We love receiving production photos using our resources, and we love sharing them with our community as inspiration at conferences and on social media. It’s part of our way of celebrating the dedication and accomplishments of fellow Theatre-Makers! 

How do you ensure your photos reflect the beauty of what’s onstage? Read on for how to take performance photos with your phone like a pro.

An ideal photo showcases the performer(s) against brightly lit and vibrant scenery.&nbsp;

“My biggest tip is don’t just concentrate on the person in the photo, but capture the person in their place, the stage they inhabit, and the colors and scene around them.” says Don Berlin, Marketing Manager and professional and community theatre director. “That’ll give you better pictures that are more exciting.”&nbsp;

As a director, you may not have time to do everything. As you head into tech week, assign a crew member to take photos. Though if you’re the type of director who loves to take photos, go for it! Parents and volunteers will take many pictures as well.&nbsp;

Snap photos throughout the production, not just during one performance. You never know what stage magic you’ll capture, from opening night to final bows! Looking at your photos from the first performance can help you assess how to take photos later on.

Dress rehearsal is an ideal time for photos so that you can move freely through the house to get additional angles and be right at the front of the stage without blocking the view.&nbsp;

Make sure your lens is clean, and use your phone/camera with two hands steady to avoid blurriness. Want a stable hands free option? <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Concept-Lightweight-Recording-Cellphone-Smartphone/dp/B0DFW5XGYN/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.JQlRJLwbZkjHVUe4wHcjj8GHxKgB6O8HKEZn365M2o1DHVykaq8cGSEB8yNvGgVvimzEhDSUG34F4MJ5byzAvALIgAy9SG7ztK5TOt1ENmDdwOv25lxuY7l6xHMOpoAf7WuIUXLxTXarZpYEV3kQTa3Q0n8VWD8NGSkDGnNg7A1GyuPFj4s7lgSv3xbzIOa07yxTnlQCmqAd6ysL63nw8LBxMCUCVhGcdscxARFWGU4.SpgXejvv6Ge1BTGrRolkJKPJEq86gSxPQVrgMrQwzmo&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;hvadid=695297912391&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvexpln=67&amp;hvlocphy=9003967&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvocijid=9444342096596238147--&amp;hvqmt=e&amp;hvrand=9444342096596238147&amp;hvtargid=kwd-37595046&amp;hydadcr=24658_13626626&amp;keywords=tripod+for+camera&amp;mcid=f02168eff623319a93ce0c25f1f6c1f4&amp;qid=1753123719&amp;sr=8-2-spons&amp;sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&amp;psc=1">Consider using a tripod.&nbsp;</a>

Ideal Phone Settings for Theatre Photography

Like nearly everyone, you’re most likely taking pictures with your phone - it's an easy and convenient way to snap the best moments in your show. Keep these things in mind:&nbsp;

Adjust the brightness (or in photography terms, exposure) Smartphones automatically set exposure, but you can adjust it with the yellow box. Next to the yellow box will be a sun icon, which you can manually move to adjust the exposure. Moving it up makes the image brighter; moving it down makes the image darker. An underexposed photo will be too dark, and an overexposed photo will be too light.&nbsp;

Avoid using flash. A bright, sudden flash might startle performers, as well as wash out digital scenery. This is a common rule for Broadway productions, so you may want to consider doing the same.

A little editing goes a long way. Did you know the camera app has built in photo-editing features? The adjust option lets you adjust exposure, brightness, shadows, contrast, saturation, etc. Take some time to try out different options and see how it affects your image. You can also experiment with filters and cropping.&nbsp;

If your establishment offers, or budget allows, you can hire professional photographer to come and take photos of your show. With a professional grade camera, a professional photographer has much more control over how the camera is able to capture light. 

As stated earlier, a professional photographer should ideally attend dress rehearsals. Be sure to give them some time to test the lighting and set up any necessary equipment.

*Cover Photo Credit: YPT Newscastle presents "Disney's Aristocats KIDS"

Lights, camera, perform! Learn how to take amazing production photos - using just your phone!

Learn how to master photography for theatre and live performance with your smartphone.

How to Take Great Production Photos 

Broadway Media believes that theater is for everyone. This sentiment is especially relevant during Pride month, where we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Without the contributions of this community, there would be no musical theatre.&nbsp;

Being your bridge to Broadway, we want to recognize LGBTQ+ identifying artists who have contributed their talent, artistry, and experience to Broadway and beyond. Below highlights a handful of heroes who have helped shape the world of musical theatre and represent some of our best titles.&nbsp;

The first person on this list should need no introduction! Known as the Father of the Modern Musical, Stephen Sondheim is the creative genius behind<a href="https://www.broadwaymedia.com/shows/into-the-woods/into-the-woods/scenic-projections"> Into the Woods,</a> Sunday in the Park with George, Sweeney Todd, Company, Merilly We Roll Along, and more.&nbsp;

Toby Marlow is a British musical composer who, along with fellow composer and lyricist Lucy Moss, created <a href="https://www.broadwaymedia.com/shows/six-the-musical/six-musical/scenic-projections">SIX the Musical.</a> They also wrote the book for SIX the Musical: Teen Edition.&nbsp;

Alex Newell starred as Asaka in the 2018 Broadway revival of <a href="https://www.broadwaymedia.com/shows/once-on-this-island/once-on-this-island/scenic-projections">Once on This Island.</a> They also starred in Shucked on Broadway, earning them the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.&nbsp;

Harvey Fierstein is an actor and playwright. His renowned collection of plays, Torch Song Trilogy, centers around a gay drag queen/torch singer living in Manhattan during the 70s-80s. Fierstein also wrote the book for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.broadwaymedia.com/shows/kinky-boots/kinky-boots/scenic-projections">Kinky Boots</a>. On stage, he played Tevye in <a href="https://www.broadwaymedia.com/shows/fiddler-on-the-roof/fiddler-on-the-roof/scenic-projections">Fiddler on the Roof </a>and Edna Turnblad in <a href="https://www.broadwaymedia.com/shows/hairspray/hairspray/scenic-projections">Hairspray</a>. He recieved the Tony Lifetime Achievement Award this year.&nbsp;

Sara Ramirez is a stage, television, and voice actor. They starred in the original Broadway production of <a href="https://www.broadwaymedia.com/shows/monty-pythons-spamalot/spamalot/scenic-projections">Monty Python’s Spamalot </a>as the Lady of the Lake, which earned them a Tony Award. HThey also received the Ally for Equality Award from the Human Rights Campaign for their extensive advoacy efforts for LGBTQ rights.&nbsp;

Billy Porter is an actor, singer, and producer who originated the role of Lola in <a href="https://www.broadwaymedia.com/shows/kinky-boots/kinky-boots/scenic-projections">Kinky Boots.</a> He has won multiple awards for this role, including a Grammy Award for the musical’s album. He was the first gay black man to be nominated for an Emmy and win in any lead acting category. Porter has completed humanitarian work with several community and LGBTQ+ foundations.

Andre de Shields is a multi award-winning actor, singer, dancer, director, and choreographer. He has appeared in original Broadway casts of multiple productions, notably as Hermes in <a href="https://www.broadwaymedia.com/shows/hadestown/hadestown-teen-edition/scenic-projections">Hadestown.</a>&nbsp;

Nathan Lane is a multi award-winning actor known for his comedic and dramatic roles. In 2008, he was inducted in the American Theater Hall of Fame. On Broadway, he starred as Nathan Detroit in <a href="https://www.broadwaymedia.com/shows/guys-and-dolls/guys-and-dolls/scenic-projections">Guys and Dolls </a>and as Gomez Addams in<a href="https://www.broadwaymedia.com/shows/the-addams-family/addams-family/scenic-projections"> The Addams Family.</a>

Of course we must mention the two creative icons behind Choreography Guides! Jerry Mitchell is the Tony Award winning choreographer of <a href="https://www.broadwaymedia.com/shows/legally-blonde/legally-blonde/scenic-projections">Legally Blonde</a> and <a href="https://www.broadwaymedia.com/shows/kinky-boots/kinky-boots/scenic-projections">Kinky Boots</a>. Paul Canaan is a veteran Broadway performer and educator. Together, they developed Choreography Guides, a direct from Broadway resource that adapts the original Broadway choreography to teachable dance and movement for your production.&nbsp;

We at Broadway Media are proud to be part of the theater community - a place where we personally have found family and a home. We celebrate everyone in this community every day of the year. So whether you're dancing through the streets of Baltimore or enrolling in Harvard (what, like it’s hard?), we hope you continue to find your place on - or off or behind - the stage. 

Shining a spotlight on LGBTQ+ heroes who've helped shape the world of musical theatre and represent some of our best titles. 

In celebration of Pride month, Broadway Media highlights LGBTQ+ identifying artists who have contributed their talent, artistry, & experience to Broadway and beyond. 

Let These Theatre Trailblazers Raise You Up!

Now more than ever, Broadway productions incorporate projections and video into their set design, including Wicked, BOOP!, Anastasia, Dear Evan Hansen, Life of Pi, and Mean Girls, just to name a few. Projections can underscore profound themes, like in Dear Evan Hansen, or can make fantasy feel real, like in Wicked.

If you’re a teacher or director interested in trying projections, you may be wondering just how exactly digital scenery compares to traditional physical sets, so let's dive in!

Theatrical projections - also known as digital projections, digital scenery, or digital backdrops - is an image projected onto a screen or flat surface in the form of a video animation. If you’ve ever seen a movie at a theater, you’ve seen projections!&nbsp;

Why has theatre started utilizing digital scenery?

New, cutting-edge advancements in video production have now come to the stage. With stunning imagery and thematic animation, digital scenery works to support powerful and immersive storytelling necessary for live performance. Additionally, projections are designed to effortlessly incorporate scene changes, transitions, and special effects.&nbsp;

Can I use physical and digital elements together?

Yes!&nbsp;Scenic Projections do not have to replace physical scenery. You can certainly use physical set pieces in tandem with projections to add creativity and heighten the immersive experience!&nbsp;

Below you'll see how one production&nbsp; of "Disney's The Little Mermaid" used our projections and set pieces together swimmingly!

How is digital scenery different from physical sets?

The key differences between digital scenery and physical backdrops are transitions and animations. Building large sets can be expensive, and swapping sets may be cumbersome. Digital scenery allows you to change the backdrop or go to blackout with the click of a button.

Let’s look at an example in Anastasia in the train moving sequence. The artwork uses depth perception accurate to stage dimensions, and the animation conveys the rapid pace of the train. Theatre-Makers have built their own train or cart to complement the animated scenery, proving that physical elements can indeed work with digital ones.

Fun fact: Our packages for&nbsp;Anastasia&nbsp;and&nbsp;Anastasia: Youth Edition&nbsp;is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.broadwaymedia.com/blog/broadway-media-difference">direct from Broadway resource</a>, utilizing the original Broadway designs by&nbsp;<a href="https://aaronrhyne.com/">Aaron Rhyne</a>!&nbsp;

Explore Scenic Projections + Digital Backdrops

Imagine having access to Broadway-caliber digital scenery for your production. Our partnerships with <a href="http://mtishows.com">Music Theatre International </a>and <a href="https://www.theatricalrights.com/">Theatrical Rights Worldwide </a>have opened the door for us to work with official scripts and directly serve the author’s intent in creating our projection packages.&nbsp;

In addition to licensed show packages, Broadway Media also offers a library of 3000+ digital backdrops in various different styles/settings. Create your very own catalog of digital imagery for an original show, dance recital, choral/music performance, and more.&nbsp;

Our affordable and accessible resources are ideal for any place, space, or budget to elevate theatrical productions. Fill out the form below, or contact us at 1-800-277-0343 or hello@broadwaymedia.com.

You may be wondering just how exactly digital scenery compares to traditional physical sets, so let's dive in!

Let's examine how digital animated scenery compares to traditional physical sets in theatrical productions. 

Comparing Digital Projections & Physical Sets for Theatre

The Prince of Egypt

Anastasia

Beetlejuice JR

Broadway Media is a proud sponsor of EdTA.

Educational Theatre Association

Broadway Media is proud to be a sponsor of AACT, providing discounted resources to enrolled members!

American Association of Community Theatre

Scenic Projections packages and perfectly curated show collections with the script cue lines and descriptions by Broadway Licensing.

Broadway Licensing

Scenic Projections packages and perfectly curated show collections with the script cue lines and descriptions by Theatrical Rights Worldwide.

Theatrical Rights Worldwide

Scenic Projections packages and perfectly curated show collections with the script cue lines and descriptions by Music Theatre International.

Music Theatre International

Dance to the day with Scenic Projections for The Prince of Egypt!

Scenic Projections for The Prince of Egypt

Take your stage way down to Hadestown: Teen Edition with Scenic Projections!

Scenic Projections for Hadestown: Teen Edition

 Discover everything you need for your productions.

Bring your show to life!

We are a small rural school. Digital backdrops were amazing. The support team was awesome. I couldn’t have done this show without the Digital Backdrops! They were fantasmorific for James and the Giant Peach TYA

Scenic Projections - Standard License

Chillicothe Middle School

Our students love having the Mean Girls projections, it’s the one comment they’ve all made!

Haywood Arts Regional Theatre

Thank you for all your help with getting our production rental set up. There were a lot of extra layers to this show with projections, but the projection package from Broadway Media took part of that stress away!

Scenic Projections

Arrowhead High School

It worked great for us. Our theater is over 100 years old and is a renovated movie theater with very limited wing space. The projections have opened up a lot of possibilities for future production options. Even by using an old, back of the theater, projector.

Rialto Theater

It was the very first production for Newtown Stage Co and we sold out both performances! We LOVED the slides and plan on using slides for every show moving forward.

Scenic Projections Standard License

Newtown Stage Company

Everyone at Grande Prairie Live Theatre would like to thank Broadway Media for the excellent background graphics you provided us for our production of Shrek. These were colorful, detailed and very creative. They added to every scene.

Grande Prarie LIve Theatre

Thanks so much for your fabulous images. They really made a huge impact on our show and worked beautifully. Lots of the audience commented on them as we normally have enormous sets and it was a big change.

The Little Mermaid

Methodist Ladies’ College

We were extremely pleased with the projections for our production of Beauty and the Beast. They added a magical element to the show and helped make the transitions seamless.

North Greenville University

I just wanted to tell you how wonderful our show has been received. With the help of your animated backdrop putting us over the top. Thank you again and again. Looking forward to our next endeavor. 

Paul J. Gelinas Middle School

Tech support was great and once we had some time with the software, editing and running the show was easy enough.

Scenic Projections for The Prince of Egypt

Dance to the day with Scenic Projections for The Prince of Egypt!

Let's put
on a show!

Explore the world's largest selection of officially-sanctioned, Broadway-quality, resources tailored to make producing theatre more accessible and affordable.

Recent Stories

Scenic Projections for The Prince of Egypt

Dance to the day with Scenic Projections for The Prince of Egypt!

Let's puton a show!

Explore the world's largest selection of officially-sanctioned, Broadway-quality, resources tailored to make producing theatre more accessible and affordable.

Recent Stories

Let's put
on a show!