You don't mention whether you have a full frame or crop camera, and that's pretty important.

For example, I'll assume you have a crop camera (e.g. Nikon D7100).

Three people sitting in leaves will need at least 6' x 4' of space. You don't want them all lined up, but staggered some. Let's give them each 10 inches, so you need 30 inches (2.5 feet) front to back. Now you can focus on the middle person, so you need 20 inches to the back and 10 inches in front. DOF usually gives more to the back than front. So the key number is 20 inches (1.65 feet). You'll get the front person more in focus that way, as well.

With a 100mm lens, you need to be at a distance of 27 feet to get a 6' x 4' field of view (FOV). At 27 feet, the DOF is 1.3 feet behind the subject at f/2.8. You can move back to about 30 feet to get the desired DOF (increasing the FOV to 6'9" wide), or you can decrease aperture to f/3.6.

For me, if I was interested in narrow DOF, I would shoot at 27 feet with an aperture bracket of +/-2/3EV (in other words, shoot at f/2.8, f/3.6, f/4.5) and then pick the shot I liked.

If your camera will automatically shoot an aperture bracket, then set the bracket to 3 frames/0.7EV, set camera mode to shutter priority, burst mode, exposure compensation to -2/3EV (to avoid overexposure), and adjust shutter speed and ISO to get an aperture of f/3.6 (with shutter speed at least 1/160). And shoot RAW, because the shots will vary by 4/3 EV. Then fire away.

Otherwise, you can set to aperture mode and adjust aperture as you shoot. In that case, lock the camera on a tripod so the framing stays the same as you rotate aperture and press shutter (hard to keep the camera pointed consistently when doing this).

I cannot imagine a more risky thing to do with a camera (okay, changing lenses in a sandstorm or on a boat). If a rocket blower won't clean the sensor, send it in for cleaning. If you damage the sensor, you will have a mighty big repair bill.

I've sold for real estate; got $5-$10 for each shot. I start with the high amount for the first 5-10 shots, then lower for additional. Depends on the client.

I haven't sold any postcards (yet) but I would ask for $50-$100 for each shot. I would go for the lower amount for images you've already shot, higher for spec shots.

If I print, I clear about 2-3 times cost after the store sells the print (that includes the cost for print, mount and store fee). If the store is buying for sale, then I would charge twice the cost to print and mount.

If there are any identifiable people in your shots, you need to have a signed model release. If you are selling prints to the store, you should use a contract for the sale of fine art photography. If you are letting the store sell your prints, use a gallery contract for sale of photography. For the post cards, you should use a licensing contract to merchandise images.

For the prints, sign and date the image on the back. Discuss with the store whether they want the front signed. Provide a business card along with the print (if you don't have one, get one). I like to attach one to the back as well. Also, make a little card with a bio on it. Nothing fancy, but aimed at personalizing you as a photographer.

For the postcards, see if you can get an attribution on the descriptions (e.g. "The local covered bridge", photograph by me). Put that into the license agreement. Always get a few copies of whatever they print; and put that in the license agreement as well.

You can limit the number of cards printed, or get an additional fee for additional cards printed. I would not press this to start, but if they come back for more then you can negotiate better terms.

Templates for all of these forms can be readily found on the web. Good luck.

Flash rules have little to do with concert promoter greed. Flash is distracting to the artists and the audience. Unless you want to be considered a paparazzi, you should always get permission before using flash.

I can't recall ever being at a commercial concert that allowed flash photography. Most venues have one of three policies: (1) no photography, (2) no flash photography, (3) no professional photography. Usually, what they mean by "no professional photography" is that the camera does not have an interchangeable lens. Sometimes, it can't have a viewfinder.

As an aside, the latter policy means everyone will be holding up their phone camera and the audience is exposed to a sea of LCD screens.

I check before going, and if the policy is "no professional", then I bring my Panasonic FZ200 bridge camera. It works well if I'm close, not so good at a distance. Otherwise, I bring a mirrorless camera (Panasonic GH3, Olympus E-M5 or E-M1).

I shoot in manual exposure mode with exposure preview (and on the Olympus with highlight/shadow on to see blown highlights). Need to keep the shutter speed relatively high (1/100 sec), usually wide open and adjust exposure with ISO setting. Image stabilization is on.

I don't use BBF per se because it gets in the way of shooting fast, and it gets too confusing when switching cameras. I shoot Olympus and Panasonic micro Four Thirds (and Panasonic FZ200 bridge). Each has a method for separating focus from exposure/shutter release which I use instead of allocating focus to another button.

With Olympus, I assign the auto/manual focus toggle to the video record button. Use the shutter half press to focus, then toggle to manual, then compose and shoot. Toggle back to auto focus when I need to refocus. The viewfinder displays the focus mode (MF, S-AF) for confirmation.

With Panasonic, I assign AF to the AF/AE Lock button. Pressing the AF/AE Lock button will focus and lock focus. Pressing it again will unlock focus. When focus is unlocked, the shutter half-press will set focus.

Both of these approaches allow focus to be locked, but leaves the shutter half-press to set focus when focus is not locked.

If I am changing zoom but keeping the subject in a similar position in the frame, then I move the focus point so I don't have to reposition the camera much (or at all) when setting focus.

Finally, both Olympus and Panasonic micro four thirds have touch screen capability where you can frame the subject and then touch the screen where you want focus set. Olympus can be set to just set focus (which can then be locked by changing to MF). Or with both, the camera will focus and release the shutter.

I always have a good laugh at these "GAS" postings on UHH. Usually for just a lens. One lens. Hah!

Hard to say it's "GAS" when filling a hole, and 70-200 is a pretty big hole. Wonder what you have beyond that.

Well, you can get the 70-200 on eBay for $900, which is a good savings over Amazon.

You want to get some real "GAS", go get a 4-light setup for shooting portraits or real-estate (flashes, light stands, triggers, umbrellas, soft boxes, reflectors, batteries, mounts, bases, clamps, cables, cases, filters, diffusers, snoots, grids, barn doors, etc.) When UPS and USPS are showing up at your door every day, then you've got "GAS".

Just used one to block reflections when shooting through a window.

Well, that will work if you shoot RAW or only go out on cloudy days, but that is definitely not a step I would recommend if you are trying to understand exposure.

Might as well just shoot a sunny 16 rule and throw out anything that doesn't look good (at least you are not likely to overexpose). BTW, that's f/16 and shutter speed of 1/ISO.
Oh, and if it's really cloudy, use f/8.

I did shoot a limestone canyon in Alberta with a 35mm film camera with dead batteries shooting Ektachrome with f/8 and 1/125; one of my favorite pictures.

If the subject is not moving, then bracket your shots. If the subject is moving then use a continuous shooting mode. You will kick that shutter count in the behind and have a new camera in no time.

Read this article:

http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2012/11/07/how-to-tweak-your-olympus-om-d-e-m5-to-shoot-sports-by-jim-huffman/

You can find pictures of this on the web. It will work, but its big and heavy and unless you are really tall I would recommend something else. I don't have one, but I'm only 5'9".

It will definitely work with that camera/lens combination. You'll want a large ball head, and you might look into a gimbal head. I have a Sigma 50-500 (4 lbs) and Nikon 400mm f3.5 (6 lbs). I use a Vanguard SBH-250 ball head converted to Arca, and a ProMaster gimbal head (also Arca) for these lenses. I like Arca because I can put a long plate on the tripod mount of the lens and then have a lot of latitude to shift weight around for proper balance.

From what I can tell, the height is 64", which is not tall enough.

Manfrotto 058B has 3 section legs, is 75" tall without center column, supports 26 pounds.

At the wildlife refuge, the guides make you. The birds spook pretty easily.