Flamenco dance

[EGGP]

Hi

I'm hoping to be able to be able to have the opportunity to photograph a Flamenco dance performance. This will be in a proper theatre with lighting using a 70-200 f2.8 zoom.

I have seen shots of flamenco dancers where the train of the dress is movement blurred but the person is sharp.This type of shot appeals to me and I would like to include this in the shoot.

I'm a bit puzzled about what shutter speed to use, I will be using a monopod and the camera has built in stabilisation so I should be able to get a sharp photo at a reasonably slow shutter speed.

Has anyone any experience of shooting flemenco dancing ?suggestions about what shutter speed to use rather than just trial and error on the night would be gratefully received.

EGGP

 

[smilezoomclick]

hmmm, why are you using a monopod? personally i'd go handheld, so much easier to follow the action. you can take some tracking shots without, could look sexy as hell.

for me, a monopod is only useful if i'm in very low light with a static subject.

i'd just experiment with your speed, if you have time. once you're happy with a speed keep shooting...

 

[BruceMo]

hmmm, why are you using a monopod? personally i'd go handheld, so much easier to follow the action. you can take some tracking shots without, could look sexy as hell.

for me, a monopod is only useful if i'm in very low light with a static subject.

i'd just experiment with your speed, if you have time. once you're happy with a speed keep shooting...

I'd disagree with that. Monopod would be useful for the slower shutter speed to help camera stability, the 70-200 isn't the lightest of lenses either

 

[smilezoomclick]

that's sorted then - take the monopod and use it for some of the shots, then report back!

 

[BruceMo]

that's sorted then - take the monopod and use it for some of the shots, then report back!

 

[stevewestern]

Hi

I'm hoping to be able to be able to have the opportunity to photograph a Flamenco dance performance. This will be in a proper theatre with lighting using a 70-200 f2.8 zoom.

I have seen shots of flamenco dancers where the train of the dress is movement blurred but the person is sharp.This type of shot appeals to me and I would like to include this in the shoot.

I'm a bit puzzled about what shutter speed to use, I will be using a monopod and the camera has built in stabilisation so I should be able to get a sharp photo at a reasonably slow shutter speed.

Has anyone any experience of shooting flemenco dancing ?suggestions about what shutter speed to use rather than just trial and error on the night would be gratefully received.

EGGP

Shots showing the train blurred while the person is sharp implies that the person was moving slowly or maybe had just stopped while the dress had yet to stop - a fairly slow shutter speed of say 1/60th or 1/30th might have been used at a guess.
You need to remember that stabilization will NOT stop subject movement, just camera shake - trial and error really is the only way so use the first part of the show to work things out. Raise the ISO, work out what sort of shutter speed will work and adjust the aperture to suit would be my suggestion. Then take loads of shots, as it is a bit hit and miss - Good luck !