Boston Ballet Nutcracker III (Act II reshoot)

ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
edited November 29, 2005 in People
By an unprecidented act of rudness to family and friends, I made it to the final dress rehersal in time to reshoot the second act. This time I knew better than to try to shoot from the balcony and I knew what lens to use and where to be.

Hooray! I got some better shots of the Spanish dancers:

46024538-L.jpg

The sugarplum fairies:

46130389-L.jpg

46130430-L.jpg

The Cossacks:

46130539-L.jpg

Best of all (for me) a few passable shots of the Arabian dance...

46048143-L.jpg

46024854-L.jpg

...though I still don't think I've managed to convey just how sensuous a dancer she is.

Lastly, I got quite a few of the children and the woman with the big dress. I'm thinking I can sell some of these to the parents:

46131400-L.jpg

46130522-L.jpg
If not now, when?

Comments

  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    These are really good! Thanks for sharing.

    Sam
    www.samlinvillephotography.com
  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    NOW I'm in the holiday spirit! clap.gif


    Very interesting and terrific shots.
  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited November 27, 2005
    How'd you get her to just hang out there like that?

    46130389-S.jpg

    Excellent set, Rutt! But this one is definitely my favorite. She has room to move on the left and is just frozen there. Awesome!
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]

  • madiggmadigg Registered Users Posts: 123 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    Wow
  • ScottMcLeodScottMcLeod Registered Users Posts: 753 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    Lenses and EXIF?

    I swear, if I get any more green with envy, I'm gonna turn into the incredible hulk!

    Beautiful shots. I'll be posting mine from the show I just finished in a bit.
    - Scott
    http://framebyframe.ca
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  • MattGoinsMattGoins Registered Users Posts: 44 Big grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    rutt wrote:

    46130389-L.jpg
    Fabulous shots.
  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    The pictures you have taken of the Nutcracker are really, really amazing. This most recent set really shows how thoughtful analysis and persistence pays off. What an inspiration for the rest of us! Now, tell us why taking the photos this time was rude to family and friends? Did you miss Thanksgiving dinner? Did you block their view? Just wondering.

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

    Email
  • ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    Wonderful photos, Rutt, Wonderful! Certainly worth a momentary lapse in "normal" good manners. Smile.

    Really nice!

    ginger
    After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.
  • ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    That lady in the big dress...............she is something "ginger".

    g
    After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.
  • John MuellerJohn Mueller Registered Users Posts: 2,555 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    DoctorIt wrote:
    How'd you get her to just hang out there like that?

    46130389-S.jpg

    Excellent set, Rutt! But this one is definitely my favorite. She has room to move on the left and is just frozen there. Awesome!
    15524779-Ti.gif
    Excellent Ruttthumb.gif
    My Smuggy

    Cincinnati Smug Leader
  • flyingdutchieflyingdutchie Registered Users Posts: 1,286 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    My favorite are the 'The sugarplum fairies'. Beautiful shot!thumb.gifthumb.gif

    But my compliments are not for free :D , i need some info from you:
    What setup did you use? (lens/camera-settings)
    How was the lighting in the theater?

    -- Anton.
    I can't grasp the notion of time.

    When I hear the earth will melt into the sun,
    in two billion years,
    all I can think is:
        "Will that be on a Monday?"
    ==========================
    http://www.streetsofboston.com
    http://blog.antonspaans.com
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    DoctorIt wrote:
    How'd you get her to just hang out there like that?

    Thanks, but of course, she did the actual hard part. Can you imagine the lifetime of discipline that must take?

    I just figured out to use AP and open up that 85 f/1.2 all the way. And stay down in the orchestra.
    If not now, when?
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    ScottMcLeod wrote:
    Lenses and EXIF?

    I swear, if I get any more green with envy, I'm gonna turn into the incredible hulk!

    Beautiful shots. I'll be posting mine from the show I just finished in a bit.

    Thanks so much. 5D with 85mm f/1.2mm. ISO 1600. The magic trick was AP to oopen the lens all the way with safety overide so it would stop down a little if it had to. The light was mostly pretty dim, but also variable.
    If not now, when?
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    flyingdutchie wrote:
    My favorite are the 'The sugarplum fairies'. Beautiful shot!thumb.gifthumb.gif

    But my compliments are not for free :D , i need some info from you:
    What setup did you use? (lens/camera-settings)
    How was the lighting in the theater?

    -- Anton.

    Look here for exif. Thaks very much. I fought the lighting all the way, especially for the Arabian dance, my favorte, but dim blue light. Each second act vignette had very different lighting. All I can say is that it's a good thing I'm a darkroom rat.
    If not now, when?
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    ginger_55 wrote:
    That lady in the big dress...............she is something "ginger".

    g

    Thanks, Ginger. Yes, "Mother Ginger".
    If not now, when?
  • ginger_55ginger_55 Registered Users Posts: 8,416 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    AP ???

    g
    After all is said and done, it is the sweet tea.
  • MitchellMitchell Registered Users Posts: 3,503 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    Beautiful shots. Thanks for sharing.

    How did you gain access to the dress rehearsals?
    Mitch
    http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    ginger_55 wrote:
    AP ???

    g

    Aperture priority. Set the dial to "AV"
    If not now, when?
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    Mitchell wrote:
    Beautiful shots. Thanks for sharing.

    How did you gain access to the dress rehearsals?

    Thanks. That's the best question anyone asked. My wife is a dancer; not pro, but lifelong and devoted. And she is a huge Boston Ballet fan. So she takes class at their school and goes every chance she gets and generally networks with the people there. So, I just had to realize that all I had to do was ask.

    I'm hoping they are going to like the shots.
    If not now, when?
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited November 27, 2005
    Magnificent images John. Really lovely, and I know you will explain your post processing later.

    I do have one suggestion that might be of interest. The dancer is lovely

    46048143-M.jpg

    Do you have the rest of her reflection on the stage floor, perhap?? It would make for nice balance in the image. :):
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2005
    pathfinder wrote:
    Magnificent images John. Really lovely, and I know you will explain your post processing later.

    Thanks very much.

    The post processing was pretty much out of the LAB book, just the sort of stuff we've been kicking around in the reading group: get rid of the cast as early as possible, make the best possible B&W version to use as a luminosity blending layer, bring out the color and contrast with MFMs curves, custom LAB curves, or overlay blends, sharpen (conventional and HIRALAM) maybe a trip to CMYK to clean up the blacks. Should be starting to sound pretty familiar by now.
    pathfinder wrote:
    I do have one suggestion that might be of interest. The dancer is lovely

    46048143-S.jpg

    Do you have the rest of her reflection on the stage floor, perhap?? It would make for nice balance in the image. :):

    Thanks for the suggestion. But unfortunately I didn't miss that trick, though I did crop this one. Here is the relevant page of the proof sheet: http://rutt.smugmug.com/gallery/994448/3/45966837 Fixing this takes a kind of post processing mastery I don't have at all.
    If not now, when?
  • erich6erich6 Registered Users Posts: 1,638 Major grins
    edited November 28, 2005
    Awesome shots Rutt! These look like they were tough to take. You did a nice job with the compositions and exposure.

    Erich
  • gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited November 28, 2005
    Totally amazing rutt !!

    How in gods name were you allowed to do it...they would haul you out the back & shoot you for that here...well ..talk to you very sternly & throw you out anyway (we have a lot of rules here)

    Gus
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited November 28, 2005
    Humungus wrote:
    Totally amazing rutt !!

    How in gods name were you allowed to do it...they would haul you out the back & shoot you for that here...well ..talk to you very sternly & throw you out anyway (we have a lot of rules here)

    Gus

    I asked permission ahead of time. My wife is a lifelong (nonprofessional) ballet dancer, takes class at the Boston Ballet school, knows the dancers, artistic director, many others. There were professionals shooting at both rehersals.

    Thanks, Gus!
    If not now, when?
  • illuminati919illuminati919 Registered Users Posts: 713 Major grins
    edited November 28, 2005
    Number two is by far my favorite, the expression and the form are amazing

    That would be lots of fun to take photos of. Maybe I will buy some tickets and have some buddies come along with me......... haha yeah right like they would ever go. Great photos !!!!
    ~~~www.markoknezevic.com~~~

    Setup: One camera, one lens, and one roll of film.
  • erich6erich6 Registered Users Posts: 1,638 Major grins
    edited November 28, 2005
    rutt wrote:
    I asked permission ahead of time. My wife is a lifelong (nonprofessional) ballet dancer, takes class at the Boston Ballet school, knows the dancers, artistic director, many others. There were professionals shooting at both rehersals.

    Thanks, Gus!
    I was wondering about that.... I guess it pays to have the inside ticket eh?:):
  • Murphy66Murphy66 Registered Users Posts: 165 Major grins
    edited November 28, 2005
    Congrats, that is some excellent pro shooting.

    I'm very envious of your lens (and camera).

    Someday I'll really fast glass and get shots like that!
    www.MarcottePhotography.com is my portfolio and www.StudioMarcotte.com is my blog.
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited November 28, 2005
    Want to see something really cool?

    My friend on FM did this:

    46024538lcrop4eq.jpg

    Actually, it's a crop. The full image is: http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/8007/46024538l3df.jpg

    See his thread here: http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/317004
    If not now, when?
  • wholenewlightwholenewlight Registered Users Posts: 1,529 Major grins
    edited November 29, 2005
    and I thought I was pretty good at theater shots . . .:cry


    Yours are dazzling. Really great. So good, I can hear the music . . .
    john w
    http://cspics.smugmug.com/

    I knew, of course, that trees and plants had roots, stems, bark, branches and foliage that reached up toward the light. But I was coming to realize that the real magician was light itself.
    Edward Steichen

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