Chinese Orchestra Concert

[gymak90]

Hi all!

Below is a pic I've taken during my school's chinese orchestra concert and I did some editing.

My aim was to capture the look, the eyes and the concentration of the performers

Flash was not permitted, was using 75-300mm F4-5.6 lens, so ISO had to be 500 and above.

I wasn't allowed to move around. On the stage and all performers are seated, body parts or instrument of other performers will come into the frame of my subject, anyone got such experience? Any ideas how to overcome it?

C&C welcomed. In terms of cropping, composition and exposure. Thanks

[calebk]

The first, most awkward thing about this photograph is the composition; the performer looks as though she's playing to a wall, because she is placed on the left one-third, and she is facing left, pretty much right into the edge of the frame. There is no nose-room (also known as look-room).

Generally speaking, in order to give look-room, one must frame the photo with the subject on the right one-third when he/she is looking left, and vice versa if the subject is looking right. In this way, there is a space where the subject is looking towards, rather than a "wall", in the form of your photo's edge.

The photo looks to me as though it is underexposed. I don't understand why you picked a strange ISO figure as 500, instead of pushing the ISO to 800 or 1600, shoot RAW, and correct the noise in post-processing. What camera are you using?

[m3lv1nh0]

If you are tasked or paid to shoot the performance, you need to find the best location to shoot the performers beforehand. Maybe go to their rehearsal and seek out the best spot and tell the organiser to reserve that spot for you. If you are there as an audience and couldn't get a good shot from your spot, best is to just keep your camera and just enjoy the show.

For indoor shot, bump up the ISO to 1000 and above, use the widest aperture(F2.8 and below) and lens with IS will help reduce handshake or use tripod/monopod if possible.

[gymak90]

Originally Posted by calebk The first, most awkward thing about this photograph is the composition; the performer looks as though she's playing to a wall, because she is placed on the left one-third, and she is facing left, pretty much right into the edge of the frame. There is no nose-room (also known as look-room). Generally speaking, in order to give look-room, one must frame the photo with the subject on the right one-third when he/she is looking left, and vice versa if the subject is looking right. In this way, there is a space where the subject is looking towards, rather than a "wall", in the form of your photo's edge.

Ok will take note. She's actually behind rows of performers, as you can see, there's someone else's sleeve at the left corner of the pic. So i give nose-room, will that then remove attention and focus away from my subject?
Or should I choose to photo someone who is in the 1st row, facing the conductor? This way, I can try to get the conductor in the frame?

Originally Posted by calebk The photo looks to me as though it is underexposed. I don't understand why you picked a strange ISO figure as 500, instead of pushing the ISO to 800 or 1600, shoot RAW, and correct the noise in post-processing. What camera are you using?

Was using 30D. I didn't know can process noise leh. How to do? Using which software?
I was shooting in JPEG, so I had to struggle with noise and blur. My shutter speed was probably in the range of 1/30s - 1/60s.

Originally Posted by m3lv1nh0 If you are tasked or paid to shoot the performance, you need to find the best location to shoot the performers beforehand. Maybe go to their rehearsal and seek out the best spot and tell the organiser to reserve that spot for you. If you are there as an audience and couldn't get a good shot from your spot, best is to just keep your camera and just enjoy the show. For indoor shot, bump up the ISO to 1000 and above, use the widest aperture(F2.8 and below) and lens with IS will help reduce handshake or use tripod/monopod if possible.

I see, well as an audience, sometimes it's fun to try and see if nice shots come up
The lens is a non-IS, non-USM version of 75-300mm F4-5.6. Quite primitive, haha, and challenging to use it indoors. But in the concert, I needed the range.

Thanks guys for the input!

[Pablo]

Hi,

I tried a crop that was in portrait from the top of the girls head to the base of the instrument.

This cut out the top of the instruments neck and her left arm by some margin but put the girl much to the right and also gave a good look to it.

May be try it and see what you think

Cheers

[calebk]

Originally Posted by gymak90 Ok will take note. She's actually behind rows of performers, as you can see, there's someone else's sleeve at the left corner of the pic. So i give nose-room, will that then remove attention and focus away from my subject? Or should I choose to photo someone who is in the 1st row, facing the conductor? This way, I can try to get the conductor in the frame? Was using 30D. I didn't know can process noise leh. How to do? Using which software? I was shooting in JPEG, so I had to struggle with noise and blur. My shutter speed was probably in the range of 1/30s - 1/60s. I see, well as an audience, sometimes it's fun to try and see if nice shots come up The lens is a non-IS, non-USM version of 75-300mm F4-5.6. Quite primitive, haha, and challenging to use it indoors. But in the concert, I needed the range. Thanks guys for the input!

I shoot lots of worship shots of people in church from time to time, and everyone is relatively close together too. Sometimes you cannot have your subject as the only person in the frame, so what I do is I frame it such that any other people in the frame don't have their faces/heads in the frame, at the most a shoulder or a leg.

For the 30D, I used to be on a 30D too and I've shot up to ISO 1600 without fear. Push your ISO for more handholdable shutter speeds. You can do basic noise reduction within Photoshop itself. Read what I posted previously; if you shoot RAW, you can do noise reduction with Canon's Digital Photo Professional software too.

[gymak90]

Originally Posted by Pablo Hi, I tried a crop that was in portrait from the top of the girls head to the base of the instrument. This cut out the top of the instruments neck and her left arm by some margin but put the girl much to the right and also gave a good look to it. May be try it and see what you think Cheers

Hi! I tried and it does make the girl appear at the centre of the frame. In this case, the shot becomes like a portrait and less regard is placed on the instrument. My fear is that the mood will be removed. Haha but it still looks good and if I would to do that, I would have wanted more zoom

Originally Posted by calebk I shoot lots of worship shots of people in church from time to time, and everyone is relatively close together too. Sometimes you cannot have your subject as the only person in the frame, so what I do is I frame it such that any other people in the frame don't have their faces/heads in the frame, at the most a shoulder or a leg. For the 30D, I used to be on a 30D too and I've shot up to ISO 1600 without fear. Push your ISO for more handholdable shutter speeds. You can do basic noise reduction within Photoshop itself. Read what I posted previously; if you shoot RAW, you can do noise reduction with Canon's Digital Photo Professional software too.

Oh I see. My 30D was borrowed so I don't have the software. Any other software can do likewise? My idea of bumping up ISO means details would be lost. Given that it's a string instrument, details would be quite precious. Is ISO1600 managable in terms of noise?

Many thanks for the advice

[calebk]

Originally Posted by gymak90 ... Oh I see. My 30D was borrowed so I don't have the software. Any other software can do likewise? My idea of bumping up ISO means details would be lost. Given that it's a string instrument, details would be quite precious. Is ISO1600 managable in terms of noise? Many thanks for the advice

Yes absolutely. This image was shot at ISO 1600. Enough detail for your liking?



In case you are unaware, since the 10D generation of Canon DSLRs, Canon's noise handling has been stellar.

[gymak90]

True, canon dslrs have very good noise processing. I'm sure it's competitors are closing the gap.
Thanks to everyone for sharing

[iRaphael]

hmmm..

looks like SCH.

Anyway, would suggest that you set your WB to tungsten during concert shoots, the colours are much more natural that way.

ISO should be about 800 or higher and shutter can go to 1/80s.

but if you were at SCH, lighting shouldnt be a problem at ISO 500.

[calebk]

Originally Posted by iRaphael hmmm.. looks like SCH. Anyway, would suggest that you set your WB to tungsten during concert shoots, the colours are much more natural that way. ISO should be about 800 or higher and shutter can go to 1/80s. but if you were at SCH, lighting shouldnt be a problem at ISO 500.

Not without a fast lens. Even at Esplanade's indoor (foyer) and outdoor (Nokia Powerhouse) stages, on f/2.8 glass, I was pushing it to ISO800 to get decent shutter speeds, ISO 1600 if I needed to freeze motion.

[iRaphael]

Originally Posted by calebk Not without a fast lens. Even at Esplanade's indoor (foyer) and outdoor (Nokia Powerhouse) stages, on f/2.8 glass, I was pushing it to ISO800 to get decent shutter speeds, ISO 1600 if I needed to freeze motion.

I got this at f/5.6, 1/50 at ISO 500.

slightly underexposed, but seems pretty okay to me.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/r_goh/2...7605296313007/

[gymak90]

Originally Posted by iRaphael hmmm.. looks like SCH. Anyway, would suggest that you set your WB to tungsten during concert shoots, the colours are much more natural that way. ISO should be about 800 or higher and shutter can go to 1/80s. but if you were at SCH, lighting shouldnt be a problem at ISO 500.

Yup, it was at SCH. Generally the lighting there is good, but not bright enough at the back.

Hmm i suppose your shot is in tungsten WB? Yea it does more natural and comparing with mine, my shot looks reddish. Haha thanks