glblanchard

I have shot dozens of plays. A hundred or so. You've gotten some good advice about settings, etc, but if you are serious about getting good pictures. Go to a couple rehearsals and get to know the play, and you will be able to anticipate good shots. (Also, a spot meter is invaluable.)

jimsin

I photograph several local theaters and my latest technique is to use my Sigma 18-50 2.8 on my Canon T2i. I shoot during final dress rehearsal so am able to be up close and move to stage left and right. I try to use the lowest speed (within reason) and widest aperture and let the camera pick the ISO. The speed and aperture can vary depending on the general lighting of the play. I also do photography for a dance company, and I do them from the wings during a live show, this produces an interesting prospective.

dickwilber Loc: Indiana (currently)

I have shot any number of high school and college stage productions! If possible, shoot the dress rehearsal. You will be able to move around, maybe use flash (stage lighting can be near impossible), get close, in the wings, et al!

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

I shot a show last year in a dark theater, with an only moderately lit stage, from around 3 rows back from the orchestra pit in front of the stage. I found I had much better results with the pictures I took with the spot metering mode on my Canon 60D and Sigma 30mm f/1.4. Depending on where you will be located the lenses you're planning on may not be wide enough if you are using a crop camera. On full frame they make be fine.

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 at f/2.2, 1/160, !SO 800, Spot metering

(Download)

100% crop of previous image

(Download)

Stage Light Loc: Northeast

Hi, JF. I have photographed quite a few plays. I start off with setting the color balance to 2780K. And I make sure to shoot in RAW; things happen rapidly and there is no turning back. I use Auto ISO (100 - 800 or 1600) at 1/80th of a second. and aperture priority at usually 5.6. I shoot single point auto focus focusing on the face and reframing to whatever.

I don't often get to see the show beforehand. I shoot a dress rehearsal from directly in front of the stage (moving from side to side to get what I want). I pay attention to the background.

By setting your color balance to stay the same you get the colors as they were designed to be. If you get a blue stage, you get a blue photo. If you want to, you can ask the lighting person to put on the lights to a normal bright level and do your white balance with that.

To keep people in focus I try shoot them straight on, not from an angle.

I use a 40-70 2.8 VR lens.

Have enclosed three photos; in one there was a follow spot (always bright). The others were normal stage lighting (not very bright).

Hope this gives you an idea of what you have gotten yourself into. Have fun.

stan0301 Loc: Colorado

Pretty much count on light color and light to dark problems all over the place (highlights being so much brighter that shadows that the media can't handle it--get the faces right (they will usually be your lightest area)--spot meter on the face and let everything else do what ever it wants--good luck
Stan

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Definitely agree on the spot metering. I think that's essential.

taylorzacre Loc: Cypress, TX

I have shot multiple high school plays over the years and here is some tips that I learned by trial and a lot of error. First go see the play before you shoot. Learn where the action is going to be on the stage so that you will be able to be on that side of the stage at the appropriate time. Shoot on multiple nights. This will allow you to shoot one night from the back center of the theater to get full stage shots on a tripod. Then set up stage right one night then stage left on another, by shooting from all three locations you should be able to capture the entire production. Don't be afraid to zoom in tight on the actors, to capture emotion. You should never use a flash during the performance, this will distract the audience and the actors. Be aware of the constant changing light levels on the stage and be prepared to adjust ISO, shutter speed, aperture, etc, another reason for seeing the show first before taking pictures. After all of the high school plays I shot, the last night of the production, before they broke set, a time was set aside after the show to "stage" scenes in stop action to capture the setting with the stage lights up.

A long shot from "A Little Shop of Horrors


A medium shot from "The Foreigner"


A close up from "Grease"

Stage Light Loc: Northeast

To keep people in focus I try shoot them straight on, not from an angle.

Not clear, am referring to a line of people.

wj cody Loc: springfield illinois

we used to photograph ballet performances, back on the west coast when i had hair. i got to work with the great Mischa Langer, perhaps one of the 5 best stage performance photographers going. his equipment was a leica m4 with the 50mm and 35mm f2 summicrons.
so, a few general rules.
1. go to the tech rehearsal. this is when the light plots are set. remember, your first electrics are always "cans" and these will blow highlights out - they are usually kelvin and different from television studio lighting temperatures.
use a spot meter if you have one. watch the plotting and write down where and when you want to make your images.
2. go to the dress rehearsal, as others have mentioned. get under those first electrics. stay for the whole thing. by then, you know where you want to be, when you want to be for your images. cut a deal with the school - they get prints, also. they will most likely love you for that. stay for each run through, that way you will get multiples, and also know when the "decisive moment" occurs and you'll be ready for that.

good luck,
and let us all know how it turns out for you.