Theater pics first try.

[Mike414]

Well, after doing some "search & read" here at the forum for theater pictures; here are some of the pictures from last nite.

I was sitting about 70 feet from the stage using my XT, 70-200 and monopod.
All the pictures came out about the same. The only thing I did was some color adjustment but the "poor" colored lighting did not help.
Thanks in advance for for feedback to help me improve for the next showing :)

All the pictures were taken manual mode:
70-200 4L
Aperture 4.5
WB = Tungsten
ISO - 800

1/60 sec
http://i384.photobucket.com/albums/oo289/CanonDigitals/school/11.jpg

1/40 sec
http://i384.photobucket.com/albums/oo289/CanonDigitals/school/13.jpg

1/40 sec
http://i384.photobucket.com/albums/oo289/CanonDigitals/school/12.jpg

1/50 sec
http://i384.photobucket.com/albums/oo289/CanonDigitals/school/14.jpg

1/40 sec
http://i384.photobucket.com/albums/oo289/CanonDigitals/school/15.jpg

Thanks again for your C&C !

[chauncey]

You have to do some color correction on these images. ;)

[TheSonofDarwin]

Were the two with the santa hats in the first image wearing white shirts, or were they offwhite/pinkish? I ask because after messing around with the first one fixing the color of the setting, those shirts were still pink. I think you're going to need to do multiple color alterations here to get them to look natural, unless you want to keep the theatre-ish glow.

[Mike414]

Were the two with the santa hats in the first image wearing white shirts, or were they offwhite/pinkish? I ask because after messing around with the first one fixing the color of the setting, those shirts were still pink. I think you're going to need to do multiple color alterations here to get them to look natural, unless you want to keep the theatre-ish glow.

The shirts are white but they were using a lot of colored-lights during the show (blue, red)

[Brownie127]

Well, I think you got some good results. Hang on to the original images and rework them when you read up on color adjustment. You will find they are all perfect after adjustment.

[TheSonofDarwin]

Color adjustment is definitely not my thing. Once I see an image sometimes I get stuck on that that's the way it should look and anything else, even the right color, looks wrong cause that's not what I saw first. Color is probably still off, but if you create a mask containing the white shirts, the white on the santa hats, and the white of the ridge and lettering of the sign do a B&W layer (on darken looked good) or desaturate and blend on lighten using that mask, it helps it look more natural. Here's an example - all I did was a global levels adjustment, the B&W/desaturate thing above, and added a little contrast again using the clothing/sign mask - would still need work on the jeans/skin tones/metal cart: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/thesonofdarwin/11.jpg

Great images to practice PS tweaks on since they are tricky with different color casts. I also must say for being only 1/60s your images are nicely focused.

Edit: Decided while I was at it I'd grab all the color cast I could see. Hair, jeans, scarf, microphone, and cart should be more realistic color-wise. Only 10 adjustment layers, but it could probably be done with far fewer.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/thesonofdarwin/11-1.jpg

[Brownie127]

5 minutes and here you go (low res)..

[TitusvilleSurfer]

Woah I think you need a monitor adjustment Brownie127. The "corrected" image you posted is WAY blue.

[Mike414]

Color adjustment is definitely not my thing. Once I see an image sometimes I get stuck on that that's the way it should look and anything else, even the right color, looks wrong cause that's not what I saw first. Color is probably still off, but if you create a mask containing the white shirts, the white on the santa hats, and the white of the ridge and lettering of the sign do a B&W layer (on darken looked good) or desaturate and blend on lighten using that mask, it helps it look more natural. Here's an example - all I did was a global levels adjustment, the B&W/desaturate thing above, and added a little contrast again using the clothing/sign mask - would still need work on the jeans/skin tones/metal cart: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/thesonofdarwin/11.jpg

Great images to practice PS tweaks on since they are tricky with different color casts. I also must say for being only 1/60s your images are nicely focused.

Edit: Decided while I was at it I'd grab all the color cast I could see. Hair, jeans, scarf, microphone, and cart should be more realistic color-wise. Only 10 adjustment layers, but it could probably be done with far fewer.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/thesonofdarwin/11-1.jpg

wow, I really like your edit. I have CS3 and I'll be trying some of the stuff you mentioned.
I think using the monopod really heped getting a focused image with a slow shutter speed.

Thanks for your edit tips.

[TheSonofDarwin]

Thanks for your edit tips.

No problem. I have the .psd saved still, so if you want to see how I went about blending/masking it PM me your email and I'll send it to you.

[Walczak Photo]

5 minutes and here you go (low res)..


I gotta agree with TitsusvilleSurfer...if that looks right to you, you really need to check your monitor calibration there...that's a really bad color adjustment.

To the OP...I think the shots actually look pretty good for what they are. I might play around with the colors a little more, but honestly I like the look as it conveys that "theater lighting" feel. Stage lights almost always throw things off compared with natural looking colors, but sometimes that's a good thing as I think it is here.

Just my $.02 worth,
Jim