Dance Photography tips...? - DPChallenge Forums

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Nikon

12/17/2005 08:50:21 AM · #1

I have a Dance shoot today and I was searching around the Net for images and info etc.

Any suggestions on lens Choice?
I have an Tam 28-75mm which I'll probably stick with and if I'm in close a 50mm...a 70-300mm is also an option.

Any toughts on Shutterspeed and Aperture settings...?
The show will take place at Church that was converted to a Dance space.

I have a tendency to try getting away with f2.8-3-5 and realize later that I didn't get enough depth...too late.

I assume...low light...fast movement...no flash.

Would shooting in Program Mode be a way to go???

e301

12/17/2005 09:06:50 AM · #2

Dance lighting usually employs a lot of side-light, which can really confuse metering, so be careful - you'll get a lot of intense highlights. It obviously depends exactly how bright things are, and how 'professional' the lighting is. Program mode will almost definitely screw things up for you, however - they just never design these modes for that kind of situation.

I'd go manual, and try a ISO 1600, 1/160, f4-ish, and work from there; after a couple of shots you should be able to see from histograms how you're doing exposure wise. But much slower than that and you'll not be freezing movement.

That said, of course, some motion blur can be a bonus for dance.

e

Apple iPhone

12/17/2005 09:08:40 AM · #3

ok last i shot a dance production i did it at 1600 and prayed... I got some good stuff, but some needed work as the lighting is not good enough for normal photography

what kind of show? can you sit in on a rehearsal?

be warned they usually dont like cameras during the performance as most people dontknow how to turn off the flashes

Message edited by author 2005-12-17 09:09:44.

Beagleboy

Canon EOS-30D

Tokina AF 12-24mm f/4.0 AT-X Pro DX

12/17/2005 09:38:23 AM · #4

Here are a few that I took earlier this year. The first one was shot with Canon 300mm f/4 IS. Not sure about the second one. All the rest were shot with my old Canon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 18mm. Needless to say, all these shots were taken at ISO 1600. There was barely enough light to work with.

No flash used so as not to distrct the dancers. Most shots were taken from the corner of the dance floor where I was partially blocked by a speaker. Most dancers didn't even notice I was there.

Flash

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

12/17/2005 09:40:46 AM · #5

You did not mention if this was ballroom, ballet, tap, freeform, gymnastics, etc.

The keys would be available light and the speed of the action. On the D70 there is a selection for "action". I would try that without speedlights and see what happens. The 50mm will capture some very nice shots on that setting. If you must set your own manually, then ISO800 would be the minimum I would shoot without very good light and f/5.6 would be the highest f stop I would use. Blur will be difficult to control, which is why I suggested the action setting and a 50mm.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

12/17/2005 09:57:18 AM · #6

I have an invite from the choreographer and I will do the rehersal which starts at 12 noon.

I will also bring my laptop, which I will immediately hook up and look at I guess 10-15 quick test shots.

ISO 1600 sounds like noise-galore...but I'll take your word for it, to start off. Here comes the Neat Image....look-out!

I noticed that many images on the net are dead-on shots, centered. I'll stick with that formula and hopefully I'll be at eye level with the dancers so it won't look like I was an audience member.

Message edited by author 2005-12-17 10:04:09.

doctornick

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

12/17/2005 10:16:38 AM · #7

ISO 1600, f/2.8, 2nd Curtain Flash (makes for interesting effects!)

ISO 1600, f/2.8, No flash

ISO 3200, f/2.8, slow shutter

Message edited by author 2005-12-17 10:19:01.

Apple iPhone

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Nikon

12/17/2005 10:19:40 AM · #8

if you are sitting in on the rehearsal take the photos there...
the lighting will be brighter....you'll be able to move around..
and not stuck in a seat or off stage and will be able to use a flash if necessary

quote=pawdrix] I have an invite from the choreographer and I will do the rehersal which starts at 12 noon.

I will also bring my laptop, which I will immediately hook up and look at I guess 10-15 quick test shots.

ISO 1600 sounds like noise-galore...but I'll take your word for it, to start off. Here comes the Neat Image....look-out!

I noticed that many images on the net are dead-on shots, centered. I'll stick with that formula and hopefully I'll be at eye level with the dancers so it won't look like I was an audience member. [/quote]

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

12/17/2005 10:30:08 AM · #9

Thank you everybody. Great advice and I'll use it all.

...ah'm out the door. Wish me luck.

Makka

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

12/17/2005 11:38:43 AM · #10

I have some shots I took a few weeks back! I will post them up tomorrow and tell you how I did it but it's now nearly 1am here and I'm half cut!

EDIT! Ahh....just realised I'm too late! :p

Message edited by author 2005-12-17 11:39:12.

12/18/2005 12:12:47 PM · #11

A follow up post here with some images and many thanks to all that chimed in with advice. It was a very tough shoot but I got about 20 images that I like out of 200 plus. I tried to capture too much at once when I should have focused on one dancer at a time but overall things went well.

Message edited by author 2005-12-18 19:26:24.