Help photographing play?

taygull:

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ahhh! big misunderstanding and the performance was THIS monday and tuesday! lol
It's still on tonight and tomoz- but I can't stay tonight so am going to ask about doing it tomoz- Now I have had so much awesome advice back; and I am very grateful- I will basically be doing now- I will go along and listen to most of what has been said but like said before will now just lay it up to myself; take a photo look at it and see how it worked out- and change if necessary-

I think I'm just going to bite the bullet and rent the 70-200mm 2.8 IS for tomoz; £30
I'm also going to ask if I can pitch up like 10-15mins early and just get some pre- performance 'set-up' photos. like get a couple of actors out and get them to pose while I move around for the best shot- that way I don't disturb the audience but can move around
Pity I missed the dress rehearsal...
I will set my tripod up; in the tech bit and MAYBE take the bigma along to get some close up shots from up there- during the performance... but might not as the Bigma is infamous for EATING up what light
Might even use the 100mm macro during the 'posing' shots if they agree...

This sound ok?

René Damkot wrote in post #3214123
taygull:

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thanks Rene!

Just to say- I just phoned up this place calumetphoto in Edinburgh to rent the 70-200mm 2.8 IS tomorrow for the day; will cost about £35-40... with insurance
I have to get one of my parents to pick it up though and they don't know if they have it in stock but will reserve it for me if they do- If they don't is there another lens that might be just as good- if not I'm just gonna stick with my 100mm macro and make it work lol
will take the kit lens for the whole stage shots
Also do you think the whole bigma on the tripod is stupid or a justifiable idea?

It might work if you have *tons* of light...

At the wide end, the kit lens will go to f/3.5 which is only 2/3 stop slower than f/2.8 . With short lenses you can sometimes get by with slow shutter speeds as long as people aren't moving. Here's an example of what you can do with it. Of course, I had the luxury of ISO 3200.

Once upon a mattress?

regards,
/alan

alan_potter wrote in post #3214788
Once upon a mattress?

Nope. Try again.
Hint: One of the characters is Hysterium.

I shoot f/5.6 on a 75-300mm tele when I shoot a production under the lights and they come out great. Shutter 1/80-1/50 ISO 800 White Balance Tung. No Flash obviously. Let me see if I can upload some example pics...


Productions are my absolute favorite thing to shoot for some reason. I work with the theatre lights as I find they work great. I even use those lights for the portraits I do of the actors for advertising.

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Was it "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum ..." ?
Anyway- Just organised it- My mum is picking up the canon 70-200mm 2.8 IS tomoz afternoon and dropping it off- and I'm heading up to the performance and first going to take some back stage shots then site in the audience for the first half of the play then go up to the tech box hopefully for the second half.
I've got my 'hit list' of who to photo for a review which is being written; I need to find out who two peeps are lol
Thanks for all the help- but I just wanted to clear one thing up
Should I use the IS- will it help that much... I mean I want to freeze action but they won't be moving too fast so for plays what do you recommend for the slowest shutter speed for people in mid acting... 1/125? --edit-- and White balance? What should that be... just read above ^ what is 'tung'? sorry for more Q's... --edit--
I can't believe I get to use the 70-200mm 2.8 IS tomoz lol for only like £35-£40 or something; but we have to put the full deposit down coz we're not registered with them- It is not going to leave my neck for the whole night probs lol
It should fit in my 100AW sling back pack- my bigma just fits on its own- just for when I'm backstage taking photos of the cast... now what best for that- 100mm Macro; no probably too long; kit lens probs.

Thanks again for all the help- and would really love a quick reply to the above Q ^^

WB: Tungsten. I'd shoot RAW as well.
Use the IS, it's there for a reason

It does need a bit of time to stabilise IIRC, so practice a bit before the event...
Also IIRC, it needs to be shut off when on tripod. Not 100% sure there.

Ah yes, that would explain why one of the characters is wearing a toga... silly me!

(A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum)

Beautifully clean shot!

regards,
/alan

On the subject of IS, it may not be as useful as you think. It won't help when you are dealing with a moving subject in low light. Also, it can take a moment for the gyroscopes to spin up. If you take the shot before they're ready, it won't help. And if you wait until they're ready, the moment may have passed.

On the other hand, there are times when it comes in useful. This photo was hand-held at 1/5s. It's pretty sharp (admittedly it was only at 24mm focal length, but I was still pleased at how it worked out!)

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OMG- ANOTHER change of plan- the director has just emailed me to tell me that 'there will be no photographs during the performance,' ...
anyway will cancel the rent of the lens tomoz- he just wants some backstage shots and I'm to go along an hour or so early and take some 'staged' photos of the cast so I will be able to move around with my 100mm
So I guess at least I get to keep my £35-40 but then again I don't get to play around with my dream lens lol

Thanks for all the help- will be interesting to see if they give me the lighting or just leave the lights on before the play... lol lazy bums

Sorry to hear of this saga with the school.

Unfortunately, in the rush of a million details that need to be handled in the final week before a show opens, photography is the last thing a producer or director is going to be thinking about. Some theatre groups have better organization than others.

Hopefully they'll have their act together next time. But don't count on it.