Because of all the colorful lights used during the performances, flash or strobes is a huge no-no if you want to capture the mood of the performance. I used my Canon 5D Mark II and 70-200 f/2.8L lens. I shot at ISO 3200 and set my white balance to tungsten. Below are the results.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra last night had an after-show party to honor two orchestra members — Ed Patey and Ed Hoffman — who have retired from the orchestra.

The members of the Orchestra, the Symphony Society, Governing members and other VIPs were invited to attend.  A good time was had by all.

Ed Patey holds a poster announcing what he and Ed Hoffman (right) plan to do now that they have retired from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Ed Patey and Marin Alsop

Sure, this is a shameless pat on the back (to myself), but hey, sometimes we’ve got to toot our own horn every once in while.

The new CD of Bernstein’s Mass, which was performed and recorded here in Baltimore at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall last October, features as the CD cover, one of my photographs. I wonder if Jubilant Sykes, the performer featured in the photo, had his hand in choosing the image to use. I say this because Jubilant called me from his California home shortly after this performance and ordered a large photograph of this same image to display in his home. Whatever the reason, I think they made a wise choice.

Just for grins, here is what the original image looked like.

You can see more images from that performance here: Bernstein’s Mass

Saturday night, the Marin Alsop and the BSO performed an “Off the Cuff” series on Brahms. It’s a combination conversation on the featured composer and concert.

The performance this year features the African Children’s Choir — made famous on American Idol’s “Idol Gives Back” and The Tonight Show. What a talented group of young people.

Mass is the centerpiece of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s 2008-2009 season and celebrates the 90th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s birth and his enduring legacy.

I was commissioned to cover the rehearsal this past Tuesday and the performance held last night. This production features nearly 250 performers with the BSO divided into two different orchestras with two organs and nine percussionists, the Morgan State University Choir, Marching Band, Peabody Children’s Chorus, plus the cast of dancers and singers. For more information visit Bernstein: Mass — A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers from the BSO’s website.

Without the ability to use flash, the key to getting the shots in this low-light environment is to combine my f/1.8-f/2.8 lenses, plus high ISO.

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For this night, I was contracted to photograph the “after-party” consisting of candids and some posed shots for the BSO of the cast and BSO donors. To help light the room and subjects, I utilized two off-camera strobes, as well as an on-camera flash for fill light.

There were approximately 300 in attendance, and the mood of the night was extremely up-beat. I’m sure the champange and food helped, but in general I think everyone was extremely pleased with the nights performance.