please please help...in a bind

[doxiekp]

Hello! I am Katie and I just bought my first canon rebel xt today. I don't know ANY thing about photography (when say anything....I mean I know NOTHING about it!!) just the passion for it. I was hoping to get any help I can get. Here's the story....

I don't know what I've gotten my self into! I was at Wal Mart buying some tulle to make my 7 month old baby a tutu to try out my new camera. Well the girl behind the counter was asking me about it and I told I was wanting to get into photography and that I was going to try out my new camera. Well she asked me if I could take her senior pictures!??! I said....ummm....I have NO experience and haven't even figured out how to use my new camera! She said oh that's ok I don't mind. So I said I would do it and got her number but reminded her again I have no experience. She again said it was ok.

WHAT DO I DO NOW??? She said she wants to take some in her prom dress and some in her cap and gown. I have a million questions to ask but I don't know how to ask them. To sum it up I have no clue how to pose, anything about lighting, and so on.

Second thing is my Dad has a tripod and a flash from like 20 years ago he said I can use BUT will it work with a digital camera that is a different brand?? I think he said the flash is a phillips and it worked form his Minolta old school camera. What do you think?

Please help!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

[TCimages]

Welcome!!

I guess there is nothing wrong with trial by fire.

Put that XT in P mode and shoot away. You'll get some keepers for sure. The XT is a great camera.
I don't know how much time you have between now and the shoot, but it will be overwhelming to try and learn it all.

For the poses, look on the net for ideas. Google can help with that.

Also, Read your manual and as your playing with your camera, ask away on here.

good luck

 

[MRivera]

+ 1 to above set it on P and shoot away while you learn to use it manually... take advantage on the tripod... Good Luck!!

 

[JimmyO]

Take as many shots as you can before now and then, and study what worked well it each.

Good luck!

 

[DeadEye]

Same advise as above. I would avoid the old flash though as some old flash's are unsafe on modern cameras ( high sync voltage not good for small transistors)

 

[STINKY PICTURES]

Well we all have to start some where. When you put your daughter to bed at night take out your manual and read. shoot lots of her during the day and see what you like. try not using auto, and use your manual for your settings, keep tweeking you`ll get it.

 

[doxiekp]

Oh boy! Thanks so much for all the advice. She said her graduation in in June and she needs to send the pics out in the invitations at least 3 weeks in advance. So I'm guessing I have at least 4 weeks.

+ 1 to above set it on P and shoot away while you learn to use it manually... take advantage on the tripod... Good Luck!!

What does that mean? +1 to above set it on P? Sorry but I don't know the "talk" yet!

 

[davebmck]

What does that mean? +1 to above set it on P? Sorry but I don't know the "talk" yet!

It just means he agrees.

 

[Rand0m411]

What does that mean? +1 to above set it on P? Sorry but I don't know the "talk" yet!

+1 means he agrees with the quoted statement. Set it to P means to set your XT to program mode which shoots like "Auto" but with the ability to still change settings, like shutter speed ect...