shooting indoors @ night

[PictureGrrl]

Do you shoot indoor concerts or plays? I've seen some good lighting and bad lighting. What settings have you found are good for you without using a tripod? I have a canon 20dEOS. (I love this camera)

Curious.

[Curtis N]

Here's a thread (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=81761) that you might find informative.
Also checkout the performing arts section here.

The 20D is an outstanding camera for indoor performing arts, if you hang the right glass on it. Generally, you'll want something f/2.8 or faster. Don't hesitate to crank up the ISO to get a useable shutter speed.

[PictureGrrl]

Oh wow, I will check out the thread now, I absolutely love what it has done for me currently, but Im on such basic settings I thought I would try something new...Thank you for takin the time to help me out a bit.

[Curtis N]

The hardest part of shooting under stage lighting is the incredible contrast. Really bright subjects and really dark backgrounds. Metering is a real challenge and requires some experience for consistent results. Expect some blowouts with your first outing. Shooting RAW will help you save some.

[PictureGrrl]

The hardest part of shooting under stage lighting is the incredible contrast. Really bright subjects and really dark backgrounds. Metering is a real challenge and requires some experience for consistent results. Expect some blowouts with your first outing. Shooting RAW will help you save some.


I'm not into Raw Mode cuz I too shoot about 300-500 pictures in one night. I actually love stages with tons of lighting.. this stage was lit all around, I captured some light beaming.... I have no problem when shooting a concert with tons of lighting, my problem is low lighting or spotlighting a stage and not using a tripod...

here is Relient K that I did in December:
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c339/divagrrldotcom/LIVE%20PORTFOLIO/Pic8.jpg (http://i30.tobucket.com/albums/c339/divagrrldotcom/LIVE%20PORTFOLIO/Pic8.jpg)

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c339/divagrrldotcom/LIVE%20PORTFOLIO/Pic6.jpg


You can see the lights of this stage in the background... they were grouped like that all over the stage, this was a successful event...
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c339/divagrrldotcom/LIVE%20PORTFOLIO/Pic1.jpg

I really am afraid of low lighting.. and I move too much to use a tripod....

[Livinthalife]

I took over 350pics at my first bandshoot (which was at a small bar with incredible lighting) I used my 50mm 1.8 half the night then back to the kit lens. I used only ISO 1600 the entire night.
here are a couple pics from that night if your interested
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b386/atgrzymala/reIMG_1316.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b386/atgrzymala/reIMG_1085.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b386/atgrzymala/reIMG_1161.jpg

[Curtis N]

I really am afraid of low lighting.. and I move too much to use a tripod.What's to be afraid of? What is to be lost if you try, but get disappointing results? The worst that can happen is that you will learn something.

A monopod can help greatly. It won't limit your mobility, and with practice it can be a great tool for stabilizing the camera. I always use a monopod with my 70-200 when shooting theatre. Also, if there's a wall nearby that you can lean on, that will help, too.

The other options might cost a little money. More CF cards will give you the data storage you need to shoot RAW and take more shots. When you're pushing the envelope on shutter speed, it helps to get more shots, knowing your keeper ratio in that situation won't be great.

Shooting RAW also gives you a "last resort" option of intentionally underexposing by a stop to give you the shutter speed you need, then cranking up the images with your RAW converter.

Finally, when budget allows for it, there is the option of image stabilized lenses. These will mitigate camera movement quite a bit.

In this shot, I caught the stage manager, lighting designer and lighting technician when they thought they were safe. ;)

20D at ISO 3200, Sigma 70-200 F2.8 (wide-open), 1/40 shutter, monopod.

http://performancephoto.us/images/Nerd/NERD30.jpg

[Lightstream]

The fastest, fastest glass you can possibly lay your hands on might help. Now I understand why people crave f/2.8 constant apertures in a zoom. I went out there with a 17-85 IS USM - my top favorite lens - IS helped a lot, but the aperture was simply too limiting. I was getting 1/5 to 1/15 shutter speeds at f/4 ISO 1600. Luckily I had IS which at least took handshake out of the equation - though most certainly NOT subject motion. I had to time the shots to make sure the subjects were still - shoot many, many pictures and weed them out later. As it is, the people who were using the photos later found quite a lot that were useable.. I was surprised how many came out OK.

Go for high ISO, we have this as an advantage, make use of it. Noise can be scrubbed later. Better noisy than unuseable. Good advice given by other posters on exposure. I had to brighten some shots in postprocessing and the noise REALLY jumps out at you as a result.

f/2.8 would have given me 1/30, which would have greatly increased my chances, but I guess you live and learn with what you have. I would have given a LOT to have had a 35mm f/2.0 prime right there and then which would have given me 1/60, which would be excellent. Or even the mind-bending 35 f/1.4L.... :D

I now carry the 50 f/1.8 in the bag at all times just for another of these 'surprise' occasions (last minute favor to help someone).

[Amorous]

I'm not into Raw Mode cuz I too shoot about 300-500 pictures in one night.
No offence to you, but out of those 300-500 pictures that you took, how many were the keepers? Having switch from JPEG to RAW, I greatly appreciate how I can get control by shooting RAW. If you only have less than 50% keeper, why not train yourself not to press the shutter TOO often. Just take your time and shoot only when you're sure you'll get a good shot. I shoot RAW+JPEG Small with my 20D, and I get close to 200 pictures on a 2GB CF card. You can get a 2GB CF card for under $100, so with 2 cards, you can shoot close to 400. Just my 2¢.