Shelton Performing Arts Center

I was given the theater for the entire month of May.  I felt like I got to know a lot of the high school students.  I learned a lot about metering and I got to crawl around back stage.  Here are a few photos from different theater jobs.

Busy, busy May

I was given a lot of theater jobs in advance so I decided now was the time to strike and get the 70-200mm f2.8 lens that I've been wanting for a couple of years.   I've been given excellent access to the theater and I'm having a good time.

I have six color pictures in this week's paper including the front page.

Piano prodigy Umi Garrett plays piano at the Shelton Performing Arts Center on May 13th

Eatonville resident David Wuller plays his fiddle with a group of friends on Saturday at Bluegrass in The Forest
held at Shelton High School on May 16th

Some spot news

I had never photographed in a theater before this month so this month has been a learning experience for me.  I learned that I need to use spot metering in the theater.  I used shutter priority set to 1/125 and ISO 800.  Then I had to wait until the meter in my viewfinder read a f stop rather than flashing "LO" at me.  I never really paid much attention to that meter before.  I tried to get the highest F stop I could get for each shot.  I went to rehearsal for both the musical and the piano performance so I could figure out the lighting in advance.

I really like my new medium angle zoom lens, it focuses fast and accurately and it's 2.8.  It outshines my wide angle Sigma 2.8 lens due to its accurate focus.  In comparison the Sigma struggles a bit with focus.  Image stabilization on the Sigma still makes it a better lens for me then the Nikkor wide angle zoom.

Getting Busy

From Left Melissa and Frank Dare watch the concert as golden light from the stained glass window above the pulpit shines down onto them at  “Awaken Thy Spirit” a spring concert event held at St Edward Catholic Church in Shelton on Sunday May 3^rd.

For reasons I can't disclose, May is going to be a really busy month for me and most of it will be spent in a dark theater  May will be busy enough that I decided it was the time to strike and buy that lens I've been dreaming of.   Maybe I'll need a tax write off after this month.

Yes I bought the 70-200 f/2.8 with VR.  I saved a bundle by getting the older VR rather than the VRII. When I need to focus on things that are 5 feet way I'll just use my other fast lens, my Sigma 17-18 mm f 2.8 with VR.

This week I photographed two concerts so my images are somewhat similar, but the lighting was very different.  The first concert was in a elementary school gym with horrible lighting.  The second was in a large church that was a bit dim, but still had all kinds of interesting lighting.

I was really happy with my church pictures but they were not given much room when they were printed. 

Cassie Reinbolt volunteers to play her harp for a photographer before the concert “Awaken Thy Spirit” a spring concert event held at St Edward Catholic Church in Shelton on Sunday May 3^rd.

Artistic director Elizabeth Berndt of the Harstine Island Community Choir conducts while mass is performed by Anna’s Bay Chorale, Harstine Island Community Choir and Kitsap Community Chorale “Awaken Thy Spirit” a spring concert event held at St Edward Catholic Church in Shelton on Sunday May 3^rd.

Music teacher  Bradley McNeill, plays the keyboard and conducts while children sing and parents watch at the Second Grade Spring Concert held at Bordeaux Elementary School in Shelton on Thursday April 30^th