I originally intended to photograph the SF Hiphop Dance Fest rehearsal for an online SF guide. When they changed their minds, I asked the Dance PR person if I could photograph anyways, and give the pics to the performers or dance fest organizers. They said Sure! Often all it takes to get into fun gigs is to ask nicely and offer something nice in return.

I'd never been in the Palace of Arts before. It's a grand theater, with lots of flowing red velvet curtains and plush red seats. I staked out a space in the front row, out of the way of the videographer. There were lots of excited kids in the seats further back, performers waiting for their turn to rehearse.

The biggest challenge was photographing without flash. This is where my 50mm f/1.4 lens shone (shined?) This lens is great at several things: portraits (fuzzing out the background), quick autofocus, and ability to focus and photograph under dim lighting conditions. I used sports mode on my camera, allowing for machine gun fire of the shutter - best for capturing unpredictable movement. Still, many dance moves were still too quick to document without blur. I also had a hard time with dancers in dark costumes against dark background; too hard for the camera/lens to figure out what to focus on. More pics to come soon.