What DSLR Nikon settings are best to use for a concert/production?
I have a Nikon D3000 DSLR and have been asked to do some photos for a school production. I'm not allowed to use flash photography and this is my first time taking photos for an event like this so I was wondering if someone could help me out with the settings to use.
By the time you buy a fully adjustable camera like the fine D3000, you should be willing to use the cameras light meter to control exposure.
First things first:
* get a good reading of the light on the stage
* set your ISO to 3200, so that the shutter speed is high enough to prevent blur due to camera or subject movement
* set the white balance to incandescent
* take meter readings at various spots on the stage to find the areas with the most light (make a map of those areas that you can refer to when shooting the production.
* once you have the correct lens aperture and shutter speed, keep the camera in the manual mode so that all your images exposures are consistent.
* shoot in RAW and process the images all at once using Lightroom.
* make arrangements to shoot the dress rehearsal, so you know what to expect during the actual performance and have some backup images.
* Use a fast lens like the Nikkor 24-70 mm f/2.8. I'm sure you do not have one, but the school can rent one for you
I think it is not possible to give you settings for a particular venue without seeing it in person. What I would suggest is that you quickly learn about light settings and see how they work. It is not too complicated. Once you understand what light settings and shutter speeds are all about, you can then experiment a little bit before doing the actual shoot.
You will need to get a tripod or mono-pod so that you reduce camera shake. This will be necessary since your aperture will be open longer if you are not using a flash.
If you search for, how to shoot digital photos manually, or how to use manual settings, you should get some good results.
There are also some good tips on this blog
http://www.alocstudios.com/apps/blog/show/24179532-the-photography-guide-for-beginners