Photography Tips

[MikeFu84]

I am still a n00b when it comes to shooting pictures. I am trying to take pictures in a theater setting but they are coming out completely blurry.

Here is a video I took so you know the kind of lighting I am dealing with. Any tips or pointers would be appreciated.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/fJma2f9YQpY?hd=1

I have done a little research and have found that I should be using Aperture Priority mode with as low of a aperture as I can and I high ISO. I have a Rebel T1i so I can go as low as 4.5 aperture whith the default lens (only one I have right now) with a ISO of 3200. Now I haven't tried any pictures with these settings yet.

[crazzy88ss]

ha... uhh good luck man! Even my gear will struggle like hell in there! I've shot quite a few stage performances with different levels of gear, and it's rough.

Try getting a 50mm f1.8. That'll give you three stops more of light. Shooting performances is really dependent upon gear, and if you don't have the right gear, it won't work out.

Another thing, if you're desperate, is to check to see if they allow flash and pick up a flash. I think it's a 430ex is the entry level canon flash? Again, this requires getting more gear, but as I said above, shooting events like this requires you to have something more than just entry level.

[sask]

Yeah crazzy88ss is right. Normally better cameras don't really produce that much better of a photo but in this case they will. Basically you could:

- Up the ISO (again, most of the newer cameras look decent at higher iso's)

- Use an aperture of 1.8 (ie. buy a new lens like the 50mm f/1.8)

- Use a tripod (probably too cumbersome though)

- Buy a good flash

Even after doing all this, it could still be difficult or not produce results that you really wanted.

[dancedar]

Check your shutter speed - if it's more than roughly 1/(focal length) - ie for 80mm you need to be shooting *at least* 1/100th of a second - then you need either higher iso (which you're at the top of now) or a wider aperture. Something like 1.8 is awesome, but you're gonna have a lot of things not in focus due to the shallow depth of field.

[crazzy88ss]

tripod won't help cuz of the action.

[chconline Veteran]

Yeah, just buy a flash. It's one of the best things you can buy for a dSLR. Often overlooked, but fundamentally important.

[Argote]

Depending on where you are located and the size of the stage, a flash might not be powerful enough to illuminate your scene properly on a theater. A "faster" (wider aperture) lens is your best bet here.

[crazzy88ss]

If an external flash won't reach the stage, a 50mm f1.8 will be too wide of a lens.

[Argote]

That would depend on the kind of shot the OP wants to get.

OP: Can you post some of the blurry shots so wee can see what you had in mind?

[MikeFu84]

I posted some of the photo's that turned out and some videos on my site (http://www.fullarton.ca). After last weekend I know I really need to get some other lenses if I ever plan on taking photo's outside of outdoor or indoor settings with good light.

I know I will have some questions about lenses in the future, just not now because I can't afford any. But I will want a lens with better aperture and a good telephoto lens for taking pictures of wild life.

[crazzy88ss]

80-200 f2.8 or 70-200 f2.8. Canon makes like 400 versions of those two, and sigma has a few versions that are good too.