Rebel T3 1100 D shutter button is "freezing" or "locking up"

[fraternaltwin57]

Practicing with my Rebel T3 1100 D outdoors and my shutter button is locking up making the picture impossible to capture.  This is happening intermittently, meaning, I haven't seen a pattern.  Eventually, after turning the camera off and on a few times, I can refocus on another "subject" and capture a shot.

I was wondering what I'm doing wrong.  The manual does not cover this particular problem that I'm having.

A younger friend, he's a nurse who does photography on the side, shot with my T3 last week and he encountered the shutter button "freezing up" or "locking up", so he was unable to take the picture.  He said it shouldn't do that, but isn't familiar with the EOS cameras.  He suspected possibly it's a problem for "warranty" to look at or something set somewhere in the camera that I haven't figured out.  Because, later on, he shot more with it, and then all of a sudden he couldn't get a picture again, he thought it might be an actual camera problem or bug.  Advised me to send back while my warranty is in effect.

You push down on the shutter button, subject comes in focus, then you push down further to capture the shot and the button does not function.  

Please help if you know anything about a shutter button problem with the EOS T3.

Thank you so much for your time.

Julie

[cicopo]

Because I don't know exactly what you'll be shooting at that event I'll suggest that getting a slightly noisy photo vs a slightly blurred one due to too slow a shutter speed for the situation (I don't know if there will be people / floats etc in motion) so TEST FIRST. As for the 7D (recently sold) it is a fine camera, especially at today's prices. I shoot high speed action so all of those features were required but last spring I bought a 1D mark lV which really suits my event needs.

[fraternaltwin57]

Thank you Azathoth!

That is exactly what I am doing.  I thought auto focus was only something that happened when you chose to let your camera pick the right shot, ie, the non-manual modes.

I will pay attention to the distance in the viewfinder and the shutter speed.  I suspect that I'm not waiting long enough.

I really appreciate that all of you who have responded understand I know nothing with regards to the "digital" technology world.

Reading what you write clears up the areas I'm struggling to understand right now, so I'm very grateful.

Working with autistic & special needs kids I'm used to visual learning and spelling everything out.  I'm a visual learner as well, much easier for me to read your suggestions and work it on the camera at the same time.

Thank you for your patience, help and time.

Julie