Live stage show, new lens.

[Granddad]

Last weekend we attended a stage show in Leeds. As usual (for me) it was Middle Eastern dance, this time mostly North African folkloric styles. I had my trusty D700 with me and my new (to me) 28 - 300 lens. My aim was to get close-ups of the dancers.

No flash allowed, lighting varied in intensity and colour. I managed to get a seat about 5 rows back and set up with my camera on a monopod. Mostly shot at F5.6, ISO 5000, 125th

Processed in Lightroom. Some adjustment for colour balance but in many cases it wasn't possible to mitigate the coloured lighting without messing up the colours of the costumes. Due to the high ISO I had to use a fair amount of noise reduction. Auto focus did quite well despite the low light and fast movement. I did suffer from missed focus in a lot of shots but managed enough with sharp focus to be pleased with the results.

Attached are some of my favourites. Too many for detailed C&C but comments and suggestions are always welcome. Remember, this was a live stage production, I had NO control over lighting.

(If anyone likes the look of the production it will be staged again in London in February, I can give details if requested. We enjoyed it tremendously.)
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[Granddad]

... and a few more.

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[Granddad]

No comments? Not even "These are rubbish! Sell your camera and take up knitting."

 

[tirediron]

They're not bad at all! I find stuff like this VERY difficult to shoot because of the miserable WB issues, but for the most part, you've got things set nicely here.

 

[Derrel]

KNitting? No, no way. Snooker....maybe! LOL.

Yeah, the stage lighting and the resultant strong color casts make these kind of "meh". I don't know...to me, as a viewer wayyyyy across the Atlantic and then across the continental USA, I do not feel any real sense of connection with the stage show or the people shown...it's just not that compelling, half-body shots of actresses seen without context. Nothing about the shots motivates me to action...and that might be why nobody wrote much in reply. I write this comment just as a way to express why I think these shots have not rec'd much in the way of commentary, to give you my insight into a possibly puzzling issue for you.

 

[Granddad]

They're not bad at all! I find stuff like this VERY difficult to shoot because of the miserable WB issues, but for the most part, you've got things set nicely here.

The WB is an issue John but the biggest issue for me is usually focus, with low light and fast movement auto focus tends to struggle. I've noticed that if the light is white I tend to do better on both issues. I've also noticed that the closer I can get the better auto focus seems to do; not sure if this is fact or just chance.

KNitting? No, no way. Snooker....maybe! LOL.

Yeah, the stage lighting and the resultant strong color casts make these kind of "meh". I don't know...to me, as a viewer wayyyyy across the Atlantic and then across the continental USA, I do not feel any real sense of connection with the stage show or the people shown...it's just not that compelling, half-body shots of actresses seen without context. Nothing about the shots motivates me to action...and that might be why nobody wrote much in reply. I write this comment just as a way to express why I think these shots have not rec'd much in the way of commentary, to give you my insight into a possibly puzzling issue for you.

Ahhhh, yes, I see what you mean. I know these people and my aim was to get performance shots to give to them. They may like them and I may like them but to anyone else they're just pictures of ladies wearing pretty costumes in odd light. Thanks for the perspective Derrel. Honesty is appreciated. In my dim and distant youth I used to be quite a dab hand at snooker.

I think it may be time for me to step outside my photographic comfort zone.