Stay safe!

I think all his friends said, "here, take some shots for me!" I think the whole thing is awesome!

I like your eye and I love all 3! welcome

I have been told by a photographer friend that she saves the finished product photos that will be sold to the client at 8x12 300ppi. She sends that size to the printer and can enlarge them just fine.

I just finished a photoshop class and the instructor told me that he never resizes photos even though they come from the camera huge and never changes the 72 ppi. He explained that changing the resolution just makes the computer add pixels and makes even larger files.

I'm confused. If I want to make an image and be able to have it blown up larger, even into a poster size, what ppi do I need and what size do I save a photo so that I can send it to an online printer?
Another question is...if I need to crop the photo in PS5, the cropping tool always sets the size of the photo for cropping, I usually go with 8x12 on my friends advice but after hearing that sizing isn't really necessary..what do I do with that?
I am surely confused and would appreciate any help! Thanks

I shoot with a full frame 5D Mark II.

I would have tried her in the lower left foreground, shooting slightly up at her, the stadium in the background. For something fun, since this was a fun shot, I'd had her tossing up her bouquet (like a graduation cap). You may have had to stood in the street and had someone block traffic to keep you from getting run over :) I think this shot will be personal to her and she'll love it, even if you as a photographer would think of a thousand things to do differently. Good job!

In all these shots, I can actually tell what that thick fur feels like. That's what an amazing picture can do! Bravo

Dgratzinger, I have had two situations recently where people made similar references to photography...one was after I shot his children's Christmas card photos...he told his wife, "well, she(me the photographer) must have a way better camera than I have cuz those pictures are way better than mine." At first I thought, well geez...were you only paying me for the camera usage? Just maybe I had something to offer in the way of posing, lighting, background, etc.
The other was an acquaintance heard that I take photos and he said, "well, there's nothing to photography anymore, the camera does everything for you". Gosh...I was a little insulted until his wife asked me to take their daughter's senior portraits.
The point is...I have a lot more stories of people looking at some of my photos, even ones that don't seem the best to me, and saying "wow! you're good!" I just stick with those people!

I have a Canon 5D MarkII...yes, my family loves me and supports my habit! I took the tree with my 24-105mm. I loved the article I read on this site that said the best way to find out if you are any good...show other photographers your work and ask. After seeing so many great shots and hearing so much good advice in just my first few days here, I can already see so much I'm doing wrong in my shots as well as a little good too. I hope to do more good each time I go out. Thanks for the kind words, everyone!

I feel like I have so many options now...and I am going to try hiding something funny in at least one group shot (like the upside down G). I think the girls would love that, too! You all are great. Thanks for all the info. Now...I gotta figure out how to make a background that I'm happy with :)

Got it (I hope) Thanks so much for all your help, everyone!

In reference to the avatar...Having the pug around always take the attention away from me! I'm not nearly as cute!
OK...if I get the image taken on a middle gray background, I'll be in good shape for finding a great background. I'd like to make my own, with the football stadium or whatever in the background. Does primatte help you do that? Sorry if that sounds like a dumb question. I'm sure most of my questions will sound dumb to you all who do this all the time.

Thanks...I think I'm gonna try the PS route with the plug in. sounds like the solution to green uniforms. Thanks for the reminder about the history brush. You both talk about the distance from the subject to the screen...I'm positive you both just saved me from making some big mistakes! Now, if you'd just kindly show up to the shoot...haha

Thanks for the advice. The girls' uniforms have green in them, will I have issues with that? (You always make it look so easy.)

YES! The family all nod their heads and say "that's nice" when I tell them what I did to take the picture. Since I just started, gotta figure out how to attach pictures. Thanks for the welcome ...I feel better already.

tree in my yard

I take photos for my town's high school dance team. Last year we did lots of traditional shots (parents love those) and a few artistic and fun shots (the girls loved those). I need to come up with a few new ideas for this year's shoot. I thought of using a green screen to put the team shot over the school mascot or school logo. I know a bit about PS, removing subjects from background, etc. but nothing much about shooting with a green screen. I can see that it would make selection easier and faster. Is there something else about green screens I should know or is using a plain wall for a background just as effective?

Also, any ideas for the group shot? I'm open to all suggestions!