Fiddler on the roof, amazing local theater

[JR6ooo4]

I have been shooting the local theater for a few years. St James Theater, arlington heights IL. Old timers here may remember previous posts. It is an all volunteer show, the cast even pays $50 each to help with costume costs etc... Good years in ticket sales have returned upwards of $20K to the church! I'm proud to help out in my own little way.

This year's show is Fiddler on the roof. (Still running for two more weekends) I have not been shooting in quite a while so I was a bit rusty trying to keep up with the fast action on a low lit stage 100 feet wide, during show nights, shot from up against a side wall, with no flash of course.

rebel XT, canon 70-300IS, tripod with pistol grip head
ISO 1600 in raw, low AP (shortest DOF) for fastest shutter with the camera still doing auto exposure
converted to jpeg in adobe bridge and auto noise ninja
I left them uncropped to leave room for various print size crops.
Let me know what you think, this was opening night.

tevye

they double cast the show and run three weekends. jsut under 100 people this year and that is the cast only. probably 160 or more including unseen folks like scenery, stage crew, costumes, lighting, sound, producers, sales and advertising, bar, and most importantly the creative talent, all volunteer. Did I mention that my darling wife is the music director again this year and conducts the orchestra, after starring in several productions then directing a few more?

Mikeeee

 

[JR6ooo4]

no comments?

Mikeeee

 

[JR6ooo4]

no comments?

Mikeeee

 

[Frantasmic]

For the equipment you had, you did a really good job. You can tell a few instances where some faster, better glass would have helped. It looks like you did very well with the raw conversion and captured pretty good color and lighting (as well as highlighting).

I really like the 2nd picture, your dream sequence; you did a good job with the "vision" Tevye had.

 

[Miller1412]

Nice photos! I love Fiddler, I just rented and watched it with my 9 year old DD last weekend.

You did a great job!

 

[boBQuincy]

Your photos are really good! I have tried photographing theater and it is not easy. You (and the players) should be very happy with the images you have!

 

[JR6ooo4]

thanks,

as you can see I am about 4 feet below eye level. do you think it would be better to get up at eye level? or does looking up at the actors give them that larger than life feel as well as give the viewer an "audience" point of view?


I think they have a platform I could use.

MIkeeee

 

[Valentine]

WOW!!! What great pics!!! This is exactly what I want to be able to do.. I do alot of community theater here in Brooklyn.. and I want to be able to photograph my shows... I can only dream at this point of my photos being as good as yours!! Can you explain again in english what you did?? LOL!!! or in Camera newbie language... thank you!!



Kathy

 

[alan]

Love 'em!

I love shooting local theatre groups, and ended up setting up a website to let people buy the photos I took (http://www.stagepics.co.uk). It's a great way to get two wonderful hobbies to combine!

The pictures you have posted are very good; one thing you might want to try is some Unsharp Mask AFTER resizing the pictures - a bit of USM can "lift" the pictures and increase the contrast.

My preference is to be slightly above the performers. I prefer to look down at them, that way you're not shooting up someone's nose (or their skirt). When you go to a traditional theatre, the best seats in the house - the grand circle - position the eye level of the viewer just above the heads of the performers.

The three weekend schedule is pretty hard going - most UK societies do a single week, starting Monday or Tuesday and running through to Saturday.

Love to see more - what is next year's show?

regards,
/alan

PS My personal show history is at http://www.thepotters.org/shows

 

[Quicklabs]

Wow! Really, really nice shots! For such a small group, the production looks very professional. You really had to deal with tough lighting, especially in that second shot. I really like the DOF there, as well. It's just right. *Standing ovation*

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Beautiful work, Mikeee!

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Holy cow! I just looked at this. Those are awesome stage pictures. Shooting stage is tough because the lighting is so "spotty". You did a great job managing the highlights.

 

[NostalgicDad]

Tough conditions. Great shots!

 

[JR6ooo4]

Holy cow! I just looked at this. Those are awesome stage pictures. Shooting stage is tough because the lighting is so "spotty". You did a great job managing the highlights.

sure I'll take credit for that. but the tech guys and gals (I'm old. I can say gals) did a great job as well. sound and lights are high school and college age volunteers!

Mikeeee