GPoyner Loc: North Dakota

So I'm down to my last 100 photos of the shows....the dilemma, stay dark or lighten? If I stay dark I show the mood/setting that produced the show, if I stay light then the question goes...do I lose the essence of the show? Ahh the dilemma of it all....thoughts?

The photos below have been slightly adjusted for either WB or expouser or both...cropping has not been performed. I have tried to keep the essence of the show alive without washing out the main subjects.

F4.8 1/400s +5ev ISO800


F4.8 1/400s +5ev ISO800


F5 1/400s +5ev ISO800

Erv Loc: Medina Ohio

Can you make a duplicate from the oringinal and show us a light one?
Erv

PhotoArtsLA Loc: Boynton Beach

Here is a slightly revised version of your first image. This olde notebook is too painfully slow for me to pour on the gas, techniques wise, like I will be able to do once back at my L.A. studio in a couple days.

Basically, these images are almost in bounds, but as it is with all theatrical photography, something I have been shooting for decades (embarrassing as to how many) the issue is always scene contrast. Most theatrical lighting builds up significant subject contrast. The good news is digital allows one to truly manipulate beyond the good ol' days of photo labs (I owned one of those, too.)

A further note: when shooting theater, ALWAYS shoot in RAW mode only. The reason: when you begin to lift the darks of the image, RAW files show far less artifacts than JPEG, which will have some noise based on the compression used.

Oops, sorry for not reading your fine print about not editing. Sorry about that, I will now abstain. Let me know if you want to see the full range of techniques on these images. I will assume not for now. Apologies.

FYI: The techniques used here did not involve Levels nor Brightness/Contrast, nor Curves, and are infinitely adjustable.

Some basic adjustments.

GPoyner Loc: North Dakota

No worries about the fine print, I appreciate you reading it and asking; that's all I wanted was to be asked! Yes, please sure your thoughts and techniques. I did shot only in RAW (the ones here are jpeg because RAW wouldn't load) for this last show...the dilemma is now I have the control of the picture. I see these show darker then I initially thought (did these at home on a laptop, now at work on a monitor!).

So going through almost 2k pics, I weeded out the blury and just plain bad shots. Then I weeded it down to ones that the studio may want to use and started tuning the pictures for exprosure and WB; along with some minor straighting. I realized that after awhile I lean torwards bright then dark then bright then dark again. And then the dilemma started...lighter or darker? Lossing the essence and feeling of the show or being able to see every detail of the dancers (and the ugly floor). I know it comes down to the eye of the beholder on what they fancy; but I'm looking for an acceptable base (a rule per say) that I should start from and then go from there on these types of photos. I appreciate any help you can provided....thanks

GPoyner Loc: North Dakota

Yes, I thought of that after the fact last night; I'll try and do that tonight.

Photoman74 Loc: Conroe Tx

:P Essence achived

PhotoArtsLA Loc: Boynton Beach

When your image has what in video is called "crushed blacks," to lighten is not really the answer, but to pull up the blacks to reveal a bit of detail. The simplest method would be Curves, but this is not as powerful as using other techniques... however, given the sheer quantity involved, I would probably stick to Curves and maybe a little Levels. It's best to give a notion of the stage in the case as seen in your posted images. Were you down by the stage, with an up angle, the idea of the "actor in the spotlight" with black background could be sold. because the stage is fully visible in your shots, revealing it is a good idea.

That said, without using more time consuming techniques which have surgical precision (lightening the background with no effect on the performers,) if you use Curves and Levels, or even Brightness/Contrast, MAKE SURE you don't go muddy in your blacks, particularly taking care not to mess up the performers (basic masking can help that.) Messing up total image contrast is a bad thing.

GPoyner Loc: North Dakota

Thanks, I'll try some different techniques tonight. I'm working with Photoshop Pro4x and Nikon View NX2.

I was in the balacony taking the pictures; no possible way to take down on the floor as the theater only had isles on the ends, none in the middle.

I know what you are saying, in ViewNX2 I was using the shadow tool; which lightned the darks but I seemed to gain grain. Again, is that right? I've searched the web numerous times and have yet to find a book or anything that will provide me some insight; needless to say dancing and theater work is not as popular as Senior Protraits or Weddings.

GPoyner Loc: North Dakota

Ok I took the first picture and pp it slightly different. As always, any feedback, comments or critequie is always welcomed. Thanks

Exposure increase by 1, tint increased by 2 (to reduce the red)


Expouser increased by 1, shadow protection at 25