Boston Ballet Nutcracker, 25 November

[rutt]

Time once again for the company to earn its keep. The six weeks of Nutcracker performances are the only real money maker for a big ballet company, and Boston Ballet is no exception.

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Reyneris Reyes

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Gabor Kapin


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Kathleen Breen Combes

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Tai Jimenez & Pavel Gurevich

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[DwightMcCann]

I cannot get my breath! All with 5D? How do you find its responsiveness in the low light? I'm very to close to getting one for the full frameness but have been told it is a bit slow responding ... AF not very fast.

[rutt]

All 5D. I've stopped bringing my 1DmkII to the ballet. The 5D makes much cleaner ISO 1600 images.

[Zeineth]

2 and 4 are just amazing captures. The DF in 2 is incredible and the motion freeze in 4 is just perfect, how ever the cut off guy on the right might be better cropped out.

All very nice.

[bmoguy]

Beautiful captures. Nice work.

[dpurslow]

I said it before and I will say it again - AMAZING - FANTASTIC - your work is very very good and I am glad you have shared it with us - and like DW I too am thinking of a 5D based just upon your images !

[rutt]

I've said this before as well. The 5D is great, BUT, spend the time and money on Dan Margulis' books first. Most of what you are seeing here in terms of image quality is careful post processing.

[narlus]

great photos, esp the mid-air captures. are you shooting for an assignment, or does the ballet allow non-credentialled photogs in?

[rutt]

I have a contract with Boston Ballet. In effect, it says that they will allow me to shoot and that I have to contribute any profit from sales to a charity called The Dancer's Relief Fund which helps professional dancers find new careers after their dancing careers are over. It also says some other things I can't do.

Nobody has ever made any real money shooting ballet yet. For one thing, the ballet itself is lucky not to lose too much. I know a guy named Costas, (http://www.ballet-dance.com/200402/articles/Costas20040200.htm) who is one of the most accomplished ballet photographers ever. He made his living as a public school teacher in NYC. He told me that nobody could make a living shooting ballet; it's just an act of love.

So I do love doing it...

[Croasdail]

Wow... really nice. 5D huh. Hmmmm. Let me ask you this. I too have a mk II and a 20D but don't like use either for live performances like this because the shutter is loud. Is the 5D any better? My 503c is whisper quite, but the data back for it starts at 10 grand. So if the 5D were more appropriate sound wise, I almost could justify it. I would love to do more performance based work. This stuff is simply great.

[Curtis N]

Outstanding work as usual, Rutt!

I understand your points regarding post-processing, but I still want a 5D. ;)

[rutt]

The 5D shutter is loud enough that it's caused problems during an actual performance (the only time I ever shot one.) It's about the same as 20D. The 1DmkII can be really bad because it can shoot so quickly. A sweater or something thrown over the camera would probably solve everything.

[DwightMcCann]

I've said this before as well. The 5D is great, BUT, spend the time and money on Dan Margulis' books first. Most of what you are seeing here in terms of image quality is careful post processing.

OK, I'm ordering a 5D today. And I will order Dan's book. You really have made a believer of me ... thanks for posting the unprocessed images! With the Christmas season here my work photography demands are static until New Year's Eve ... I will begin to dabble in PS CS2, finally, although I think I need a class!

[narlus]

OK, I'm ordering a 5D today.

get two.

i've been a good boy this year. :lol:

[rutt]

I will begin to dabble in PS CS2, finally, although I think I need a class!

Take Dan's class (http://www.ledet.com/margulis/). It's exhausting, but 0-60 in just 3 days.

[dtrayers]

Excellent, Rutt!

How long does it take you to get the Nutcracker music out of your head? After 11 performances this season, it'll take me at least three weeks!

[Croasdail]

The 5D shutter is loud enough that it's caused problems during an actual performance (the only time I ever shot one.) It's about the same as 20D. The 1DmkII can be really bad because it can shoot so quickly. A sweater or something thrown over the camera would probably solve everything.

Thanks.... looks like I will need to look into it. I wonder if I could have a neoprene jacket made for it that would help? The sad thing is my D200 is much quiter, but also doesn't play quit as nicely at ISO 1600 - though my last performance I did was at ISO 800. What has me hunting is looking for one of those hard to find Nikon 300 mm f2.0 lenses. Then life would be good. Anyway. Thanks for the info. You got my wheels spinning again. I need to find something fresh to shoot. Cheers.

[rutt]

Last year: 2 dress rehearsals, 2 fund raisers, 1 gala performance, 1 performance with a famous guest artist shot. Not 11 performances, but enough! This year, just one dress rehearsal.

Quite a good score, though, eh? Those old guys knew a thing or two.

Excellent, Rutt!

How long does it take you to get the Nutcracker music out of your head? After 11 performances this season, it'll take me at least three weeks!

[DwightMcCann]

get two.

i've been a good boy this year. :lol:
OK, I'll bring yours when I come back to Andover! :rolleyes:

[Plecotus]

I have been lurking for awhile now. I was wondering what lens you used? Nice shots!

[rutt]

I have been lurking for awhile now. I was wondering what lens you used? Nice shots!

First two: 85mm f/1.2. Rest: 135mm f/2.0.

[Plecotus]

I was hoping that you would say 135mm f/2.0. I have been eyeing that lens for my next purchase.

[René Damkot]

Amazing images. On #3, timing is perfect (as usual), but I'd have cropped off the bottom I think, BC of the spotlighting on the BG.
Love the last 4.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Stunning shots again Rutt.. I'm so glad to have you post these here to show us how it's done. Fantastic.

[johnstoy]

Just my luck, I thought I posted here...Now I get to see what I was missing and Wow...You do it again...another fantastic set of magical dancing...#1 is the cutest...While the dancing captures are phenomenal...I wonder if you guys up in Boston also do this stuff on ice skates...

[Rumrunner]

Those shots are money. I can't wait to put my new 5D to the test in low light :)

[rutt]

Amazing images. On #3, timing is perfect (as usual), but I'd have cropped off the bottom I think, BC of the spotlighting on the BG.
Love the last 4.

Thanks. On #3, I wasn''t so happy about this, but I always want to show how much height these people can get on their jumps. "BC"? Probably being stupid.

Perhaps I'll try again and figure out how to darken or blur that distracting background. The company is happy with this because of the guy's form.

[JMHPhotography]

I've said this before as well. The 5D is great, BUT, spend the time and money on Dan Margulis' books first. Most of what you are seeing here in terms of image quality is careful post processing.

Are there any books in particular that you'd recommend?

[rutt]

Are there any books in particular that you'd recommend?

I think Photoshop LAB is a great book and it has helped lots of people get better results. It's sort of a unified way of thinking about things, a big tool box that all works together. I led a reading group (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=18203) on this book when it first came out and lots of people came away fans. If you've read that book, my workflow with these shots won't be that novel.

On the other hand, Dan has just published Professional Photoshop, 5th Edition. I've read this once, and it's really a comprehensive view of digital image correction. It also has a couple of my shots on the cover!

[JimCapaldi]

Spectacular shots. I would like a 5D (hint to my wife).

[foresters]

Thanks. On #3, I wasn''t so happy about this, but I always want to show how much height these people can get on their jumps. "BC"? Probably being stupid.

Perhaps I'll try again and figure out how to darken or blur that distracting background. The company is happy with this because of the guy's form and Boston Weddings (http://boston.nyctourist.com/boston-weddings.php)

bw!
And they should be happy with it. It looks great!

[xoldboy]

my g/f is a ballet dancer and she just loves these pictures. nicely done.

[vtred]

WOW! Reyneris Reyes and Gabor Kapin are beautiful shots.... lucky you!

[skifurthur]

Nice collection. 2, 5 and 7 are my favorites. Great form in 5.

[Nouks]

Haha wow. Wasn't sure what to expect when clicking this thread, with "ballet" in the title and 3 pages of replies. Still a really nice (and ooooolllddd) set though!