dance recital

[rotty022]

first, i'm a novice, so be gentle. i really want to learn how to take better pictures. i have opportunities to take lots of pictures so i really need to get better.

i took this photo at my gf's niece's dance recital.

canon eos rebel t2i
shutter priority mode
shutter speed 1/125
aperture 1.8
metering mode evaluative metering
iso speed 200
lens ef85mm f/1.8 usm
focal length 85.0mm
white balance mode fluorescent
af mode ai servo af
af area select mode manual selection

tia,
rotty022

[Jim Bryant]

Originally Posted by rotty022

first, i'm a novice, so be gentle. i really want to learn how to take better pictures. i have opportunities to take lots of pictures so i really need to get better.

i took this photo at my gf's niece's dance recital.

canon eos rebel t2i
shutter priority mode
shutter speed 1/125
aperture 1.8
metering mode evaluative metering
iso speed 200
lens ef85mm f/1.8 usm
focal length 85.0mm
white balance mode fluorescent
af mode ai servo af
af area select mode manual selection

tia,
rotty022

I think yo should shot with a higher ISO, perhaps 800. That would have given you a higher shutter speed as well as f-stop. Looks as if there's a bit of motion blur. Not too many are steady as a rock like me.

[Jensers]

Depends on what you want - do you want all of them in focus or just the front 2? You are going to have to change up your aperture to extend your depth of field to get everything in focus. The problem with that is then you are going to need additional lighting or it will be under exposed.

Like Jim said - you can up your ISO - that will help some, but to get to 200 (sort of the minimum for motion) on your shutter and have enough light you will need to....

Actually - it is better to point you in the right direction so you can do some of your own studying. Really, this is all just exposure triangle, depth of field, and shooting in low light. There are a number of great tutorials on these topics here on the site. If you have not, go and read them, It will help a lot.

Problem with getting educated is that you quickly learn the limitations of your equipment. That then starts a vicious cycle!

[rotty022]

i wanted all of them in focus. i didn't have much time to take the picture; they were moving. this was the end of that dance so they were stopped for a second or two.

changing the iso to 800, wouldn't that have lowered the exposure? so it would have been darker.....

i just discovered this site. although, i've read several of the beginner pages.

thanks,
rotty022

[gptwins]

First I will plug the book "Understanding Exposure". From the question you just asked, you obviously need it.

By in creasing the ISO to 800, you INCREASE the sensor sensitivity. The increase in sensitivity would allow you to use a smaller aperture which has the benefit of increasing your depth-of-field.

Photography is about capturing reflected light. There are three basic aspects: sensitivity (ISO), time (shutter speed), and opening (aperture). Each has a side effect: grain, blur, and depth-of-field, respectively.

[rotty022]

Originally Posted by gptwins

First I will plug the book "Understanding Exposure". From the question you just asked, you obviously need it.

By in creasing the ISO to 800, you INCREASE the sensor sensitivity. The increase in sensitivity would allow you to use a smaller aperture which has the benefit of increasing your depth-of-field.

Photography is about capturing reflected light. There are three basic aspects: sensitivity (ISO), time (shutter speed), and opening (aperture). Each has a side effect: grain, blur, and depth-of-field, respectively.

ah yes. i don't have that stuff memorized, yet.

thanks,
rotty022

[gptwins]

I understand that you are new which why I highly recommend "Understanding Exposure". It will teach you thesenthings and more. Inlike to think about it as e light triangle. A pneumonic that I got from another forum. ISO-time-aperture-ISO.

I liked you composition. You seem to have a good eye.

[RichardTaylor]

You may find this exposure tutorial (on this site helpful).

Exposure (1) A balancing act

[andrewmc]

I like the picture, but as mentioned there is a slight blurring, but otherwise I like the picture. I've got to read through those tutorials myself!

Andrew

[Jim Fox]

I've done my kids dance for several years now and these are my suggestions based on your settings and photos, some of which have already been discussed.

From what I've seen around me with my kids studio and competitions we go to, lighting can be all over the place and usually not on the bright side. So you are going to wanna bump up the ISO a lot. I typically use either 1600 or 3200 (I don't have anything in between on mine).

I personally like to be 1/800 or higher, but have done my fair share at 1/400 to 1/500 because of lighting.

Most of the time I just use AWB as I generally can't run up there with a gray card and I shoot in RAW so I can adjust later in post.

I also use Av / Aperture Priority too so I will always be a 2.8 and stick with AI Servo.

You may have just been sitting in the audience during the performance and snapping some pictures.........but I would also find a higher vantage point. At our recitals I sit up by the sound guys and shoot standing up, that gets the heads outta the way. If I am at a competition (assuming they let you take pictures, their are a few that do) I will sit on the arm of the auditorium seats and make sure the judges heads aren't in the way.

Here is some of the stuff I shot over the past few years...........just so you can see some other examples.

Hickory Hill Photography | Patti Herm Dancers

Good Luck and keep shooting!