Bollywood comes to Silicon Valley

[aktse]

I attended (and shot) my first Bollywood theater production over the weekend staged by Project Pulse (http://www.opulse.com/), a bollywood dance start-up in the <st1:place w:st="on">Silicon Valley</st1:place>. They’re a mixture of professional dancers and volunteer dancers in the valley (mostly software developers and engineers) performing Indian/lyrical dancing/hip-hop/ dancing to Indian music. My friend danced in the production! However, I had a difficult time recognizing her with all of her stage makeup and costumes! Project Pulse stages one production a year and it benefits a charity in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> focused on education since the rate of the country is about 26% (so low)!
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I’ve spent some time looking over Rutt’s posts about Ballet and picked my seats to the side of the theater. Unfortunately, the seats were much closer than I anticipated (2^nd row) and my 135 mm f/2 was too long for wide compositions. I really wished that I had a second body with a 50mm or better yet, an 85mm. I know now why Rutt shoots with both the 135mm and 85mm.
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<o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p>C&C welcomed and appreciated.
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</o:p> The lighting was very challenging since it was very uneven (and really needed some work). Rutt stressed the importance of making the dancers look good on their terms. I don’t have a clue what looks good in Bollywood dancing, but I hope that I captured some of the energy and movement that makes Bollywood special.

Overall, I enjoyed my first Bollywood experience! It's quite unique. I am very thankful that they allowed me to shoot it from my seats!

[ShepsMom]

What fun!!! Wonderful shots, you did very well with lighting and i love how sharp most of the came out. Good work!:thumb

[JimW]

Good job for being there and doing it. Dance is very challenging to shoot. It's hard enough with freedom to move, let alone from your seat. I think you did well.

[aktse]

What fun!!! Wonderful shots, you did very well with lighting and i love how sharp most of the came out. Good work!:thumb

Thanks for looking. The sharpness is due to the lens! The 135mm f/2.0 is known to be extremely sharp and worth every penny. I still can't believe that it was my first lens that I ever bought! I thought I should be placed in the crazy house for buying it! :wink

If I had to do this shoot again, I want an 85mm on another body. Although wonderful, the 135mm isn't enough for some of the group dance numbers and it's too dark to easily change glass.

[aktse]

Good job for being there and doing it. Dance is very challenging to shoot. It's hard enough with freedom to move, let alone from your seat. I think you did well.

I agree that it's extremely challenging. I honestly don't know if it would be easily if given the freedom to move since I think I would miss things while trying to find a new position. However, I would have picked different seats!

And thanks for your compliment. I was studing the various dance posts, especially the ones by Rutt, before the event and am glad that the cramming paid off! :clap