Any tips for shooting High School Play?

[Spinning]

I am going to take pictures during dress rehearsal at my niece's play. I have a canon D50, 85 1.8, 18-200 and an external flash. I also have a tri pod and mono pod.
This is the first time I have shot anything like this. I usually shoot diving, swimming and my daughter's HS marching band. I am hoping I can use the flash and have close access to the actors. My major concern is using my flash, I don't have a ton of experience with it and don't want to wash out their faces.

 

[bob100]

I am going to take pictures during dress rehearsal at my niece's play. I have a canon D50, 85 1.8, 18-200 and an external flash. I also have a tri pod and mono pod.
This is the first time I have shot anything like this. I usually shoot diving, swimming and my daughter's HS marching band. I am hoping I can use the flash and have close access to the actors. My major concern is using my flash, I don't have a ton of experience with it and don't want to wash out their faces.

I've never shot a HS play but with that equipment I would use the 85mm (assuming you can get close enough) with appropriate shutter speed and ISO to freeze the action, If you can use a flash shoot in RAW and experiment with the flash exposure compensation to avoid "washed out faces"

 

[mom2rtk]

I wouldn't use the flash. Your shots will be much better without one.

You need to get a fast enough shutter speed to avoid needing the flash. Hopefully the stage will be well lit and you can accomplish this. Certainly with the 85mm f/1.8 it shouldn't be a problem. If you don't think you can shoot the entire play with the 85, maybe consider renting a second fast lens with a different focal length.

During bright scenes, you can probably get some shots with the 18-200 at a high ISO. But keep in mind the more you zoom, the harder that will be.

You will also want to consider spot or center-weighted metering if you have brightly lit actors against a dark background.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

The biggest problems with shooting plays are low light and spotty/harsh light. For low light, you'll want to shoot at your highest acceptable ISO. I'd also use the 85mm almost exclusively for the extra speed. A monopod or tripod would be helpful.

If they are using spots on the characters, you'll have problems with them overexposing. You'll want to either use spot metering or just dial in a stop or two of exposure compensation. For me, I'd use the latter technique and a lot of chimping.

Check to see if they allow flash. Many productions don't. It can be really distracting for the actors. If you do use flash, I'd dial in a stop of negative flash exposure compensation.

 

[photo_chick]

With my style I'd avoid the flash so you can get the shots as close to what it looks like on stage as possible. During the dress rehearsal, if it's an empty theater, you'll be able to set up a tripod easily enough and it can help you a little, but it's not a necessity. But if you can do it a few rows back in the center (how far depends on how large the theater is). You don't want to be on the very front row in most theaters, it will have you looking up and the front part of the stage will cut off feet. Go back enough so that it's like you're standing on the same level as the stage. Avoid the wings, it's not as great of a vantage point as you'd think.

I'd try the 18-200 and see if it could get the shutter speeds I needed at a reasonable ISO (for me, with my 50D, ISO 3200 is my cut off for things like this). You're going to want shots of the whole stage and closer shots of the actors, so have that zoom would be helpful. But if it's not enough you'll obviously want to go with the 85.

Just as a reference for what I've gotten away with using the 50D, I have the 75-300 f/4-5.6 elephant. I've used it very successfully at my daughter's dance concerts in the past, usually at ISO 1600 there. If there is decent lighitng on stage this is totally doable with a slower lens.

 

[Frantasmic]

Move your iso up to 800 and shoot with the 85. it's one of the best indoor stage lenses.

I shot an indoor scout ceremony last week and you'll have better light than I did.



Scouts Arrow of Light 2012 143 by msf61, on Flickr


Scouts Arrow of Light 2012 144 by msf61, on Flickr

 

[wbeem]

It depends upon the type of shots you want. If it were me, I'd switch to Spot Metering to make sure I got my subject properly exposed and let everything else fall to black. If you go with a Matrix or Average mode, then it's going to slow down your shutter speed trying to get an evenly lit scene - that may not be what you want at all.

Pick your subjects and expose for them. Go with Spot Metering and Manual Exposure. Raise your ISO and open your Aperture as much as you can. Then work on varying your shutter speed.

The question is how you want to address movement. Do you want to freeze things, or do you want to show flowing movement with some creative blur?

Although I think Flash is very useful for sports, it's not something I would recommend for a stage performance if there is house lighting for dramatic effect. Flash is great for freezing your subject in motion, but it may look out of place if everything is coming from your camera. That's why I'd recommend working with the existing lighting in the room - unless you can mount your flash up by the house lights. Direction of light is important.