a talk on stage photography: basics

Stage Photography

Preparation

• Know the cues.• Background information.

Gear

• Super fast aperture lenses.• Extra memory cards.• Medium range zoom lenses >>

70-200mm f/2.8 85mm f/1.8

Position / Timing

• Follow the subject with camera.• Correct focusing mode.• Capturing the right moment.• Get a good spot.

The Tripod is your enemy.

DO’s / DONT’s

• Modes – Tv is the most popular.• F-stop < 5.6 and shutter > 1/125• No elements in foreground.• Metering on facial tones.

Think before you click.Keep a main subject in mind.

The Flash is not cool.

Artificial Lighting

Natural Lighting

Terminology

• White Balance• Low key lighting• Focus modes• Metering modes• Histogram• ISO• RAW image format

White Balance

• Human Eye vs. The Camera• Warmth or coolness.• A reference source: 18% gray• Multiple illuminants: Average value

White Balance Presets

Reference Source

Tungsten > Cool

Shady > Warm

Multiple Illuminants

Multiple Illuminants

Reference: Stone Reference: Moon

Low key lighting

• One key lighting source.• High contrast images.

Metering

• 3D Matrix / Evaluative• Center weighted• Spot

• Camera sensors analyze the complete frame.• Divided into zones

3D Matrix metering

• More weight to the center zones.

Center weighted metering

• Metering on small central spot• Ideal for tricky lighting conditions

Spot metering

Use Spot MeteringTo get correct facial tones.

3D Matrix metering

Spot metering

Focusing Modes

• AF-C (AF continuous) Moving objects• AF-S (AF single )

Stationary objects• AF-A (AF Auto)

Switches between last two modes

Use AF-CHalf-press shutter >> Focusing

Capturing Motion

Histogram

• Visual graph.• Distribution of tones and pixels.

Too Dark Too Bright

Too Dark

Too Bright

Mistake in the previous snap?

ISO

• Sensitivity to light.• Digital sensors / Film• Noise reduction softwares.

ISO 1600

After >> Noise Ninja

Ideal Settings

• Focusing mode >> AF-C• Metering mode >> Spot• Shooting mode >> Tv• Fast zoom lens• ISO > 600, Shutter > 125, f-stop > 5.6

RAW image format

• Digital negative.• Different formats: .nef, .cr2, .raf• Wider colour gamut.• Rectangular Pixel data: 14 bits

RAW vs. JPEG

Photoshop Techniques

• Layer Masking• Unsharp Mask• Levels > Gamma values• Curves > S-curves, tonality• Lab mode > Device independent• Tutorials