a flash either side of you pointing at the ceiling or something, it's hard to tell without having seen the venue.

 

[EdBray]

Shoot them outside, set up four Gym benches in two rows of two with a person sized gap between them (with a chair for the teacher situated between the two benches in the first row), have the first row sat on a bench, then the second row standing behind the first and the third row stood on the rear benches. Any Classroom assistants can stand at the end of the 2nd row. Easy Peasey!

 

[stevewestern]

Thanks for the replies..!
I have been looking into both the venue (which has a fairly high ceiling) and at other group shots I have googled and think I will be bouncing the flash either off the ceiling or a foam board with both me and it up a ladder or on a platform, so the kids are looking up at me, the flash can light them all gently without shadows or light falloff being too much of a problem. This will also mean that the flash has less distance to travel meaning I can stop down to ensure everything is in focus.
I am able to check the venue tomorrow so will see if this will work out then. The idea of outside would be nice but here in Cornwall there is rarely long enough between showers to do one class, let alone 6 without me getting soaked....!