losttexan

Hi everyone....I am visiting out of town...left my flash-strobe at home...was asked to take pics of a high school play with my Nikon D 7000 have DX 18-200 lens with me and Tamron SP 10-24 lens...lightning is not great ..I want to take pics of the play in progress...What combination and camera setting do you guys recommend.. Your advice will be greatly appreciated...Thanks...

unclebe1 Loc: NYC & Wellington, FL

This is going to be a tough assignment. I do this several times a year for my daughter, who is a drama teacher, but I get to do it during a rehearsal and can walk around the stage with the actors and can flood the stage with lights. I assume that you will have to sit in the audience and take photos during a live performance. Much more difficult.

First, your 10-24mm lens is probably going to be too wide given that you're not going to be standing at the edge of the stage or on it, so go with the 18-200 zoom.

Second, according to Ken Rockwell, the D7000 takes very good shots even at ISO 6400. Do it. Do not use auto ISO.

Third, shoot RAW. Many scenes look normal to our eyes, but they're being lit with spots that have colored gels. You will have color casts in your photos that you can adjust pp and RAW gives you more range, especially in underdeveloped/underlit areas.

Fourth, use spot metering. In dark scenes with the main characters lit by spots, using average metering will guarantee that your actors are blown out - overexposed.

Fifth, use a relatively open aperture, perhaps 5.6, which along with the high ISO will give you reasonable shutter speeds.

Sixth, I have no idea how loud the D7000's shutter is, but don't be surprised if you're asked to knock it off. It's tough in most school plays to hear the actors under the best circumstances. Your neighbors will not appreciate the click, click, click of your shutter.

Other than that, GOOD LUCK!!! oh yes and enjoy!

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Be1, why do you recommend he NOT use auto ISO?
In what way do you think 6400 will be better than Auto ISO?
What do you think would be a reasonable shutter speed, and at 5.6, can he even achieve that if the lighting is very poor?
That's a tall order for a 5.6 lens.
Just asking? ;-)
SS

unclebe1 Loc: NYC & Wellington, FL

I normally stay away from Auto ISO. I like to keep it as low as I can and don't want the camera selecting an ISO that produces grainy results just because its algorithm allows it. That said, for this case I'd set the ISO high just because of the low light and no flash. Regarding the aperture, I think the lens the OP has is a 3.5-5.6 lens, so 5.6 will probably be close to if not wide open at the distance he's likely to be from the stage. And as far as an acceptable shutter speed, it's a function of the action on stage. If the actors are relatively still he might get some good shots at 1/60, but in general he's going to be subject to the 1/focal length rule of thumb as well as moving actors, which would lead me to hope for enough light with a high ISO to get at least 1/125. That's also why I'd stay away from Auto ISO. It may allow shots at 1/30 and I'd stay away from that. Just my 2 cents.

jpanar Loc: Reston, VA

I agree with unclebe1 wholeheartedly. You have several factors working against you and, most importantly, shooting in RAW will allow you to compensate in post-processing. Make sure to bracket. When shooting live subjects, it helps with subtle light changes made when actors travel across the stage (or along the front to back axis). Remember, the stage spots are usually multicolor and will change the shot constantly. Sometimes, the distant spots, usually from the rear of the theater, will have color to them, too. Good luck-shooting family is great!

rickardo

I tend to agree and avoid auto ISO. Keep all the variables to a minimum. I've shot shows on stage and found ISO3200 and shutter priorty 125th sec works ok, it helps with constantly changing lights on stage, if it goes very bright aperture will shut down, if it goes dark at that ISO the camera will pick up the stage lights even if it says its going to underexpose. Shoot RAW and keep an eye on the screen to see whats going on, if need to lower the shutter a touch. All depends on what its like when your there, but the less you have to think about camera settings the better so you can concentrate on whats going on stage.Hope the lens has VR! F2.8 makes life alot easier but you cant have everything!

stan0301 Loc: Colorado

You are going to have a lot of mixed light--This means your color will look awful until you correct it in Photoshop--or what ever you use--probablly concentrate on finding something white, then find a part that is going into shadow which will be grey--color balance off that. I have photographed the Nutcracker many times. Watch what is happening and you can anticipate "peak" moments and at that point motion will likely pause for just an instant--like when somebody jumps there is an instant at the peak of their jump when they are motionless--snap then. Take lots of pictures--as the action is continuous bracketing makes no sense to me--but pay close attention to the image on the back of the camera to be sure your exposure is ok. Use a tripod--or figure out a way to brace your camera--or you will have real camera/subject motion problems--remember at 200mm camera shake is multiplied by a factor of four--Good luck
Stan

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Tex, it's your shoot, you'll have to decide what's best when you walk into the venue.
I'll assume you'll use the longer lens, unless you're standing next to them.
That lens is slow to slower. Personally I'm not a fan of noise. I strive to shoot every shot like I might use it, so minimal noise for me is always better.
But more importantly, you can't have any blur, or you may as well just enjoy the show.
So you need to stop the action and 60th is ptretty darn slow. You will need at least 100 to 125 to do that, more for a musical with dance.
Assuming some shots will be center stage with better light, and some with poorer light.
I Personally consider 6400 to be very noisy. If it is(it may not be for you), then however noisy or clean, all shots will be the same, whatever it is, at 6400.
If you float the ISO, some shots will be at 6400, and some may be at 12800, but some maybe at 1600, or even 800 or less. So those shots at the lower ISO will be very clean and enlargeable if need be.
You can't control the f-stop, as you will be wide open. You probably can't control the speed, as you will already be slow and can't afford blurry shots. And the camera will always pick the lowest ISO for the situation, on auto ISO.
Good luck Tex. ;-)
SS

PS, you would not be allowed to use flash anyway.
Now you know why a cheap little nifty-fifty should always be in your bag. It would have bought you 3 stops!

dickwilber Loc: Indiana (currently)

I've been paid to take those shots at innumerable high school and college events (but I had the advantage of f/2.8 on a 70-200 mm), and I can not improve upon the advice of Unclebe1! (You say lighting is not great - that's probably wildly over optimistic!) If you are shooting for the school you may be able to move around and get some shots from the foot of the stage with your short lens, or even the wings. If you have to pay and sit in a seat, your options are extremely limited.

If they allow flash photography you may be able to rent a strobe and go that way. (Used to be easy, now there's so few camera stores ...)

If you want to know what frustration is, show up to photograph a play on request, and have them elicit your promise to shoot sans flash, then during the performance every mother, uncle, et al, is flashing away, while you are struggling with the travails of available darkness. If you are in that position, make them announce "NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY" to everyone.