I'm shooting my sister's engagement pictures this weekend.

Ihaveaquestion

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Were going to start this weekend at some parks around town.

I have a flash bracket off shoe cord (ordered) bounce flash and a hood for my lense. I'm thinking i should use 200 film?

I really need some help with poses and any advice would be great. I want to do the best job possible.


Thanks.
 
I'm no genius and hardly know anything about photography, but isn't ingagement spelled "Engagement?"

Also, isn't possable spelled "possible?"

ha ha

B
 
You might have more luck with this question in the portrait section. Let me know if you'd like me or one of the other mods to move it there. :D
 
I am no genius, but I have yet to hear anything good about 200 speed film. The 200 I have used myself to see is it was worth it, was not worth the plastic container it came in. ( Kodak )
 
Film: I'd use 100 ISO, and I'd match your film brand to the brand of processing equipment your local lab uses. The difference may be slight, but there usually is a difference. Fujifilm w/ fuji equipment etc. Honestly I haven't ever heard anyone say 200 sucks so badly. That may be the case, but not so much in my experience. Some companies don't make 100 anymore IRRC, so you may have to look beyond the corner drugstore to get some. I shot an entire engagement session with 200 and had good results.

Lense choice: I'd consider getting your hands on another lense besides the 28-90 you have listed in your signature. I have that lense, and it sucks. I've taken some good shots with it, but I've also beat my head against the wall in frustration b/c that lense has ruined so many more. If you can spare the change, a Canon 50mm 1.8 is a great portrait lense. It's not a zoom so you have to move around a bit more for composition and framing, but that can be one less thing to have to worry about as well. It's incredibly sharp, on par with lenses 5-10 times it's cost. You can usually get one new around $80 if you look hard enough. If you can't swing that, local camera stores may rent lenses as well.

Posing: Stay out of direct overhead light if you can, or you'll end up with squinty eyes and raccoon shadows. Take an objective look at your subjects, are there things about them that maybe should be de-emphasized? Maybe one much taller or wider than the other? For example if he's really tall, don't have him standing and her sitting, as that will emphasize the difference. Instead have her standing and him sitting which will work to bring them closer. Or if one is heavier than the other, put the heavier person behind the other. I've also heard that you don't want either of your subjects completely square to the camera, always angled at least a little bit. There are a few good books out that have all kinds of posing ideas in them, they might be a good investment.

At the shoot: Be sure and ask if they have any thing in mind that they'd like to shoot as well, even if they don't they will be more comfortable if they feel like their input is important. It usually takes 5 or more shots for the models to really relax, so expect that. Keep your eye on them during times you don't have the camera pointed at them. Some of my best shots have come when the subjects had no idea I was still paying attention.

Hopefully that wasn't too basic and I've offended you, but they are things I always remind myself with before going to a shoot. Hope that helps!
 
On the wedding photos that I took and for some of the Portrait shots I've done (i'm going to get some flak for this)

Regular Kodak Gold ISO 100 why cause it was cheap and had almost the same Grain as the Professional Kodak films

If Konica was still making film I'd be using that to this day...either that or Agfa
 

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