Dress Rehearsal Photography

Sko77y

Sko77y

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Scott
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Hi guys, Just looking for a few pointers really, my flatmate is a teacher and directing the school show at his school. He has asked me to go and take some photos of the rehearsal to be used in the promotion stuff for the night.

Low light photography with moving subjects, I dont know if I am alllowed flash or not, but my kit list is.

Canon 450D
2 x Flash
2 x Remote Triggers
and a 25x25cm softbox

Lens wise is the kit lens and a 50mm f1.8 Prime

I understand that for such low lighting and requiring a faster shutter speed to catch the action my best bet is a fast shutter speed with the ISO cranked up?

In terms of permission to take the photos, I've asked him to find out about that side.

Any help appreciated, this will be my first attempt at something like this :|

Scott
 
The first question is can you use your flashguns ?
It is often better not to, but they will make your life easier though maybe at the expense of the results.
High ISO is vital to stop action and give some sort of DoF.
However, as it is the dress rehersal, you may be able to ask the performers to pose for a few shots after, once you have some idea of what the show produces in terms of images that define the show. You just need to ask before they all start, and I am sure they will be happy to oblige. Good luck !

EDIT - when I asked if you could use your flashguns I didn't mean to question your abilities - I meant will you be allowed to use them !
If you can, a few with flash might be worth it to ensure you get a few keepers. My experience of school theatre productions is limited but
the light levels can be very low so one placed off to one side with the other on camera might be good especially if you can put a gel of some
colour on the on-camera one as it will create some sort of theatrical lighting effect and is easily removable.
 
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I'd take a mixture of shots with flash and ambient light and also flash balanced with the ambient light if this makes sense to you.


Often the light kicked out by stage lighting is pretty good and with a short lens like a fifthy you shouldn't have to worry much about camera shake. Just adjust you ISO when taking ambient only shots so you get at least a 60th of a second.

Have you not got any longer lenses at your disposal? I think you'll need something for individual shots. Also if you're able to, take a step ladder so you can get a little higher than the stage for some shots.
 
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Thankyou for the replies guys, Steve don't worry about it I got what you meant about the flashes.one is on its last legs so its more one flash. I would imagine a softbox over it would under power it for the range I need. I don't have any gels in my kit yet either

Peter I have a 18-55mm lens and 80-200mm lens, but my thinking was low lighting would lead to serious lens shake if its dim and non flashed, regardless of ISO.
As for flash balanced with ambient I understand, something I'm in the middle of learning but i'll try and implement it.

As for the step ladder I'll ask for one on the night.

Thanks for your help guys, I don't want to screw this up
 
May as well take the 80 to 200 you could use something to lean on to help shake wise but some of the stage spot lights i've encountered give out a fair amount of light or haven't they got any? A tripod will no doubt slow you down too much for grab shots
 
No they have lighting, I just thought 80-200 was prone to image blur.
So take those lenses, a flash to use with ambient lighting as fill, step ladder?

Any tips on the actual shooting or just try stay with the story and get key points? It's guys and dolls they are doing, which i haven't seen :LOL:
 
both were taken without flash and using a tripod

DSC_0610.jpg


DSC_9346.jpg


this one is hanheld no flash
DSC_0954.jpg


here is a bit more advice ,
get there early if you can to get set up
chat to the organisers and get were you can go during the rehursals
keep out of the way as much as possible be descriet

you should be able to use flash during a dress rehursal
Cheers Steve
 
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My tips for shooting shows are:-

1) watch at least one rehearsal prior to the dress rehearsal if you don't know the show.
2) Introduce yourself to the director (if you don't already know them) when you get there, and as a courtesy, ask if it's ok to wander around the auditorium during the dress to take pictures. Most don't mind at all I find.
3) NO flash, washes out the lighting.
4) Don't bother with a tripod, you miss to many moments and are restricted with your angles.
5) Shoot lots, you'll have loads of throwaways, but get more good keepers too.
 
Take everything, it's easier to take and not use than struggle without ;)

You should get some good shots as the stage lights are normally quite good, I took some of a school concert as it was playing with a live audience, I was restricted to my seat for the entire performance but got some good images with my D5000 and a 35mm 1.8 and Tamron 90mm 2.8, so your 50mm will be a winner for you.

Some from the show

School rock019 by Ballpix Photography, on Flickr


School rock029 by Ballpix Photography, on Flickr


School rock055 by Ballpix Photography, on Flickr

Just try to relax and enjoy it, shoot everything and you will be surprised what you get in keepers (y)

Phil.
 
Quick bump of this as I've been asked to get some pictures for a school pantomime rehearsal tonight. I'm unsure on flash (doubt it though) and I've got to give the teacher in charge the photos before I leave the premises for obvious reasons.

I've got a 50mm 1.8 any ideas on what aperature and ISO I should be using, or just trail and error when I get there?
 
Just trial and error as we dont know what you're working with when you get there ;)

As for handing over the images before you leave?????? what about PP, colour correction etc ????, If it's a freebie to build up your portfolio then it wont stand you in good stead with 'wrong' images being shown. If it's a paid job, same applies. Are they that afraid that they will fall into the wrong hands by the gremlins in your computer?

Phil.
 
update for tommorow:

-Have obtained a 500d to run my 80-200mm lens and my 450d with the 50mm prime
-shall be shooting in raw +Jpeg just incase the white balance is off
-wont be able to get close to the front of the stage for the orchestra
-but will be able to get close at the sides of the stage
-several dance scenes which a couple are in dark lighting
-I can use flash but dont think they will light enough if I used them
 
A little late now, but i shot a play for my uni drama society and was restricted to having no flash and no freedom to move, i had to use ISO 2000 to get a just hand-holdable shutter speed, i set the exposure compensation to -1 and then bumped it up in PP afterwards

IMG_4107.jpg


This was their favourite and was printed in the uni newspaper, photobox seems to have softened it a bit
 
Thanks to the guys that posted up advice in here, ended up taking around 400 photos, 120 usable and 33 making the final cut.

The 50mm prime proved invaluable, with the tele-photo getting a couple of shots but proving more tempormental with the changing lights.

Tried a mixture of spot and evaluative lighting to try and combat but wasn't playing ball sometimes :LOL:

Images are up on a screen within the school and one photo (I'm told) will be published in a local newspaper :D my first published work!
 
haha, daily mail readers I bet ;)
No worries if you cant, how do you feel it went? Did you enjoy the experience.

Phil.
 
I doubt I will be :(

As an experience as a whole, was very enjoyable. Being my first chance at taking photos under some form of brief (and not just for the sake of it) I really enjoyed the challenge it preseneted, trying to put what I've learned so far to actual use.

I dont know if that makes sense mind :LOL:

can see the appeal of doing this sort of thing full time.
 
Perfect sense, It gives you confidence to shoot in a different enviroment, and if you pull it off with some great images too it's a win win.

Phil.
 
If people pay you it's a business - if you do it for free it's a hobby.
No hard or fast rules, you can shoot pics and decide if you want to charge or not, if you start off free or cheap it's REALLY hard to increase the price. get your name out, network and then network some more, practice whenever you can (however you can) but have fun along the way and listen to all advice but dont take all advice. Did I mention the fun bit??

Get a website, a name, customers, good books or an accountant, headache tablets and time, there is never enough time, open a shop and sell time you will be rich in weeks not years!. Oh and have some fun ;)

Phil.
 
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