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Posts Tagged ‘performances’

Moving Performances: 50 Outdoor Mini-Plays Staged for Passing Trains

13 Sep

[ By WebUrbanist in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

Turning the local landscape into an outdoor theater set, hundreds of volunteers in Germany’s Saale Valley staged a series of live performances for the viewing pleasure of train passengers zipping by.

Spanning nearly 20 miles, the Bewegtes Land (or “Moving Land”) project featured a series of fast-moving vignette pieces designed to entertain and amuse, featuring things like a surprise (fake) lake shark and scampering.

Organized by media artists and Bauhaus professors Jörn Hintzer and Jacob Hüfner, the idea was to grab attention for just a few moments at a time (much like we are used to in today’s digital world). The action goes fast indeed, often unfolding in seconds.

Across the rural area in which the performances played out, over 400 residents volunteered their time to take part, turning the enterprise into a community-building experience. It was also a nice way to put the place on the map.

“For one thing, it’s a great weekend, but also people get to notice the beauty of the countryside,” a local mayor reported. “This is not a typical tourist area so maybe this will attract more people.”

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[ By WebUrbanist in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

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Lighting 103: How Designers Gel Live Performances

09 Sep

Abstract: A dynamic, 3-D scene and hundreds of sources—a talk with a theatrical lighting designer


Photo ©Lucas Krech

Today in Lighting 103, a little side trip. Fair warning: we are taking a bit of a deep dive. For some of you this will make your eyes glaze over. But for others, it'll be a very cool look into the way live performance lighting designers think with respect to color.

No worries; we'll be back in the center of the bell curve in the next installment.

A Chat with Lucas Krech

New York-based Lucas Krech is a lighting designer who works with operas, dances, plays and performance pieces. He is also is a photographer, which is how we originally intersected via Twitter.

A ways back, I wrote to him to find out a little more about how people approach the process of lighting live performances. What I got back was basically a firehose/brain dump that gave me a fascinating look into how he thinks. Read more »
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Street Re-View: Hacking Google with Theatrical Performances

16 Apr

[ By Steph in Art & Photography & Video. ]

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Mons, Belgium might just be the most interesting and artistic-looking city on the entirety of Google Street View, full of seemingly spontaneous dramatic scenes like chaotic clouds of floating white feathers, painters turning sidewalk crossings neon pink, and basketballs falling out of trees like fruit. The theatrical performances are timed to coincide with the arrival of Google’s camera-equipped van when it comes along to map out the area.

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Mons Street Review, spearheaded by artists Ludovic Nobileau and Antonia Taddei, is an initiative put on by the city as part of its agenda as a European culture capital. The scenes are curated by citizens, who transform the streets into urban theater sets and pose as the camera passes.

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The artists encouraged people to come up with their own ideas, create their own roles and costumes, and arrange props however they like. About 900 people participated on 42 streets, essentially hijacking Google’s service to promote themselves and their city.

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The aim is to present Mons the way the people see it, as a living place of culture and history rather than a series of static street view images. Says Nobileau, “It should be up to people, rather than Google, to represent cities.”

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A Guide to Photographing Dance Performances in a Theatre

09 Apr

DSC4090

One of the biggest challenges as photographer is shooting inside a theatre, simply because the only thing that you can control is the camera. You may be faced with very dim lighting conditions, dancers moving around at great speed, different lighting settings during the show, no use of flash, and your movement in the theatre during the show may be limited.

I am writing this guide based on an assignment you have with the organizer, as photographer of the event. Some of the points might not be relevant or accessible for you if you are attending a performance as a member of the public.

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Preparation for the shoot

Know the ground

A protocol for all professional photographers is to understand the grounds and what to expect. This can be done through an early visit (if allowed), or a search online for other’s work in the same location, to understand the layout and surroundings.

Request to attend a rehearsal prior to the performance (usual this is done free of charge) if possible, but to me this is mandatory if the opportunity exist. This not only gives you a chance to enter the theatre but also to understand what is to be performed and its sequence. You can then be better prepared to know the photos you will wish to take, and at which location you’ll need to be so you’ll be ready for the shot. Take this opportunity to talk to the organizer on which seats you will be allocated or which seat you prefer. I will cover location of seat for shooting in the technique part later.

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Settings: f/2.8, 1/125th, ISO 1600

Choosing your seat (if you have a choice)

I am very particular in my location of shoot as it reflect the quality if work I will produce from the assignment.
Most theatres can accommodate hundreds, to thousands of spectators at various elevations. My personal recommendation is to locate yourself on the ground level, a few rows behind the front, right in the middle. Below are some explanations of some problem you may encounter at different locations.

Up in the balcony

Cons: Too far from the stage, shooting angle not directly perpendicular to the dancers.

First row seats

Cons: Too near to the stage.

Side Seat

Cons: shooting angle not directly perpendicular to the dancers, too many distractions in photos (sometimes you can see dancers at the side before entry to the stage.

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Ideal seat

On the ground level, a few rows behind the front, right in the middle is the ideal seat. Personally if I can only sit at one location throughout the show, I will prefer this seat as it provide me a comfortable direction to the stage and most of my shots will be facing the dancers.

Type of Equipment needed

With the above, you can know decide what equipment you need for the shoot.

Flash Gun

As most performances prohibit use of flash during show, you can omit having one on your camera during the performance but do still carry one with you (I use it for group photo at the end of the show). The use of LED light is good as well for after the show shots.

Camera

In such challenging conditions, a camera with capability to handle high ISO settings without producing too much noise is preferred. I usually have my Canon 5D Mark II, and also my Sony 7R for such assignments.

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Lenses

The most important piece of equipment you need after understanding the grounds and location is the right lens. A zoom lens is mandatory for me to enable me to reach out to the stage and get close-ups of the dancers. Lenses with large apertures are preferred in such low light conditions. I will touch on that more at the later section on why. I usually have my 70-200mm f/2.8 on my Canon, and the 16-35mm f/2.8 on my Sony 7R for wide-angle shooting.

Tripod/Monopod

This is a interesting topic as most theatres prohibit you from setting up a tripod, subject to organizer approval. If you are given a seat for shooting, a tripod will be difficult to manage with limited legroom space. I always use a monopod for such assignments in order to conserve energy.

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Camera settings: f/2.8, 1/30th, ISO 1000

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Camera settings: f/3.2, 1/500th, ISO 2500

Know your gear inside out

I am often on site photographing events and someone will come and ask for help as they can’t tune back to certain setting or something is not functioning correctly on their camera.

Shooting in a theatre is like sports photography. If you missed a moment it will be gone, and you will not have a second chance. Always be ready, and anticipate what is coming up. Study your camera inside out for all the functions that you wish to use and manipulate during the shoot. Know all the commonly used functions like setting ISO, aperture, shutter speed, etc. I usually use AV (Aperture priority) and control the ISO if I need more shutter speed.
On ISO, every camera has its own capability to handle ISO and minimize noise. Know the limit of your camera, like my 5D MarkII, I will not push it to more than 5000 ISO.

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Camera settings: f/2.8, 1/200th, ISO 800

Techniques to adopt

Basic technique for shooting such scenes is to select the right ISO for the shot with the right shutter speed, depending on the movement speed of the dancer. Things moves very fast in a performance and you have to make your camera adapt to what is happening on the stage, so you capture what you need.

A common trick I use something is to pre-focus on an stationary object on the stage prior to the dancers coming into position. This only works if you attend the rehearsal and know the staging of the show.

Lastly always shoot RAW for such events so that back at your desk the white balance can still be adjusted. Color balance can be off due to some lighting differences during the show.

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Camera settings: f/4, 1/250th, ISO 1600

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Camera settings: f/2.8, 1/320th, ISO 1600

Photos taken during Enana Production and Academy performances.

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The post A Guide to Photographing Dance Performances in a Theatre by Ray Toh appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Kris Verdonck – EXHIBITION #1 – Warehouse of machinery, used in performances / installations (1995 – present)

22 Dec

Check out these visual art images:

Kris Verdonck – EXHIBITION #1 – Warehouse of machinery, used in performances / installations (1995 – present)
visual art
Image by Z33 art centre, Hasselt
These appliances and objects are normally situated behind the scenes of a performance or show. The machines often look like medieval instruments (of torture). At the same time, they are often high-technological objects, that fulfil complex functions. They form a large contrast with the extreme esthetical images that they produce.

The overview of machines by Kris Verdonck addresses the field of tension between man and machine in today’s society. What relationship can/must/do people want to enter into with technology? How difficult is the balancing act between human control and submission to machines?

credits:
Kris Verdonck – EXHIBITION #1 – Warehouse of machinery, used in performances / installations (1995 – present)
photo: Kristof Vrancken / Z33

Kris Verdonck – EXHIBITION #1 – Warehouse of machinery, used in performances / installations (1995 – present)
visual art
Image by Z33 art centre, Hasselt
These appliances and objects are normally situated behind the scenes of a performance or show. The machines often look like medieval instruments (of torture). At the same time, they are often high-technological objects, that fulfil complex functions. They form a large contrast with the extreme esthetical images that they produce.

The overview of machines by Kris Verdonck addresses the field of tension between man and machine in today’s society. What relationship can/must/do people want to enter into with technology? How difficult is the balancing act between human control and submission to machines?

credits:
Kris Verdonck – EXHIBITION #1 – Warehouse of machinery, used in performances / installations (1995 – present)
photo: Kristof Vrancken / Z33

Kris Verdonck – EXHIBITION #1 – Warehouse of machinery, used in performances / installations (1995 – present)
visual art
Image by Z33 art centre, Hasselt
These appliances and objects are normally situated behind the scenes of a performance or show. The machines often look like medieval instruments (of torture). At the same time, they are often high-technological objects, that fulfil complex functions. They form a large contrast with the extreme esthetical images that they produce.

The overview of machines by Kris Verdonck addresses the field of tension between man and machine in today’s society. What relationship can/must/do people want to enter into with technology? How difficult is the balancing act between human control and submission to machines?

credits:
Kris Verdonck – EXHIBITION #1 – Warehouse of machinery, used in performances / installations (1995 – present)
photo: Kristof Vrancken / Z33

 
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Kris Verdonck – EXHIBITION #1 – Warehouse of machinery, used in performances / installations (1995 – present)

11 Nov

Check out these visual art images:

Kris Verdonck – EXHIBITION #1 – Warehouse of machinery, used in performances / installations (1995 – present)
visual art
Image by Z33 art centre, Hasselt
These appliances and objects are normally situated behind the scenes of a performance or show. The machines often look like medieval instruments (of torture). At the same time, they are often high-technological objects, that fulfil complex functions. They form a large contrast with the extreme esthetical images that they produce.

The overview of machines by Kris Verdonck addresses the field of tension between man and machine in today’s society. What relationship can/must/do people want to enter into with technology? How difficult is the balancing act between human control and submission to machines?

credits:
Kris Verdonck – EXHIBITION #1 – Warehouse of machinery, used in performances / installations (1995 – present)
photo: Kristof Vrancken / Z33

Kris Verdonck – EXHIBITION #1 – Warehouse of machinery, used in performances / installations (1995 – present)
visual art
Image by Z33 art centre, Hasselt
These appliances and objects are normally situated behind the scenes of a performance or show. The machines often look like medieval instruments (of torture). At the same time, they are often high-technological objects, that fulfil complex functions. They form a large contrast with the extreme esthetical images that they produce.

The overview of machines by Kris Verdonck addresses the field of tension between man and machine in today’s society. What relationship can/must/do people want to enter into with technology? How difficult is the balancing act between human control and submission to machines?

credits:
Kris Verdonck – EXHIBITION #1 – Warehouse of machinery, used in performances / installations (1995 – present)
photo: Kristof Vrancken / Z33

Kris Verdonck – EXHIBITION #1 – GOSSIP
visual art
Image by Z33 art centre, Hasselt
The garden installation EXOTE shapes a spatial environment for the characters of Kris Verdonck’s Kafka-esque world. This end-of-the-world landscape houses a selection of the most invasive alien species (plants and animals) in Belgium, which constitute a genuine threat to biodiversity, the economy and public health. Due to man’s interference, the species have been brought out of their natural environment and now form a threat for other, native species. EXOTE stands as a metaphor for a world in which man is increasingly forced to protect himself from an environment that he himself has created.

As certain non-native species in the installation present a potential threat to biodiversity in Hasselt and the surrounding areas, visitors need to be aware that even the smallest seed or animal cannot be allowed to escape. The evolution of the garden, the protective clothing and the safety provisions involved in the installation form an essential and necessary part of the artwork.

Opening night 30.04.2011

credits:
EXOTE (2011), by Kris Verdonck
Produced for the exhibition Kris Verdonck – EXHIBITION at #1
photo: Kristof Vrancken / Z33

 
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