Dance Recital

[tevo]

My school has an annual Dance Recital, and I went to shoot the first of two nights tonight, just for fun. Feedback is appreciated, I plan on taking any advice I gather and utilizing it to photograph the next night (the day after next).

#1

Dancer by theofficialtevo, on Flickr


#2

Flexible by theofficialtevo, on Flickr


#3

Day 116: May 20, 2013 by theofficialtevo, on Flickr


#4

Tower by theofficialtevo, on Flickr


Edit: NIGHT 2 (added for visibility)

#1

Victor by theofficialtevo, on Flickr


#2

Victor by theofficialtevo, on Flickr


#3

Figure by theofficialtevo, on Flickr


#4

Branham Dance Show 2013 by theofficialtevo, on Flickr


#5

Branham Dance Show 2013 by theofficialtevo, on Flickr


#6

Tap by theofficialtevo, on Flickr

#7

Branham Dance Show 2013 by theofficialtevo, on Flickr

 

[TATTRAT]

I prefer #3.

1 is ok, I like it as well, while being soft.

The others are just so noisy, almost to the point of over processed. I get the human form, but they are just noisy like a Pantera concert. Just my humble $.02.

 

[tevo]

I prefer #3.

1 is ok, I like it as well, while being soft.

The others are just so noisy, almost to the point of over processed. I get the human form, but they are just noisy like a Pantera concert. Just my humble $.02.

Yes, there wasn't much I could do about the noise. The venue was very dark, so I was shooting 3200 just to maintain a shutter fast enough to freeze motion / faces. Any advice as to how I could get away with a lower ISO?

 

[pisto1981]

#3 is nice, its different and fun to look at

The others are noisy, shame you cannt get more light in the room

 

[Granddad]

I shoot a lot of live dance shows (don't bother, there's no money in it!). I'd say that the boy done real good! :thumbup:
You forgot to point out that flash isn't permitted in most live performances for health and safety reasons as well as being distracting to the public.

You can't defeat the light triangle so you have to live with noise or have motion blurred images... noise like this won't seem as bad in print as it does on screen unless you print huge. You can mitigate the effects a little by adjusting the luminosity in LR (not too much). The only other suggestion I have is to talk to the lighting people/stage director, they usually seem to love dark and moody for some reason. Try explaining that the audience wants to SEE the dancers and unless they are portraying a night time street scene there is no reason to skimp on the light, they're not paying per lumen!. They won't listen but it's worth a try!

 

[DanielLewis76]

I like them! I guess the only way to lower ISO would be to get a lens that allows a lower F-Stop yet still at the zoom/mm you require. To get a decent low f-stop high zoom costs serious $$$$$$

 

[Big Mike]

As Granddad said, it's practically a no-win situation. You either live with the noise or you live with the blur. I really like #3 as you've gone with the blur and made that the subject of the photos.

 

[ktan7]

Really like #1 and #3!

 

[tevo]

I shoot a lot of live dance shows (don't bother, there's no money in it!). I'd say that the boy done real good! :thumbup:
You forgot to point out that flash isn't permitted in most live performances for health and safety reasons as well as being distracting to the public.

You can't defeat the light triangle so you have to live with noise or have motion blurred images... noise like this won't seem as bad in print as it does on screen unless you print huge. You can mitigate the effects a little by adjusting the luminosity in LR (not too much). The only other suggestion I have is to talk to the lighting people/stage director, they usually seem to love dark and moody for some reason. Try explaining that the audience wants to SEE the dancers and unless they are portraying a night time street scene there is no reason to skimp on the light, they're not paying per lumen!. They won't listen but it's worth a try!

Thanks Granddad! Thats actually a worthwhile idea since I'm in the Tech Theatre class responsible for lighting the stage. I'll see what I can come up with next time.

 

[frommrstomommy]

1 and 3 are the winners for me as well. I usually despise noise.. but it doesn't bother me here. I guess that's because I know WHY there is so much noise, you know?

 

[tevo]

1 and 3 are the winners for me as well. I usually despise noise.. but it doesn't bother me here. I guess that's because I know WHY there is so much noise, you know?

I generally don't mind grain in photographs, but with the subject being a dancer I would prefer smoothness. Unfortunately, it was very dark.

 

[Granddad]

I shoot a lot of live dance shows (don't bother, there's no money in it!). I'd say that the boy done real good! :thumbup:
You forgot to point out that flash isn't permitted in most live performances for health and safety reasons as well as being distracting to the public.

You can't defeat the light triangle so you have to live with noise or have motion blurred images... noise like this won't seem as bad in print as it does on screen unless you print huge. You can mitigate the effects a little by adjusting the luminosity in LR (not too much). The only other suggestion I have is to talk to the lighting people/stage director, they usually seem to love dark and moody for some reason. Try explaining that the audience wants to SEE the dancers and unless they are portraying a night time street scene there is no reason to skimp on the light, they're not paying per lumen!. They won't listen but it's worth a try!

Thanks Granddad! Thats actually a worthwhile idea since I'm in the Tech Theatre class responsible for lighting the stage. I'll see what I can come up with next time.

Good luck! I hate it most when they use coloured lights and switch from blue to green to red etc because that throws your settings off all the time.... that and dark/light costume changes! (all costumes should be white) One day I'll write an article for dancers/performers and stage managers on how to ensure perfect photos of your live production. They have no idea how hard they make us photographers work!

(I tend to get a teensy little bit OCD on this subject, if you haven't noticed. )

I think the only way to get perfect dance photos is to arrange a staged performance for the photographer where you can use studio flash and rerun moves until you catch them just right.

 

[tevo]

Results of the second night (more on flickr):

#1

Victor by theofficialtevo, on Flickr


#2

Victor by theofficialtevo, on Flickr


#3

Figure by theofficialtevo, on Flickr


#4

Branham Dance Show 2013 by theofficialtevo, on Flickr


#5

Branham Dance Show 2013 by theofficialtevo, on Flickr


#6

Tap by theofficialtevo, on Flickr

#7

Branham Dance Show 2013 by theofficialtevo, on Flickr

 

[Granddad]

Excellent! The only suggestion I have is that you add some blank space underneath the young lady in #5. It's a great capture combining expression and flight but it needs to show some distance from the floor (unless she was just collapsing into the splits). It should be fairly easy to do, although the curtain does complicate the issue. I may have a go at it myself tomorrow, if you don't mind.

1 and 2 are classic!

I can't see these at full size to see how the grain looks. I can't find how to view sizes on Flickr's new look and the full screen option just gives me two circling balls for ever. EDITED TO ADD - Finally got it to work - the old dog can still learn new tricks.
;

You really should have put these on a separate thread so they'd be fully appreciated. :thumbup: I've said before that I shoot a lot of dance and I'd be proud to claim any of these shots.

 

[tedfoto]

Great work. You can tell you're battling the noise, and that makes the ones where it is undetectable even more impressive. I agree with granddad about the distance beneath the dancer, but still a great capture.