Help with Theatre Photography

[NannyFerret]

For my 70th Birthday, my two daughters bought tickets to see a show at the Belgrade theatre.

My daughter tried to get as near as possible to the stage and this is the best that she could get as tickets were going fast.

I think I am going to have to take my 55-300mm Nikon 1.4.5-5'5 GED lens as we are in the circle door C, row C seat 25 and 26.

Any help on settings etc. to give me an idea where to start would be appreciated.

 

I hope the stage will be well lit as it's a singer and there will be a large screen behind him.

I won't give out the detail online because of security, but I know I am going to have a whale of a time and it would be even better if I can get some pics to keep.
I'll tell you all about it when we get back.

 

Here's the seating plan (if it works as I have had to copy and online pic and change it to a tiff as it wouldn't save as a Jpeg.)

 

Edited January 14, 2014 by NannyFerret

[Guest]

first place to start is to check with the theatre if photography is allowed as I think the answer may be no, flash will almost certainly be banned even if photography is allowed, you dont want to get thrown out  

[NannyFerret]

It doesn't say anything on the tickets and I can't see anything on the website about photographs. It's not a Famous star so I am keeping my fingers crossed, Richard.
We were allowed to take photo's at the NEC some years ago when the Mavericks were performing at the NEC, but not when the lead sing Raul Malo came back to do a concert on his own.
I just got told to put my camera away. (several times lol)
I will go and have another check to see if it's allowed or even email them to find out.

Edited January 14, 2014 by NannyFerret

[colinb]

a difficult one, I usually take my 50mm f1.4 superb in low light but then our theater isn't very big

 

with your f4 300mm I think you will struggle without flash so best check if you can use flash during the show and I think you might need something better than cameras built in jobby. Obviously you'll need to ramp up the iso and if you don't already know how far you can push it until noise becomes a problem it would be worth trying a few test shots, maybe outside while its dark? 

 

If you are using aperture needless to say as wide as possible so that'll be F4,

 

Shooting RAW I think is a must as this will give you more chance of achieving the best out of any images. 

 

and don't forget to enjoy the show!

[NannyFerret]

Thanks Colin.
The Belgrade isn't over big but I don't know if any has been added on in modernisation or anything, but I think I would struggle with the 35mm. It's a long time since I went there.
I don't think I will be able to use flash but I think my external flash would be intrusive to other members of the audience, so not going to use it.
If I get a couple of usable shots I will be happy and I also have 24mps to play with in editing so that might help. I shoot in raw most of the time but i will check that it is still set on that before we go

 I used a compact camera for Raul Malo at the nec and there was too much shake, but it was a film camera and I couldn't go higher than 400 iso at the time.

[colinb]

Nanny a couple of points that might help which I should have added last night - 

 

I would use spot focus and spot metering and remember to set any flash so you are not using the anti-red eye. This will shorten the time wasted by the camera flash pulsing and you missing the shot, any red eye can be removed afterwards.

 

If it helps - all these were taken using a 300mm plus flash, most are cropped although the room is a lot smaller than the theatre you'll be shooting in

http://www.flickr.com/photos/colinbrammer/sets/72157639310649574/

 

looking forward to seeing the results.

[Black Pearl]

Couple of points.

Check first, don't assume. They might not allow photography.

DON'T use flash, everyone in their will be incandescent with rage if you do (I would) and you may even be asked to leave.

Using a DSLR in an intimate environment is intrusive as it distracts those around and will make a hell of a clatter every time it takes a shot. Ask everyone around you if they mind before the show starts.

As to the shots a wider bright lens will be easier to use than a long dark one. Faster shutter speeds and less shake will allow cropping so you can still get a good image.

Personally I would never take my DSLR to a show like that. Take a discrete compact if you must take pictures - same as above though ask everyone before you take pictures.

[FUJI]

Our granddaughter sang in a group of school choirs at the Royal Albert Hall last February, we were sitting third row down from the top tier of that ( to me) vertigo inducing tier of balconies, it was so high I was scared to stand up......loved the performances, but was relieved when the show finished......I hated it.

That aside, I took my FUJI compact with a fantastic zoom, I did post results on here, I was amazed to take easily recognisable photographs of our granddaughter who looked like a small dot from where we were sitting.

Your best bet is to take your compact, the one with the longest zoom, or borrow one ( mine if you like?) ........I agree with BP, that a DSLR in an audience would create quite a stir.

Back to the Albert Hall.......immediately prior to the show starting, there was Paiute a kerfuffke two rows below us, security staff were having a stand up row with a twit who had set up a camcorder on a full size tripod, in that very tiny ( sickeningly high) footwell of that balcony, even I could see that one false move and camera plus tripod would plunge over to cause serious injury to those many feet below. The tripod was confiscated, he had to video hand held from then on.....my little compact took superb videos with good sound.

Your best compact is the way to go I think.

FUJI

[FUJI]

Here's another shot to show you how high up we were.......I suffered severe vertigo.....I was only too happy to leave, yet the singing was amazing.

FUJI

[NannyFerret]

Thank you all, Compact it is then.

I must admit that the Nikon 3200 body is quite small and the lens is quite long and heavy, even when not zoomed out and I was worried about taking it.
I have my Olympus SZ10  10Xwide.

Perhaps BP has an idea what setting I should use as I got it from Jessops a good while before they closed and may have knowledge of it..
There are scenery settings but mostly I use program and to bee honest, I use them so little that I can't even remember what pre-sets it has. (have to check it out now lol) , but if the scenery setting would be better then I will use that. I will have to do a few tests in the dark to see what happens.
Perhaps the scenery mode would be better so that it can  make it's own settings accordingly.

[Guest]

Nanny I took this shot at the O2 the settings are below it

 

 

Date Time Original: 2013:04:10 22:11:53

Exposure Time: 1/60

F Number: f / 5.90

Exposure Program: Normal program

ISO Speed Ratings: 2000

Metering Mode: Pattern

Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode

Focal Length: 78mm

White Balance: Auto white balance

Make: FUJIFILM

Model: FinePix F770EXR

Exif Version: 

Color Space: 65535

Pixel X Dimension: 800

Pixel Y Dimension: 600

Date Time Digitized: 2013:04:10 22:11:53

Shutter Speed Value: 5.91

Aperture Value: 5.12

Brightness Value: 2.37

Max Aperture Value: 3.60

Light Source: Unknown

Focal Plane X Resolution: 3184

Focal Plane Y Resolution: 3184

Focal Plane Resolution Unit: 3

Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor

File Source: DSC

Scene Type: Directly photographed

Custom Rendered: Normal process

Scene Capture Type: Standard

Saturation: Normal

Sharpness: Normal

Subject Distance Range: Unknown

ExifIFDPointer: 216

Orientation: 1

X Resolution: 240

Y Resolution: 240

Resolution Unit: 2

Date Time: 2013:04:11 17:05:49

Software: Adobe Photoshop CS6 (Macintosh)

DateCreated: 2013-04-10T22:11:53

 

[ChrisLumix]

Tina, I got this at a village panto using a Lumix FZ38 superzoom with the flash turned off. I think if the lighting is good enough, you will get some good shots.

 

[NannyFerret]

A couple of the settings on the Olympus compact seem to be quite good and I can up the ISO, but I don't have any means of changing the apertureexcept for the scene modes and changing the exposure setting.

My daughters dog has gone home tonight, so I will have a bit more time to concentrate and try different settings.
It's bee quite chaotic with two fairly new adopted dogs in the house and both demanding in their own way.

[colinb]

Tina, I got this at a village panto using a Lumix FZ38 superzoom with the flash turned off. I think if the lighting is good enough, you will get some good shots.

 

 

 

Sorry Chris but that made me chuckle  - you should use that as a signature statement rather than the Oscar Wilde one  

 

here's one using my 50mm and no flash the lighting was not as good as it looks and with a 50mm lens on your camera you blend in very easy. 

 

[NannyFerret]

I will be in the circle above so won't get far with my 50mm lens. I'm hoping for a good spotlight on thhe singer and with a bit of luck the giant screen may be able to give a bit extra illumination.
Fingers crossed anyway. If I am pushed, I can always use John as a tripod lol.

Edited January 16, 2014 by NannyFerret

[colinb]

I will be in the circle above so won't get far with my 50mm lens. I'm hoping for a good spotlight on thhe singer and with a bit of luck the giant screen may be able to give a bit extra illumination.

Fingers crossed anyway. If I am pushed, I can always use John as a tripod lol.

 

As you are on the front row I'm thinking you may not be 'too far' plus using a prime should give you a much better original to crop some of those 24 million pixels?

[NannyFerret]

I think I will have to do a test shoot with both and see which is the best. It would be good to use the 35mm if i could. Now I'm confused again lol