kbeal77 Loc: Houston, TX

I am wondering if there is a macro or settings to use when pictures have to be taken through stage production fog? It is usually smoke machine smoke. Any ideas?

jbslord Loc: Coventry UK

Smoke machines for the most part use dry ice and water to geberate the smoke...basically carbon dioxide. Are you trying to penetrate the fog or trying to capture elements of it? Hoping someone out there will be able to advise

kbeal77 Loc: Houston, TX

Trying to penetrate through the fog. As the production procedes through the section it should go away but it is not so I need a way to take the pictures through the fog.

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

I don't want to be crass or insensitive here but if there was a method for people or cameras to see through fog, every car in the world would be equipped with fog-cancelling video equipment in the windshield or on the grill and an LCD screen in the dash to drive with, or special fog-busting headlight systems, instead of 50 car/truck pileups and hundreds of road deaths every year during forest fires or high humidity fog at night.

Besides, the fog is being created in the stage production for a reason. Even it were possible to cut through the fog, which it isn't, you would be defeating the dramatic effect they're trying hard to create.

By the way, dry ice is an old school way of creating fog. There are gallon bottles of chemicals now that are put into a hot pan or hot container that cause the chemical to smoke and be blown by a small fan. This has been the case for at least 20 years that I know of for drama and music stages. The chemical is available in various colors. The earliest kinds caused a lot of respiratory and eye problems for some stage participants and audience members and were replaced with newer formulas that are much better. In any case the fog can get on your lens glass and is likely somewhat acidic for the glass coating so you better use a UV filter when shooting and don't swap lenses while in that room with the smoke.

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

Infrared?

Danilo Loc: Las Vegas

You will not be able to make it look as if the fog were not there. Your ability to "penetrate" the fog will be determined by the location of your light source(s). The use of on-camera flash will make matters worse, not better.
I would hope the light would be from above. Try a relatively high ISO, maybe 800-1000. Notice if your subjects come closer, nearer to the edge of the "fog" and shoot then.
This is a very unpredictable photographic situation, mostly you'll have to hope for the best. Or as they used to say "Shoot and holler s__t!"
Take lots and lots of photos, so you'll have plenty to edit from!

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

77, I've shot through lots of fog. Why are you trying to penetrate the fog? That's the whole idea isn't it? For effect?
Usually stages have lots of really bright lights for more effect. Can you get backstage if somebody you know is in the production? I ask cause from the wings you are shooting into the lights and the effects are more pronounced. I'd be more worried about the speed at which you will be able to shoot.
By the way, dry ice is really old school. New fog machines use a chemical to create the fog. Only problem is that it has a funny smell, the ice does not.
And to answer your question, I've never used any special setting. It's all I can do to get enough speed. I use my 50mm 1.4. I wish I had a 85, 1.2. I try to stay at ISO 1600. With that my keeper rate is still only about 10 or 15% and my noise is minimal. Real macros are very SLOW lenses. And an IR camera would not have any people in the photos at all, if they are moving!
Let me know if I can help more.

Trevor Dennis Loc: New Zealand (South Island)

If it is on a stage, then you are more less at the mercy of the set and lighting designers, but if they are suing smole they will want it to be visible and know how to light it. So just shoot from the audience's POP and take your pictures.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Modern stage is made be heating glycol. If you are working for the production company, you can probably have the stage manager or special effects tech briefly redirect the nozzle(s) on cue for your shots.

kbeal77 Loc: Houston, TX

Great Idea! This is a large church production here in Houston. We have the cameras, lights and sound. I will work with them before the Easter. Thank you very much!