J.F Photo

Hello. I was asked to photograph a play and to be honest I never done anything like it. I have a 85mm f/1.8 & 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. I want to know what would be the best choice for photographing the play. Any additional advice would be helpful for I do not know what to expect.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

JF, welcome to the Hog.
Use Auto ISO on Tv to stop the blur and minimize noise. Good luck. ;-)
Again, welcome
SS

Chris F. Loc: San Francisco

I've done a few with my daughter's school along with musicals. Keep the shutter speed up as much as possible to avoid blurs with subject movement. This can be hard under lower light conditions, but hopefully they are using a spotlight. Sit in the front to avoid other attendees from getting in your shot. Also, if you are not shooting in raw, adjust your white balance accordingly. Stage lighting can be tricky with all the different types of light going on sometimes. Good luck.

Dave_TX

Ask to go on stage during a rehearsal with the lighting as it will be during the performance so you can do some light metering. Do you have a grey card? If so, it would be a good thing to bring along so that you can get the data you need to set the white balance in addition to the exposure. Take some test shots of the rehearsal while you are at it, too.
You should be able to shoot with the camera in manual exposure mode during the actual performance. If you got some shots of a grey card you will also be able to fix the white balance after the fact, too.
If you are going to be sitting in the audience you may find it useful to bring along a monopod so that you can support the camera while you are sitting in your seat. I shoot photos of the high school band performances while sitting in the back of the auditorium with my 400mm lens on a tripod. In those cases I play with the EV control and "underexpose" a couple of ev to account for the meter getting fooled by the black suits and dresses plus the black music stands on the stage.

Neubee Loc: Wisconsin

I have done a few stage show photos,here goes..
Get a good seat with no distractions.
If you are close, use 85mm,if not use 70-200mm.
Remember DOF will be shallow if you keep speed up.
There is not much you can do about WB,use auto..
Watch for a pause in the performer,take a breath and hold,
trigger slowly if hand held.
I never use tripod,too hard to operate,no space,too slow.
If possible take your photos during a second performance,as you will know what to expect.
Hope this helps..

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

Arrange to do your photos during dress rehearsal, No matter how careful a photographer running around during a play is not a good thing. With your 70-200mm you should be able to put your camera on a tripod and get great shots. I like to shoot in aperture priority. If you shoot wide open you will get the fastest shutter speed available. - Dave

Neubee Loc: Wisconsin

Here are 2 samples, there will be a lot of flubs, so expect them.
The show must go on so don't slow down, it's no time to check your shots.. Good Luck..

A Show Singer


An Ice Show

twindad Loc: SW Michigan, frolicking in the snow.

Wear black if you're moving around (suggested, so you get differing angles. Disable the focus assist light on the front of the camera. Disable or quiet the shutter noise. Don't use flash. I'd go with the 70-200 lens for more choices on where you stand.


Good luck!

Dave_TX

Using the dress rehearsal for shooting sounds like a great idea.

greg vescuso Loc: Ozark,Mo.

Try to use your 85mm 1.8 as much as possible the extra light it will bring in will be a big advantage and bump your iso up as high as you can go and still be able to fix the noise in post. Good luck and have fun.

amehta Loc: Boston

Instead of using evaluative metering, use manual mode, and spot meter on an actors face to get the reading, if the lighting will be relatively constant during the play.

You are taking photographs, not video, so you don't have to capture everything, you want to get a range of shots to represent the play and the actors.

Shoot in raw or raw+jpeg so you can adjust white balance and reduce the noise more easily later.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Absolutely! You will have the advantage of being able to use supplementary lighting (a flash at a dress rehearsal will just harden the actors against distractions, and, with the director's cooperation, you might even be able to arrange for pauses at critical moments in the action. Also plan to attend many active rehearsals as possible (as opposed to "walk-throughs" with scripts); you will be much better prepared if you know what happens next.

Vlux

Oh, boy, shooting stage performances is not for the faint hearted. I regularly shoot dance, the dress rehearsal, if possible. But asking the director to make any adjustments for your needs is is not a good idea. Nor is a photographer moving around during a performance. I'd use the longer lens and pick one spot from which to shoot, a place that you and the director agree upon.
Exposure and WB will both be tricky. Most theater lighting is 3200 or 3400K, and can vary from moment to moment and place to place on stage. Your best best is probably to go with auto -- unless you have a chance to gauge the light temperature ahead of time.
I normally set the ISO at 1600. ( With B/W film, I push Tri-X two stops. ) I'm assuming that you will be focusing on the action of the moment. Unless you want good definition throughout the entire shot, I'd suggest AP at 4.0. With the ISO at 1600 and the aperture at 4.0, you should get a decent shutter speed, except in very low light.
A matrix reading will take in black and bright areas that could throw off the exposure from what you're concentrating upon. You'll have to decide whether tight framing that isolates some of the action is your object, or perhaps a view of the whole set for context will get the effect you're after. Spot metering on faces is one possibility or, better, center-weighted.
There is no formula for this kind of work. There are too many variables. You have to do your best with what is given.
I bought the Leica V-Lux 4 specifically to shoot ballet. I shoot a lot of monochrome right from the start, at 1600 F 4.0, even at 2.8, which holds true even at 600mm. I try to anticipate the high point of the action or a freeze. Otherwise there will be a blur in some of the shots. ( I tell the dancers that it's a "creative effect." ) In color, I set the temperature at 3400 and fire away -- and pray. But if you're more comfortable with auto, fire away.
Above all, try to be as inconspicuous as possible. The performers and audience members will appreciate it.
Good luck.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I used to do a lot of this for a local group. I used a monopod, D7000, and 18-200mm lens. I was in the last row, about 30' back (small theater), and the results were pretty good. Then someone in the audience complained about "all the noise" the camera was making. The 70-200mm F/2.8 should be excellent because my 18-200mm was nowhere near as fast.

Looking back at a few plays, it doesn't look like I shot at over !SO 800.

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

I shot a couple of them in a small neighborhood theater. Very dark, not great lighting on stage. Ended up using Rokinon 85/1.4 manual focus, no flash, with pretty good results.