Balanchine's Serenade at Boston Ballet

rutt

Here are a few shots from the dress rehearsal (Wednesday night) of Boston Ballet's performance of Balanchine's Serenade. This is one of the most beautiful and romantic ballets of all time and the production running for the next couple of weeks (with Carmen) is right on the mark. I have tons more shots. I'm still working on the Carmen shots as the light was very difficult. I'll post as I have them.

Except as noted, all are Canon 5D / 135mm f/2.0 @ 1600 ISO


Tai Jimenez
1/500th


Melanie Atkins, Tai Jimenez, Company Dancers
1/400th


Melanie Atkins, Tai Jimenez, Company Dancers
1/400th


Lorna Fiejoo
1/640 @ f2.2

Awais Yaqub

wow excellent captures and what a performance !

i read some where a tutorial to add motion blur in legs with photoshop they used same subject

System

very nice!-

especially considering the way the temp usually comes out on this type of photo-

you've probably mentioned it, but do you have someone that's in the ballet or works on the set or are you their photographer?--

george

HeldDown

I feel bad for any girl having to dance a Balanchine piece.

You know, working for the Washington Ballet, you'd think I'd get sick of it, but -- nice shots

mereimage

Beautiful shots of beautiful and talented dancers......................Mereimage

DanielB

i love your ballet images rutt, but #2 is outstanding

wxwax

Beautiful, John. What a terrific project. I especially like the pattern in the second shot. You've really mastered the lighting, I see. How's the autofocus performing on the 5D?

winger

rutt wrote:

I love this shot.
I love the way the dancers are staggered like that.

rutt

Thanks, everyone. This ballet is beautifully lit (as are all Boston Ballet performances, but this was also pretty bright.) Balanchine did a lot of the composition work for me when he choreographed. The dancers devote their lives to realizing these works on stage, accepting very short and low paying careers out of love of ballet. I've put in some time on this project this year, but there is no comparison. I'm just a fan and a newly converted one at that. If I can manage to convey a little of what is actually presented it's great. Really, with ballet at this level, the job is just not to lose the beauty before you.

rutt

wxwax wrote:

Beautiful, John. What a terrific project. I especially like the pattern in the second shot. You've really mastered the lighting, I see. How's the autofocus performing on the 5D?

Thanks, Sid. 5D autofocus and exposure is really no match for 1 series, but that really just means you have to do more work yourself, manual exposure and AE Locking. More focus recompose. I've gotten the hang of it OK. My 1DMKII just doesn't shoot clean enough in this low light, sadly.

System

rutt wrote:

Thanks, everyone. This ballet is beautifully lit (as are all Boston Ballet performances, but this was also pretty bright.) Balanchine did a lot of the composition work for me when he choreographed. The dancers devote their lives to realizing these works on stage, accepting very short and low paying careers out of love of ballet. I've put in some time on this project this year, but there is no comparison. I'm just a fan and a newly converted one at that. If I can manage to convey a little of what is actually presented it's great. Really, with ballet at this level, the job is just not to lose the beauty before you.

I have to believe that you're doing a fantastic job of passing on that beauty-

btw, the symmetry that the dancers have obtained in pic 3 is unbelievable!-

george

wxwax

rutt wrote:

Thanks, Sid. 5D autofocus and exposure is really no match for 1 series, but that really just means you have to do more work yourself, manual exposure and AE Locking. More focus recompose. I've gotten the hang of it OK. My 1DMKII just doesn't shoot clean enough in this low light, sadly.

Thanks John. I'd been wondering. The camera makes great files. But even in studio lighting I had trouble with the autofocus. You've done a terrific job.

leebase

Fantastic!

Lee