"it was electric... so frightfully hectic"

Recently experienced an interesting 'spectacle'. A Dance competition!

Several things that struck me were that this kind of event even existed, that it was actually a competition between 4 dance studios owned by the same company, that folks could get so into the whole competition idea in the first place.

Photographically I new I didn't have a hope in hell of subtle or nice lighting, so I resorted to my one of my favourite techniques in this kind of situation, 'Flash & Blur'. It can be a bit hit and miss, especially over longer distances, but when it works it works well.

Tech specs, f4.3 0.5 sec 400 ISO, flash set to -2. According to my EXIF data in Photoshop.

Here is the EXIF data pulled from the file using Graphic converter.

• Image title:
• Make:-NIKON
• Model:E5400
• Orientation of image:1
• X resolution:300.0 ppi (pixel per inch)
• Y resolution:300.0 ppi (pixel per inch)
• Resolution unit:inch
• Software:E5400v1.4
• File date and time:2006:06:24 20:40:51
• Y and C positioning:co-sited
• -- Exif IFD --:
• Exposure time:1/2 s
• F number: 4.3
• Exposure program:Normal program
• ISO speed rating:400
• Exif version:0220
• Date and time of original data generation:2006:06:24 20:40:51
• Date and time of digital data generation:2006:06:24 20:40:51
• Meaning of each component:YCbCr
• Image compression mode:4.0
• Exposure bias:-0.7
• Maximum lens aperture:3.0 APEX = F2.8
• Metering mode:Pattern
• Light source:unknown
• Flash:Flash fired, auto mode.
• Lens focal length: 10.3 mm
• Color Space:sRGB
• Valid image width in pixel:2592
• Valid image height in pixel:1944
• File source:reserved
• Scene type:reserved
• Custom image processing:Normal process
• Exposure method: Auto exposure
• White balance:Auto white balance
• Digital zoom ratio:not used
• Focal length in 35 mm film:50 mm
• Scene capture type:Standard
• Gain control:Low gain up
• Contrast: Normal
• Saturation:Normal
• Sharpness:Normal
• Subject distance range:unknown
• Compression scheme:JPEG
• X resolution: 300.0 ppi (pixel per inch)
• Y resolution:300.0 ppi (pixel per inch)
• Resolution unit:inch
• Offset to JPEG SOI:4596
• Bytes of JPEG data:6819

I was trying to capture the movement colour and light from the whole night and this is the best I could do. Several things impeded me. The table settings were PACKED in as much as possible not allowing much freedom of movement in and out of them, and being a 'guest' I didn't want to put any noses out of joint by jamming cameras at people in the wrong place or wrong time, besides anyone who knows me will know that a people/portrait photographer I ain't.

The town hall itself was an interesting old building and worthy of several hours of wandering with a camera and tripod. I didn't shoot much by my standards only a dozen or so shots, but the colour and movement seemed well captured, even if I do say so myself.