Re: [Leica] Stalking Shakespeare

["Tom Schofield" <tdschofield@email.msn.com>]

I have had a fair amount of experience with poorly and variably lit theater
photography, from my children's dance, drama, choir, etc. performances over
the years.  You will definitely want very high speed film, and if you can, a
narrow-angle spot meter.  The brightly lit performers against a black or
white background can easily throuw your meter off.  Lighting also varies
throughout the stage, so a reading at center front of the stage will
probably not be valid toward the rear or sides, and lighting will change
from scene to scene, if not minute to minute.  There can also be dark holes
in spots of the stage.  Hopefully, the professional programs will be better
lit than many I have experienced, but you never know how creative they may
be trying to be with the lighting.  Different colored gels are used for
lighting on each light, so you can almost forget about trying to color
balance.

I found that close-ups of the performers are usually much more pleasing than
overall shots of the stage, especially when you are using high speed film,
since detail of faces, costumes are lost in the grain in overall shots.  The
90 will probably be the wide angle, and the 135 the normal.

If you are shooting from the audience, it can also be challenging to
maintain a line of sight clear of heads.  Fortunately, as long as you are
not using flash, they will mostly be silhouettes in the forground.  People
will inevitably shift position, and sit up straighter when something
exciting is happening, getting in your way.

Theaters may also (likely) have restrictions against photography, including
available light.  They want you to buy their books, afterall.

Tom


- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Norman Milks" <norman_milks@mailg.pribilofs.k12.ak.us>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2001 3:21 PM
Subject: [Leica] Stalking Shakespeare


> While at an Oxford seminar this summer I will be viewing about 10 of
> Shakespeare's plays.  Utilizing the "guerilla" techniques of street
> shooting that I have learned from this group, I would like to
> discriminately photograph a few scenes from each of these plays to show my
> students the "real deal" when I return to school next year.  Some of the
> theatres I will be attending are the Globe, Swan, Royal Shakespeare
> Theatre, Royal National Theatre.  I'm thinking that by discretely using
> the "quiet alternative," I would not create distraction.  OTOH, I am a bit
> reluctant, for, to incur the wrath of an unforgiving theatre manager could
> prove to be a costly embarrassment.  I have attended performances at the
> Globe, and am not concerned there as I've watched the P/Sers flash-away.
> But the RST and RNT are not at all "touristy."  Have any of you ever done
> this?  I'd appreciate your experience and advice.
>
> I have learned here that stage lighting is extremely varied, and of
> course, flash is not an option.   What high-speed color slide film would
> you recommend if I were to do this?  My traveling kit will consist of:
> 15:4.5, 28:2.8, 35:2, 50:2, 90:2.8, 135:4, and an M6 TTL 0.72.  The 15 and
> 28 might create an interesting perspective from the balcony of the Globe
> with its attendant groundlings, but what lenses would you suggest
> (realizing that this would be dependent upon my seating) that I use at any
> of these other theatres if I were to try this?
>
> Thank You
>
> Norman
> St. George Island,
> Deep within Beringia!
>
>
>
>