DSLRUsers.com

These are from a recent promotional shoot for a burlesque dance troupe in Adelaide. I get to shoot their show tonight.

Critique welcome.

Number 3, top notch. Timeless!

I totally agree with Raskill. This shot (including the lighting) is so 40’s, well done.

They are all nice photos, but like the others I think 3 is the best.

I'm with them; b&w adds to the 'atmosphere too.

Some shots from their show last night

Kevin,

So it was Japanese tea with milk? Certainly puts a new slant on the term "jug of milk".

The first of the latter most set is very good, with the audience in the background.

Well done.

#3, for it's old school look, is the winner here. Top shot.

I also like the model's pose in the 3rd - Funny tea bagging shot too

Kevin your promo shots are great, tremendous retro feel to them

I should get out more.

Haha i agree, I should get out more too, where can we go to watch these shows?

Just curious also Kevin, what were you using to shoot those photos? I'm guessing flash photography was not allowed? And the angle of the shadows look like they come from a spotlight rather than flash. I'm interested in low-light photography of people and would love to learn anything I can!

gummi wrote: what were you using to shoot those photos? I'm guessing flash photography was not allowed? And the angle of the shadows look like they come from a spotlight rather than flash. I'm interested in low-light photography of people and would love to learn anything I can!

Hi Gummi,

welcome to the forum!! I am not sure what Kevin has used here, but I know I would be cranking the ISO up on my D300 (about 1600 i think) and then using my 70-200VR and my 24-70 f/2.8 to capture stuff like this. Depending on what your needs and desires are, a fast prime like a 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4 would be a good place to start playing with low light photography with

Hi Cameron,

Thanks for the welcome and your tips. I've poked around this forum and really like what I've seen!

I do already own a coupla f2.8 zooms, I'm saving up for the Nikon 85mm f1.4 however as it will let me take photography in a direction I'd like to try. Do own the 50mm f1.8 as well which is what got me appreciating natural lighting and the associated benefits of larger apertures etc.

I've found that ISO 1600 is noisier than I'd like - shooting in raw helps alot but i like jpeg most of the time because Im a little lazy with post processing and find I don't need raw. But for those "critical" events/moments i guess its worth doing because Im finally learning photography is more than just snapping a few photos with an awesome camera and expecting great shots out of them.

I know what you mean by noisy 1600, if I could I would shoot at 200 and nothing else, but you do what you must and my work with Alley Cabaret has seen me needing those higher iso's.

here is a link to some of the photos from my D300 and S5 Pro taken at an Alley Cabaret event.
http://www.scout-images.com/?p=754

Wow excellent work! I couldn't tell it was iso1600 just by looking at the pictures at all. Yr right, we'll simply do what we have to do to get the shot we want. Would be nice to try some of those f0.95 lenses!

gummi wrote:Haha i agree, I should get out more too, where can we go to watch these shows?

Just curious also Kevin, what were you using to shoot those photos? I'm guessing flash photography was not allowed? And the angle of the shadows look like they come from a spotlight rather than flash. I'm interested in low-light photography of people and would love to learn anything I can!

The show shots were all shot with a D300 & 70-200 2.8. Mostly shot in manual 1/125s @ f4 ISO800. Then I had 2 SB-600 speedlights running remotely taped to the ceiling of the venue. I started shooting in TTL but it is very inconsistent with moving performers so I switched both speedlights to manual and got much better results.

The venue was too dark (1/15s @ f2.8 ISO3200) not to use flash. Too dark to focus properly as well. I was initially told no flash, but they relented when I said that meant no pics at all.

darklightphotography wrote:The show shots were all shot with a D300 & 70-200 2.8. Mostly shot in manual 1/125s @ f4 ISO800. Then I had 2 SB-600 speedlights running remotely taped to the ceiling of the venue. I started shooting in TTL but it is very inconsistent with moving performers so I switched both speedlights to manual and got much better results.

The venue was too dark (1/15s @ f2.8 ISO3200) not to use flash. Too dark to focus properly as well. I was initially told no flash, but they relented when I said that meant no pics at all.

Wow, that is very low light, I may have to argue for flash the next time I do stuff for Alley Cabaret. I really dont like the shutter speed that I was forced to use.

darklightphotography wrote:The show shots were all shot with a D300 & 70-200 2.8. Mostly shot in manual 1/125s @ f4 ISO800. Then I had 2 SB-600 speedlights running remotely taped to the ceiling of the venue. I started shooting in TTL but it is very inconsistent with moving performers so I switched both speedlights to manual and got much better results.

The venue was too dark (1/15s @ f2.8 ISO3200) not to use flash. Too dark to focus properly as well. I was initially told no flash, but they relented when I said that meant no pics at all.

I'm starting to appreciate some the things you have to through to get the shot - I mean, taping the flashes to the ceiling I wouldn't have thought of that. It's so doable. Thanks for the info Kevin, hopefully you'll never have to go to the extreme of putting on a dress and being part of the act just to be able to get a close up!! Your pictures make me want to run out start flashing random strangers! I might even use my camera!

aim54x wrote:Wow, that is very low light, I may have to argue for flash the next time I do stuff for Alley Cabaret. I really dont like the shutter speed that I was forced to use.

I guess if you're the official photographer you've got a bit of clout in deciding how you shoot. It's a reasonable condition so the venue shouldn't complain. And go the D300's!