How to I get great shots in a theater??

[Patricia Marana]

Hello, I am Tricia...........
I am sort new to SLR and have much to learn. I often accompany friends to the theater and never can seem to get clear nice shots of the performers. Flash is never allowed and the subjects are usually far away. Help! What is an amateur to do? *smile*

[tingeliM]

Wow you're allowed to take photos in theatre there? It's forbidden in here. I think you should use a tripod and longer shutter speed maybe? To get the light needed for a proper photo. And zoom as close as you can depending on where you're seated.
I'm a total amateur too so I don't know much but that's my guess...^^

[Wooglah]

I think only theater photographers are allowed to take pictures, because they know when to do that and not to disturb actors, not to use flash, mute the sounds and other distractions...

Taking pictures in theatre while seated is like answering the mobile phone in cinema...

[KodiakStar]

Well if it is allowed, you will need a high ISO and fast glass. Those two things will help you use reasonable shutter speeds and score some ok shots.

Getting some of the higher end cameras like the Nikon D700 (I have heard) have better results in very low light.

[inkista]

Get a 135 f/2 lens, and permission.

Professional theatre performances typically don't allow photographs because of rights restrictions. Even the stage design may be copyrighted. Taking photos in the theatre is kind of like sneaking a videocamera into a movie.

[Patricia Marana]

O yes I know you are not allowed in a professional Theater but I am talking about high school plays and amateur theater. They allow this there. My girl friends Son and Daughter are in plays like Doctor Seuss and Cinderella, things like this.
Thanks, ~Tricia

[inkista]

Basically, with a dSLR, you're looking for a "fast" lens--one with a wide enough maximum aperture to let you use a high enough shutter speed to freeze the action. f/2.8 or wider is the usual recommendation for available light shooting. If things on stage aren't moving quickly, a stabilized f/2.8 lens is probably a good bet. But for faster action (dance/sports), you may need to go f/2 or wider, which would limit you to a prime (non-zooming lens). Unfortunately, this is one of those situations where you've probably hit your equipment limits.

If you're on a budget, and you can get reasonably close to the stage, a 50mm f/1.8 lens is usually around $100. For more reach, you'll want a lens with a longer focal length, but it's likely to cost more. The Canon 135mm f/2L USM I was recommending is $900, but is probably the most-used pro lens for stage photography. But there are cheaper alternatives like an 85mm 1.8, or a 100mm f/2.

What camera are you shooting with? What's your working distance (can you get near/on the stage, say during rehearsal? Or are you stuck in your seat?) And what's your budget?

[Patricia Marana]

I am using a Nikon D80 and the two lens' I have are a Nikon 24-120 and a Tamron 28-300. Both only go down to f3.5
Thanks for the info on the faster lens. I will look into that. Although I am on quite a budget as of right now.
Its important to me to continue to make improvements so any help is appreciated and will be applied.

[ARKreations]

I've had moderate success shooting my daughter's dance in theaters with my D80 + 70-300 VR. The thing to be aware of is that the f/3.5 is at the low end of the zoom. It get's worse as you zoom in. That said, try shooting in RAW mode, shutter priority, ISO 800 with shutter speeds in the range of 1/60 - 1/125 depending on how much light you have and how fast the action you are capturing is. A tripod will go a long way towards minimizing camera shake. You will probably have a good bit of noise in the pictures, but you can address that in post with something like Noiseware or Noise Ninja.

If that doesn't work, the you really need to consider faster glass. Constant f/2.8 makes all the difference in the world under those conditions! If you can get close enough, the 50mm f/1.8 is a great lens for low-light as well and can be had for around $100.

You might also consider renting a faster lens as well.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by Patricia Marana

I am using a Nikon D80 and the two lens' I have are a Nikon 24-120 and a Tamron 28-300. Both only go down to f3.5

While your 24-120 is labelled as "f/3.5-5.6". This is not your aperture range (although that's a logical assumption to make). Those are your maximum apertures at the ends of the zoom range. The widest you can open at 24mm is f/3.5. And the widest you can go at 120mm is f/5.6.