Theatrical Stage Photography

<p>I will be taking my 6-year-old grand niece to see the Christmas show at Radio City on Tuesday. We have front-row seats, slightly left of centre. It has been quite awhile since I took any photos of a live show. Flash is a no-no.</p>

<p>I am thinking I will take my M6 with 35/2 Summicron, but can't decide what film speed would be best. I have a freezer full of various rolls of Fuji 400, 800 and 1600 emulsions.</p>

<p>The Pro 800Z handles artificial light very well and considering the high light levels on stage, maybe that would be best, especially as I will be taking pictures outdoors at Rockefeller Center, then inside at St. Patrick's Cathedral, F.A.O. Schwartz, etc.</p>

<p>Or would I be OK with 400? Any thoughts?</p>

<p>There's a pit up-front, so 35mm is probably going to be much too wide since you won't be that close. </p>

<p>BTW, are you also aware that for the Christmas show, photography is not allowed? From their site specific to the Christmas show:</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Photography inside the Music Hall is prohibited at all times.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>If you're in the front row using a camera, you're going to be pretty obvious.</p>

<p>I think you are right, 35mm may not do, I may be better off with the 50mm.</p>

<p>I've been going to Radio City since the 60s and especially at the Christmas Spectacular, the no-photography rule is honoured more in the breach. I've never seen anyone hassled for taking pics, even if they use flash, which I would never do anyway.</p>

<p>Plus I have a special dispensation: My wife's cousin is a stage manager and another cousin is a shop steward for IATSE Local #1, the stagehands' union. Word will go out before the performance that no one is to hassle us. We will get an "unofficial" back-stage tour. We know two of the Rockettes and will see them after the show.</p>

<p>Next to Disney World, my grand niece will be on cloud 9 all day!</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Forgot to add that a lawyer friend told me there is an obscure, little-known New York State law that says if you are ejected from a live stage performance for taking photographs, the management must refund you the full price of admission, something almost no theatre managers know is on the books. Not that I'd want to create a spectacle anyway. If anyone tells to stop, I will. Don't want to mortify my wife's cousins.</p>

<p>Usually the light is pretty dim in stage productions. I haven't used film in a while but using my dslr even setting it at iso 3200 at f2.8 the results are sometimes just marginal. Good luck.</p>

<p>Maybe I should go with ISO 1600? I could add an 80D (KB6) filter for colour correction, but I'll lose a stop and a third.</p>

In my experience, 800 should be fast

enough if you are shooting at f/2.0. I

have shot quite a bit of smaller venues

with this combination, so I assume that

the place that you are going should be

at least as well lit.

 

A piece of advice: try shooting when

movements are "peaking", i.e., when

the actors are relatively motionless.

Otherwise, you might get quite a bit of

unwanted blur, even though you can

keep the camera steady...

 

Soeren

I agree with Soren. I have found ISO 3200 from two film companies gives too much contrast and Tri X has worked best

for me, waiting for the peak action and burning a fair amount of film to get a few sharp ones. It's high end DSLR territory

but no good for my only good digital, the X100 with its fixed 35mm lens. My next try at this sort of thing will be with a 90

2.8 and a monopod.

<p>Karl, I would not bother with colour correction. I have shot a few plays over the past year. If a colour cast is too strong, I reduce it a little in Aperture but I never, ever completely remove it. The temperature of the lights is a big part of the play's ambience. Don't kill it!</p>

<p>Some plays have dim lighting, some have good lighting. So I'd say that 800 is okay. You'd be surprised but Kodak Portra 400 can be used successfully at EI 1600 without pushing. Fuji X-tra 800 (not Pro Z) is apparently better at higher ISOs than Portra 400 or 800 - please read this thread:</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/film-and-processing-forum/00Zgny</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Superia 800 is also in production, in 35mm and 120. Excellent film: Significantly higher resolution than Portra 800, and much better color rendition in mixed lighting conditions (with tungsten and/or fluorescent light).</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Also, Tmax 100 can be used at EI 3200 without pushing with very good results. Scanning techniques will be important in these cases.</p>

<p>I've been shooting Shakespeare at my university since 2005. A few things. Shoot ISO 1600 film. You may actually have to underexpose. With digital it is easy to find the correct exposure. With film you need to bracket. A 90mm might be useful. I you are very close, a fast 50mm lens is the way to go. I hope you have a scanner and Photoshop. From where you are sitting the angles will be weird and you'll need to edit. </p>

<p>a quote from radiocitychristmas.com FAQ:<br /> For the Christmas Spectacular and other family events, 35mm and digital cameras will be permitted in Radio City Music Hall, however, <strong>you must refrain from taking pictures during the performance</strong>. Taking photos during events is distracting not only to the performers, but your fellow patrons as well. Video cameras/recorders are strictly prohibited. <strong>This policy will be strictly enforced</strong>. For concert events, this policy is at the discretion of the artist. Please call Guest Relations at 212-465-6225, any weekday during normal business hours, for more information.<br /> I would suggest that if you absolutely need to take pictures - take your cousin the stage manager and together go and ask someone in charge for a permission. Since M6 is much quieter than an SLR, and if you swear not to use flash - I think you should be granted the verbal agreement to take a couple of pictures. And you will feel better too. If they say NO, then you are on your own, to breach or not to breach the rules of the house. There are many reasons behind the prohibition to take pictures at theatres/halls during the performances, not only "it might disturb the audience and the players".<br>

regarding the film - I would say tungsten balanced film would be best. Or you'll have to use filters.</p>

<p>I would go with the 1600. Many of the scenes for the Christmas show are rather brightly lit but you don't want to be handholding 1/15 at f/2. You'll definitely need 1600 for backstage, especially if you go down under the stage whether the hydraulics for the stage elevators are. 35mm isn't wide enough to take in the whole stage from the front row, but isn't long enough to isolate individual performers either. 1600 is faster than you will want outside, but so what? Just change film.</p>

<p>Thanks for all the input. I am now leaning to 1600, no filter and will take 400 with me for the outdoor shots.</p>

One thing ibtried in NYC at nite was to shoot 1600 film but pulled development down to 1200. Seemed to work good

letting darks come up whike reducing the halos

<p>What ever film you use, have it developed and then scanned, so you have a proof sheet and a cd with at least their medium scans... it's amazing what you can pull up and do with photoshop : ) best of all possible worlds.</p>

<p>I photographed a school review - front row - with M3 and 5cm Summicron at f2, using mostly 100 ASA chrome. Got some great shots. Later another with both 5cm and 9cm at f2, using 200 and 400ASA negative film, from a bit further back. You don't need faster than 400 with a steady hand. I took readings initially with a Lunasix on both occasions, then put it away, and just went for it. Colour wasn't a problem at all. Back in the 70s took stage rehersal images at a theatre in Melbourne, using a TLR and Tungsten film. A few of those were pretty good too. That was my first ever 'theatre' job. I was allowed on stage then.</p>

<p>Well, I can report we had a great time at Radio City on Tuesday, but Uncle Karl made a major mistake for anyone carrying an M7 -- I forgot to bring spare batteries. The camera died after just two frames in the lobby. My wife took some rather crummy shots with her cell phone, but -- more importantly -- my grand niece had the time of her life, though she had to sit on my lap to see.</p>

<p>The photography policy was announced before the show -- at variance with that posted on the website (and noted by some of you above): still photography permitted any time during the performance but absolutely no flash stills or video of any kind. Nevertheless, flashes were going off every few seconds and the ushers simply ignored it. I suppose they did not want to provoke a confrontation, especially since there are so many children in the audience.</p>

<p>For a price, you could take a posed picture in the lobby with one of the Rockettes or Santa, but no personal photos allowed. They were selling absurdly expensive "packages," like a 6" x 8" in a "souvernir" folder, with two 4" x 6" prints, for $50! Thievery, but my wife succumbed.</p>

<p>So if any one you are going to the Christmas Spectacular, fire away, just don't use flash, it's all OK.</p>

<p>Took great courage to post your failure. The battery problem way more in digital.Film users think last about power sources esp/ with mechanical Leicas.. Your M7 is electronic. I try to carry extra power cells for my M6. So small. easily carried in my wallet.Digital users carry extra "special made-for-my-camera battery" or a case of AA or similar, plus cables, jump-leads, dynamos and Honda generators.<br>

Discovered this week, my Spotmatic battery dead after 3 years...<br>

Good luck for next time!</p>

<p>Glad that you had a nice time! As far as the battery issue, traveling light with Leica I always use a Domke Reporter's Satchel. Plenty of room for an extra lens, small strobe, a couple cords, extra batteries for everything, and of course film. Discreet on the street too--just another laptop case looking thing!</p>

<p>One thing that no one has touched on yet is the metering for shows can be really tricky! The reflected light meter built into the most advanced cameras can still only read for a 18% gray card average reading. White subjects (lots of snow) will cause a false reading (stopping-down too much) and so will overly black scenes, especially with a spot-lit performer (opened-up too far). A hand-held spot meter gives better results regardless of the film used. I learned this the hard way!</p>

<p>Merry Christmas and good luck in the future!</p>

<p>Dave</p>