Low Light stage photography

[Mike Farley]

If you are just taking general shots, then a fast lens such as your 35 or 50 shot at a wide aperture will be OK. You might want to consider some detail shots, but with a relatively slow zoom the ISO will be that much higher.

I am not sure why you should be experiencing focus problems when the dancer is illuminated by the spotlight, but with any moving subject you should be using continuous AF, possibly combined with shooting in bursts. Alternatively, if you are reasonably sure where the subject is likely to be, set the lens to manual and pre-focus. Sure, you will lose a fair number of shots, but that might be the price to be paid if the camera cannot keep up.

Rather than spot meter, consider using the exposure lock control or go fully manual (i.e. no auto ISO) if the lighting is constant. That way, you do not need to worry about linking the active AF spot to the meter if that proves inconvenient.

In post processing, it might be possible to darken or remove anything in the background, which will help isolate the subect in the final image.

[Mata]

Davidc/Mike Thanks for your thoughts. I have made a list of things I am going to experiment with when I go there on Sunday.

I am just taking general shots. The idea was that since I was going there anyway I might as well practice working with this kind of stage light.

The last session was my first one. I am a little better prepared for the next one now. I am not going to be doing any processing.

I am more concerned about the shoot tomorrow.