Staged Performance Photography

I love it! Then again my background in both technical theater and acting probably doesn't hurt either. Here are some shots from my school's recent musical, The Drowsy Chaperone. C&C please and thank you.

A55 Panning at 70mm f/2.8 ISO 6400 1/20





















--
-Eric (A 16 years young, ever learning photographer)
http://eswenson.smugmug.com

Great shots that look quite good for an A55 noise wise. I never take mine past 1600 ISO because l shoot jpeg and don't want to improve in post. I think you'd love the A57 for this kind of work.

Ah... Yeah I shoot almost 100% raw. I'd actually be more likely to lean toward the A77 and fast AF or MF primes than the A57, even though the focus peaking would be a very welcome feature.

epsilon sigma taph said:

Great shots that look quite good for an A55 noise wise. I never take mine past 1600 ISO because l shoot jpeg and don't want to improve in post. I think you'd love the A57 for this kind of work.

Click to expand...

--
-Eric (A 16 years young, ever learning photographer)
http://eswenson.smugmug.com

Some really great shots, Eric and to be honest it's hard to pick too many flaws. Generally excellent composition, good use of colour with the stage lighting, and most of all you've captured some really magical moments...I hope these are going to get published in a local paper or at least a school/college bulletin!

The only one which I find a bit ordinary is the second-to-last one, maybe because it doesn't feel as intimate as many of the other individual/small group shots - maybe if you cropped the top 1/4 off to focus on the main character a bit more? If I was to really split hairs (and this is only because you've asked for suggestions) I'd suggest that maybe the 3rd-to-last pic could have just a touch more space above the subject's head, and the 1st, 2nd and 5th could do with a slight bit of a vignette to create a bit more focus on the subject (though I asmit that not everyone likes a vignette so it's personal taste)

Out of interest, given the really high ISOs you're shooting at, have you tried the handheld twilight mode for this sort of work at all? I've found it to work suprisingly well, even when the subjects are moving.

Excellent choice of composition and timing!

Neeyon said:

Some really great shots, Eric and to be honest it's hard to pick too many flaws. Generally excellent composition, good use of colour with the stage lighting, and most of all you've captured some really magical moments...I hope these are going to get published in a local paper or at least a school/college bulletin!

Click to expand...

Thank you!

Neeyon said:

The only one which I find a bit ordinary is the second-to-last one, maybe because it doesn't feel as intimate as many of the other individual/small group shots - maybe if you cropped the top 1/4 off to focus on the main character a bit more? If I was to really split hairs (and this is only because you've asked for suggestions) I'd suggest that maybe the 3rd-to-last pic could have just a touch more space above the subject's head, and the 1st, 2nd and 5th could do with a slight bit of a vignette to create a bit more focus on the subject (though I asmit that not everyone likes a vignette so it's personal taste)

Click to expand...

I may try an 8x10 crop ratio at some point. The real focus of that shot was to bring the ISO down to 800 (I believe that's the right number off the top of my head) and the shutter down to 1/50th to emphasize the motion blur of the moving propeller.

Neeyon said:

Out of interest, given the really high ISOs you're shooting at, have you tried the handheld twilight mode for this sort of work at all? I've found it to work suprisingly well, even when the subjects are moving.

Click to expand...

The problem with hand held twilight mode is that it forces me to shoot jpeg, which hinders my ability to color-correct in PP. I honestly hadn't even considered it due to the fact that I color-correct every single "pick" I have from a show due to the lighting and the color casts stage lights create.

--
-Eric (A 16 years young, ever learning photographer)
http://eswenson.smugmug.com

HobbiesAreFun said:

The problem with hand held twilight mode is that it forces me to shoot jpeg, which hinders my ability to color-correct in PP. I honestly hadn't even considered it due to the fact that I color-correct every single "pick" I have from a show due to the lighting and the color casts stage lights create.

Click to expand...

I shot a high school play a couple weeks ago. I shot most of the play in RAW and was very glad I did. The red gel stage lights were very dominant and the red channel was over the top in nearly every shot. I used the Sony RAW converter software since I didn't like how Adobe did the level modification.

That said, there was one scene that had a bright glow on stage and darkened stage lighting. I quickly went to the menu and switched to JPG fine which I had pre-set to HDR-Auto. I was able to capture that scene much better than I did with the RAW shot I took of it. I just wish there was an easier way to switch between RAW and JPG so I could do that action more quickly.

Though it looks like you had better lighting than I had, I think your post-processing skills are better than mine!

This was a performance of Wizard of Oz by an all-girls high school

These are with a Sony a33, Sigma 50-150 f2.8 lens, ISO1600.

All were shot raw except for the Wizard which I used HDR Auto with and was happy with the results. Any C&C is always welcome.

MikeInNJ said:

HobbiesAreFun said:

The problem with hand held twilight mode is that it forces me to shoot jpeg, which hinders my ability to color-correct in PP. I honestly hadn't even considered it due to the fact that I color-correct every single "pick" I have from a show due to the lighting and the color casts stage lights create.

Click to expand...

I shot a high school play a couple weeks ago. I shot most of the play in RAW and was very glad I did. The red gel stage lights were very dominant and the red channel was over the top in nearly every shot. I used the Sony RAW converter software since I didn't like how Adobe did the level modification.

Click to expand...

Adobe always seems to have red-channel issues with my A55, unless I convert the files to .dng first (which is what I always do)

MikeInNJ said:

That said, there was one scene that had a bright glow on stage and darkened stage lighting. I quickly went to the menu and switched to JPG fine which I had pre-set to HDR-Auto. I was able to capture that scene much better than I did with the RAW shot I took of it. I just wish there was an easier way to switch between RAW and JPG so I could do that action more quickly.

Click to expand...

My school hires the same lighting designer for every show, and she is brilliant. So I would actually rather not use HDR at all for my shots, as I want to preserve the technique and attention to detail she had in creating the lighting design. Interesting thought though for other purposes.

--
-Eric (A 16 years young, ever learning photographer)
http://eswenson.smugmug.com

MikeInNJ said:

Though it looks like you had better lighting than I had, I think your post-processing skills are better than mine!

Click to expand...

Thank you I've had plenty of time to work and tweak these shots.

MikeInNJ said:

This was a performance of Wizard of Oz by an all-girls high school

These are with a Sony a33, Sigma 50-150 f2.8 lens, ISO1600.

Click to expand...

I have an added advantage that most people (even from my school) wouldn't have. As I was once a part of the theater program and participated in it frequently, I have relationships with the directors of the school's fall play and musical that give me virtually free reign to move about the room and even the stage itself at times. Also, I had the added advantage of being able to shoot without an audience for two full runs of the show, and in total went to four runs of the show as a photographer. These are just a selection of my favorites of over 200 fully edited "picks" from about 1000 shots.

The rest can be found here: http://eswenson.smugmug.com/StagedPerformance/Drowsy-Chaperone-2012/

MikeInNJ said:

All were shot raw except for the Wizard which I used HDR Auto with and was happy with the results. Any C&C is always welcome.

Click to expand...

I think my first suggestion is to be willing to push ISOs to get the shot. The vast majority of my shots happened at shutter speeds of at least 1/160, and the rare few that were not were artistic choices like the motion blur in the propeller at 1/50 or 1/20 for the first panning shot. You can easily use past 1600 on the A33 if you expose the shot properly (which is easier to do with the EVF thank goodness).

And my second and final suggestion would be to not limit yourself in PP. You really can push the limits of things, though I suggest you try converting the raw files to .dng and processing them under the newest set of ACR modules, as the new algorithms have gotten even better than before.

--
-Eric (A 16 years young, ever learning photographer)
http://eswenson.smugmug.com

HobbiesAreFun said:

The problem with hand held twilight mode is that it forces me to shoot jpeg, which hinders my ability to color-correct in PP. I honestly hadn't even considered it due to the fact that I color-correct every single "pick" I have from a show due to the lighting and the color casts stage lights create.

--

Click to expand...

Could you tell me a bit about how you're doing the colour correction (e.g. program, process etc.)? Your results have turned out really well so I'm definitely up for a pointer or two

I work with Lightroom 4. For most of my shots, I have to turn down the orange channel saturation by about -5, though some up to -30 depending on the natural skin tone of the individuals in the shot. I also tend to pull the WB down by about 50-200, depending on what is necessary for the shot. I often use high contrast settings when it comes to the levels, so that tends to increase the color cast, therefore requiring more color adjustment.

Neeyon said:

Neeyon said:

The problem with hand held twilight mode is that it forces me to shoot jpeg, which hinders my ability to color-correct in PP. I honestly hadn't even considered it due to the fact that I color-correct every single "pick" I have from a show due to the lighting and the color casts stage lights create.

--

Click to expand...

Could you tell me a bit about how you're doing the colour correction (e.g. program, process etc.)? Your results have turned out really well so I'm definitely up for a pointer or two

Click to expand...

--
-Eric (A 16 years young, ever learning photographer)
http://eswenson.smugmug.com

HobbiesAreFun said:

I work with Lightroom 4. For most of my shots, I have to turn down the orange channel saturation by about -5, though some up to -30 depending on the natural skin tone of the individuals in the shot. I also tend to pull the WB down by about 50-200, depending on what is necessary for the shot. I often use high contrast settings when it comes to the levels, so that tends to increase the color cast, therefore requiring more color adjustment.

Click to expand...

Cheers for that. Last question...how do you find using LR4 compared to its predecesor?

HobbiesAreFun said:

Neeyon said:

HobbiesAreFun said:

The problem with hand held twilight mode is that it forces me to shoot jpeg, which hinders my ability to color-correct in PP. I honestly hadn't even considered it due to the fact that I color-correct every single "pick" I have from a show due to the lighting and the color casts stage lights create.

--

Click to expand...

Could you tell me a bit about how you're doing the colour correction (e.g. program, process etc.)? Your results have turned out really well so I'm definitely up for a pointer or two

Click to expand...

--
-Eric (A 16 years young, ever learning photographer)
http://eswenson.smugmug.com

Click to expand...

Neeyon said:

HobbiesAreFun said:

I work with Lightroom 4. For most of my shots, I have to turn down the orange channel saturation by about -5, though some up to -30 depending on the natural skin tone of the individuals in the shot. I also tend to pull the WB down by about 50-200, depending on what is necessary for the shot. I often use high contrast settings when it comes to the levels, so that tends to increase the color cast, therefore requiring more color adjustment.

Click to expand...

Cheers for that. Last question...how do you find using LR4 compared to its predecesor?

Click to expand...

It's a lot more effective in regards to making the image "pop" without introducing artifacts like halos. However, at times the processing feels heavy-handed in nature due to the strength of each of the algorithms. So it's up to you really. I don't feel like the NR has gotten MUCH better, though there is some improvement. The biggest changes are in the basic panel, especially to the effectiveness of the clarity slider and the style change (read about it before you get LR4 if you're used to LR3, it takes some time to adjust... Took me about two full hours of editing to properly get used to LR4's processes).

--
-Eric (A 16 years young, ever learning photographer)
http://eswenson.smugmug.com

Very well done. You manage to get all the elements, light, framing, timing. A good job. 10/10. You rival many of the old timers

Regards.
Ernest
--



May the Focus be with you
FD71, FD91, 707, 717, 828, R1, P8, H9, A700, A350, A77.
18-200mm, 18-250mm,100mm, 200-500mm, 75-300mm, 11-18mm, 135mm.

Love the lighting in the second and last images. Great stuff.

Thank you! I may be upgrading equipment too so I won't be stuck to local AF with one of the two cross type AF sensors I use with my Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 EX DG Macro. We'll see as to what, but I think it'd be nice to have an A77 and focus peaking to guarantee accurate focus for stage photography.

ER_ Wizard said:

Very well done. You manage to get all the elements, light, framing, timing. A good job. 10/10. You rival many of the old timers

Regards.
Ernest
--



May the Focus be with you
FD71, FD91, 707, 717, 828, R1, P8, H9, A700, A350, A77.
18-200mm, 18-250mm,100mm, 200-500mm, 75-300mm, 11-18mm, 135mm.

Click to expand...

--
-Eric (17 years old with tons of things I can't wait to learn)
http://eswenson.smugmug.com