[slip]

Thanks so far for all your comments. I do believe I spot metered the light in that area but I didn't consider that the measurement was picking up the back curtains instead. I have used manual in the past but this time it was my wife taking the photos and I was handed the camera with the statement "something is wrong" and had to try to "fix" it as quickly as possible
All of your help will give me a better understanding of what I can do to correct it in the future

Cheers

Randy

[aleonx3]

Randy, this is not a particular problem with the K-5IIs or any DSLR cameras including Pentax and Canikony; here is the situation dealing with high contrast scene and depending on what the metering method is used, it often falls in either over or under exposure cases. With the dark background, you will need to use spot metering to ensure that it does not clip highlights by metering (using the spot) on the brightest area.

I have shot many events, here is an example, in this one I use my trusted Topcon 58f1.4 manual focus lens.
Stage Choir photo example

Another example with dark stage background

[VisualDarkness]

Yeah, the problem is that the camera measured perfectly from technical view but stupidly from an aesthetic point. Here's one area that DSRLs will struggle badly compared to the future way more "cleaver" mirrorless cameras that will be able to sort out and meter for things like faces pretty much perfectly.