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General discussion

Tips for Getting the most out of my new T3

Sep 27, 2011 7:24AM PDT

Ok guys so I bought my first DSLR camera a few months ago after always using point and shoot cameras, I got the T3 since it was in my price range... One of my wifes friends wants me to take some bridal portraits for her next week at a place called Cambells covered bridge here in SC does anyone have any tips or tricks to make my pictures turn out well using this camera? I don't have the $$ to upgrade lens so I'm going to be using the kit lens which I know some people have said they didn't like in some reviews I read about the camera... Also I don't have the cash to buy a nice polarizing filter would I still get decent pictures with the cheaper ones or just stick to no filter and hopemforth best? Thanks in advance like I said just trying to get any tips or hints that I can to et the best results possible

Discussion is locked

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A Few Tips
Sep 27, 2011 9:51AM PDT
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Thanks
Sep 27, 2011 11:37AM PDT

Thanks for the links, I planned on shooting around 5:00-5:30 this Friday So hopefully the light will be good... Like I said thanks again for the links they should help a lot!

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budget portraits
Sep 27, 2011 12:30PM PDT

Good advice from PistonCupChampion.

Also avoid high contrast light/shadow. Pay attention to shadows on their face and body. Sunset will give you warm flattering light, and it is directional. So you can think about broad and short lighting by positioning your subjects accordingly. A large reflector (collapsable window shield or aluminum foil) can also help to bounce light and reduce shadows. Make use of the late afternoon or Sunset natural light. Try not to use your on-camera flash if possible.

At night, if you need to use your on-camera flash, then you can get a cheap diffuser from Lumiquest to soften the flash a little.

Never use wide angle to do close ups on your subjects, as snapshot2 says it distorts their face, but you can use wide angle for large group from a distance. You may still be able to get the bokeh effect with blurry background if you have the subject stand far in front of the background and use the long end 55+mm to do a close up head shot.

You can also talk to the couple and see if they can give you some money to rent some equipment, tell them they will get better photos.

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Outdoor Wedding Shoot
Sep 27, 2011 2:22PM PDT

I recently did an outdoor wedding and visited the site a day before.
Be there at the time of day the event will happen.
Bring a photo target (person) with you and take some trial photos.

The lighting can be tricky and if you depend upon the automatic camera settings, you will likely overexpose most shots.
When shooting in open shade, watch the background for being too bright.
That will give you results similar to a back-lit shot.
Fill-flash can help.

Review all of the photos on your computer monitor and plan your adjustments for the next day.

Good Luck.
..

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Good ideas
Sep 27, 2011 2:50PM PDT

I'm not shooting the whole wedding just going to do some pictures of the bride in her dress at a local covered bridge... It's my wifes best friend and she actually wasn't going to have any bridal portraits made because they didn't have the cash and her soon to be mother In law paid for the photographer at the wedding... Her and my wife were talking about Bridal pictures and my wife brought up how I liked to take pictures so she asked if I thought I could take some so I said sure why not it oughta be fun... The bride who I am also friends with is very laid back and not picky at all I just want to make them the best I can so she will have something different than the regular pictures from the wedding.... I'm going to try and go up the location tomorrow and play around with some ideas and poses and things so hopefully I can get alittle bit of a game plan so I don't waste a lot of time