Got a surprise phone call yesterday! - Outdoor Photography Advice

[Tintype_18]

The Caller ID showed it to be a fellow who is a member of an outdoor organization located on Blue Ridge, GA. He asked about my schedule for April 29th. I was OK for that day. He next asked if I would be the photographer for the event. How could I refuse? I attended last year and submitted an article and photos for a Chattanooga TV online news. I was pleased with the photos last year. Will be taking lots of photos, making sure I have charged batteries and extra memory cards but doubt If I will fill the 16 GB card. I guess this would be my first official commission for photography. I plan on experimenting more with my camera to make sure I know what and how to handle certain situations. I have a Canon T7 and the three lenses are: 18-55mm, 75-300mm, 28-135mm. All will be outdoors. Thanks for reading. Any advice is most appreciated.

[Tintype_18]

Do you review the photos on the laptop during or after the shoot? Interesting idea. How do you tether them? I'm guessing a cable fo some sort. Never done it...yet.

[ebiggs1]

I use Lightroom. I don’t know if PSE does tethered connections. It depends on the type shoot I am doing.  On Senior posters I do immediately so the students can approve or ask for a retake. All jobs are different so it depends on each one.

[amfoto1]

I Googled to find out more about the event you'll be photographing and only found a Blue Ridge Trout Festival and Outdoor Adventures happening on April 29. I assume that's what you're referring to...

It appears there are a lot of things planned for that day:

• Fishing
• River Sports (?)
• Food
• Wildlife art
• Outfitter gear
• Guide services/information
• Activity Zone for kids
• Live music and dance
• Climbing wall
• Mountain bike demos
• Lawton’s Portable Trout Pond
• Long-saw crosscutting
• Axe throwing
• Gem mining and more!

I don't know what you plan to shoot or how many images you might take... I photograph sporting events and get about 460 RAW files or 1500 JPEGs or about 350 RAW + JPEG per 16GB of memory. Your camera probably gets about 20% little less (it's 24MP, mine are 20MP cameras). I often fill a number of memory cards (using a mix of 16GB and 32GB), rarely come home with less than 1500 images and often have 3000, 4000 or more. 

So I'd recommend taking extra memory cards... and extra batteries! Take many extra shots, because you won't have opportunity to retake anything you miss!

Of your three lenses, I'd probably use the EF 28-135mm the most or at least as much as possible. It's a decent lens and a pretty good range of focal lengths even on an APS-C camera. I am not a fan of the EF 75-300mm III (no IS, slow micro motor focusing, unimpressive optics/soft at the long end of the zoom). The 18-55mm might be useful to have in case a wider view is needed for some shots. (I use the Canon EF-S 10-22mm and EF 20mm f/2.8.)

I often have used flash... especially outdoors, midday when shadows can be a real problem.

Two examples shot with EF 28-135mm and Canon 550EX or 580EX flash on APS-C format cameras (like yours)...

A couple shots using EF 28-135mm without flash, with enlarged details...

With USM focus drive the 28-135mm also is fast focusing, capable of keeping up with fast moving subjects (suggest using AI Servo, center AF point only, and back button focusing)...

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Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7DII (x2), 7D(x2), EOS M5, some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
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