Jared Polin shows us how to get pro quality results with the Nikon D5600 Twin Kit

In this real-world review, Jared shows us that it's not the camera but the photographer that makes the photos. Using the D5600, 18-55 kit lens and the 70-300 kit lens Jared goes to work on a portrait shoot at a Cupcakery in the US.

Shoot RAW

One of his first tips is to remember that when using the zoom kit lenses the aperture changes through the focal range. So when shooting at longer focal lengths you'll lose a stop of light. It is however easy to compensate for this reduction in light when shooting in RAW by adjusting the exposure in post.

Tilt & touch

While a relatively common feature amongst the latest generation of digital cameras, Jared makes ample use of the vari-angle tilt screen to shoot at odd angles. He also demonstrates how useful the touch screen on the Nikon D5600 is to check your focus inbetween shots.

Don't crop

Using the 18-55 Jared is able to shoot wide and then move n to capture the details rathert than cropping in post. Because he's inside shooting without additional lighting it's necessary to shoot at higher ISOs. When shooting at higher ISOs you wan to avoid cropping in on a photo to show detail because the image will likely may show more noise.

Don't be afraid to direct

Jared knows to direct his subject form time to time. It's great to capture those candid moments but you won't always get the shot the first time, especially when you're shooting outside of a studio environment. You'll likely need to refocus, adjust your shutterspeed or ISO. The touchscreen and quick menu on the D5600 makes adjusting your settings quick so you can return to the shoot with minimal disruption. Creating a comfortable atmosphere to put your subject at ease will help you build rapport and makes directing while you're adjusting your settings easier.

Take advantage of the WiFi functionality 

Using the Nikon Snapbridge app you can adjust your camera's settings and shoot remotely. This can be immensely useful for positioning your camera in hard to reach spots where you may not be able to see the LCD or Viewfinder. For instance in this video Jared places the camera on an extended monopod over a table of cupcakes and uses his phone to trigger the shutter remotely. This resulted in one of the best shots from the shoot. 

Isolate your subject from the background using the 70-300

Contrary to popular belief you don't need a super wide maximum aperture or a more expensive lens to achieve that nice bokeh effect that separates your subject from your background or foreground. You can achieve great results by using the 70-300.

Check out the full video below:

  • By Matthew Ward
  • 12 Dec 2017

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