Shooting Live Performances or Seeing Things In The Right Light

 I love photographing live theater. It's something I really enjoy doing and have been doing it for a couple of decades. Now if you're job is at a Regional (State), College or Professional house you have the best in theatrical lighting to work with. Your equipment combined with a top notch lighting plot will leave you only looking for that special moment to snap and not muttering under your breath when that moment is in semi darkness for one reason or another. Actors are notorious for not feeling the light or missing their mark so carefully planned and executed by the Director and Lighting designer. I've seen a few stand like the Phantom with half their face hidden in darkenss due to an errant step. Now software can work wonders but the time spent processing 300+ pics can make it a nightmare to meet your deadline. Also consider that if the stage light isn't consistant then you can't have a template that will work across the board. Each photo starts the process from scratch leading to inconsistent results. It reminds me of my golfing experiences. You practice at the driving range and you think you might have things under control. You then progress to the links and find you can't hit the boradside of a barn much less sink a 5 foot putt. Every T shot is worse than the previous and as you approach the 18th T you're missing your driver, putter and most of your irons which are now scattered all over the back 9. You promise yourself that after this hole you will never play the game again and then.... You hit the ball 300 yards down the fairway. Your second shot is on the green and you putt out with an Eagle. Your love of golf is renewed. One hole made you forget the hell that was the other 17. You rush back over the course to gather your clubs from the roughs and the water traps where they were flung. Tomorrow is a new day!





Some thing else you might find is that many actors perform with their eyes closed. Now, I'm not picking on actors. I am to be included in their number, but a blink is a blink. There's no way someone's eyes are closed in every single shot! But there it is, the perfect photo during a group scene and one or more have their eyes closed. AARRGGHH! Next!

 The result can be the same when shooting a performance. 250 of the 300 snaps might be unusable or mediocre at best, but those 50 really good ones make the hours spent worthwhile. And you can hardly wait to hang or post them. After all you're providing a record...a memory for cast and crew and their friends and family. Remember, it's a punishable crime to film a stage play without permission (and good luck getting that). The performers don't get a chance to see what the audience showed their appreciation for during the curtain call. We as directors, designers, actors and crew become like a family during the production. We share the ups and downs of auditioning, casting, designing, rehearsing, building, blocking, memorizing, sewing, working concessions.taking tickets,

seating patrons, working concessions, selling ads, overcoming stage fright and sometimes stage mothers. We usually swear fidelity and promise to get together and not be strangers. 9 times out of 10 it doesn't work out that way. We make friends (it's a small community after all) but time passes quickly and real life has a tendency to intervene.

Acquiring the ability to be in the exact position to capture the essence of a "moment" whether comedic or dramatic is the road to the money shot. You know it when you see it. Those who have no theatrical background can do it as a technician; one who understands the construct (geometry) of a properly framed photo. Take enough and you are bound to capture that moment. The advantage of knowing how something is staged allows you to anticipate and be ready when that moment arrives.
Of course there are no guarantees. Remember, someone's eyes might be closed. To tell a story on myself, I conscientiously managed to reload my SD card holder in preparation for a session and forgot to put it back in the camera bag before I headed to the shoot. I got
set up and went to test my lighting and NO CARD. I dashed to  the only place open and paid what I pay for a 32gig card walking out with 4 gigs. No worries. No one knows but you.

Go to the theater.See a show. It doesn't have to be a musical. Some folks love them and some do not.
The experience can be life changing no matter what you see. Magic happens up on that stage and I love trying to capture just a moment of it.

Please enjoy the few pics I've sprinkled throughout the post. You might be able to guess the titles of the shows (if you don't already know) and if you have any questions drop me a line care of the blog.