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A few shots of my nephews band

Rob DouglasRob Douglas Registered Users Posts: 65 Big grins
edited March 21, 2012 in People
I shot my nephews band "Three Cheers Too Late" at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ this past Saturday night. Here are a few shots taken with my new Canon 1D MKIIn & EF 28-70mm 2.8L 1/125 - ISO800 - f/2.8 with my 580EX in ETTL mode.

1DII0619-L.jpg
1DII0620-L.jpg
1DII0615-L.jpg
1DII0639-L.jpg
1D Mark IIn | EF 28-70mm 2.8L | EF 50mm 1.8 | 580EX

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    QarikQarik Registered Users Posts: 4,959 Major grins
    edited March 21, 2012
    hey rob..1st shot is so static..toss it. Also these are screaming for some edgier processing. Lastly you could get more energy and variety by changing up angle, zooms (get tight, get loose), get some flare from light, etc and time your shots for when the singer has a good expression on his face or guitar guy throws up a rock on hand gesture..this kind of shooting you can a bit crazy and it will work,
    D700, D600
    14-24 24-70 70-200mm (vr2)
    85 and 50 1.4
    45 PC and sb910 x2
    http://www.danielkimphotography.com
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    Rob DouglasRob Douglas Registered Users Posts: 65 Big grins
    edited March 21, 2012
    Thanks Qarik, I could use a bit of advise seeing as this is only the second time I have shot them at an event. This is also only the second time at this type of photography so I did find it a bit of a challenge. They are a progressing band doing more & more events and I would love to be able help them with some great event shots. They have another show at the Stone Pony on April 7th. This is the final round of eliminations for Bamboozle in NJ so I would like to get some great shots. I'll work on mixing up the shots more this time. The space is limited but I can get around pretty good so maybe some low angle shots at the edge of the stage mixed in with some side, back stage angles. How tight is too tight? should I come in for head shots or keep it back further like a bust shot? Also, does the landscape shot work for this type of event (like #4) or should I stick with individual portrait shots? Any help is greatly appreciated.
    1D Mark IIn | EF 28-70mm 2.8L | EF 50mm 1.8 | 580EX
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    W.W. WebsterW.W. Webster Registered Users Posts: 3,204 Major grins
    edited March 21, 2012
    FWIW
    Rob Douglas wrote: »
    1DII0619-Th.jpg

    Can't see the mouth. Can see very little of the face, actually! Could possibly have been shot from the other side with greater success.
    Rob Douglas wrote: »
    1DII0620-Th.jpg

    Nothing's happening, too far away!
    Rob Douglas wrote: »
    1DII0615-Th.jpg

    Ditto!
    Rob Douglas wrote: »
    1DII0639-Th.jpg

    Too much clutter - close framing on near singer required!

    As a general comment, use of flash for live music shots is a no-no! Just expose for the faces and let the rest happen.
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    Rob DouglasRob Douglas Registered Users Posts: 65 Big grins
    edited March 21, 2012
    I shot at 1/125, ISO800, f/2.8 with my 580EX in E-TTL mode. So should I pump ISO up to 1600 and dump the flash and hope I can keep up the shutter enough to freeze there jumping around? The entire place is painted flat black. The only available lighting during a performance is the multi-colored lighting that faces the stage.
    1D Mark IIn | EF 28-70mm 2.8L | EF 50mm 1.8 | 580EX
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    W.W. WebsterW.W. Webster Registered Users Posts: 3,204 Major grins
    edited March 21, 2012
    Rob Douglas wrote: »
    So should I pump ISO up to 1600 and dump the flash and hope I can keep up the shutter enough to freeze there (sic) jumping around?
    Dump the flash, set the ISO as high as you are comfortable with (with that body, ISO 1600 may be about it, but you're not making fine art prints, are you?), set the aperture as low as you can while delivering any trace of depth of field (sounds like f/2.8 at that venue, anything else is a bonus but comes at a cost), and set the shutter speed to expose for the faces.

    You'll need to get much, much closer, focus on the eyes (because you have little DOF) and pray. You may find yourself working with shutter speeds as low as 1/60 or less, so try to capture the action when the subject area in the frame is as still as possible, for example, while a mouth is open - not in process of opening, while a guitarist's right hand is paused over the strings - not strumming furiously, etc. Some movement can be OK, and for effect, but not too much unless you are expecting highly blurred shots (which can work).

    Live music shooting is never easy. The conditions are created for the patrons, not photographers. Be prepared to move from side to side so singer's months are never (well, only partly, if at all) obstructed by hands and microphones, and instruments not obstructed by mike stands, amps, etc.
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    QarikQarik Registered Users Posts: 4,959 Major grins
    edited March 21, 2012
    Rob Douglas wrote: »
    Thanks Qarik, I could use a bit of advise seeing as this is only the second time I have shot them at an event. This is also only the second time at this type of photography so I did find it a bit of a challenge. They are a progressing band doing more & more events and I would love to be able help them with some great event shots. They have another show at the Stone Pony on April 7th. This is the final round of eliminations for Bamboozle in NJ so I would like to get some great shots. I'll work on mixing up the shots more this time. The space is limited but I can get around pretty good so maybe some low angle shots at the edge of the stage mixed in with some side, back stage angles. How tight is too tight? should I come in for head shots or keep it back further like a bust shot? Also, does the landscape shot work for this type of event (like #4) or should I stick with individual portrait shots? Any help is greatly appreciated.


    just mix it up. get head shots if you can..really low angle might be good! You might even tell the guys to get more animated. You don't even have to freeze the action..some motion blur might add to the energy. this kind of shooting is very haphazard and maybe 1/20 shots you might capture something worthwhile.
    D700, D600
    14-24 24-70 70-200mm (vr2)
    85 and 50 1.4
    45 PC and sb910 x2
    http://www.danielkimphotography.com
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    W.W. WebsterW.W. Webster Registered Users Posts: 3,204 Major grins
    edited March 21, 2012
    Qarik wrote: »
    ... this kind of shooting is very haphazard and maybe 1/20 shots you might capture something worthwhile.
    nod.gif

    But you can raise the odds by planning well and checking your results (including in the histogram), periodically, as you go.

    I shot around 700 to get these 30 and more than 500 to get these 25! I consider these success rates as very acceptable.
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    QarikQarik Registered Users Posts: 4,959 Major grins
    edited March 21, 2012
    and yeah as webster mentioned..dump the flash. let the stage lights take over and roll with it...you can get dark and moody!
    D700, D600
    14-24 24-70 70-200mm (vr2)
    85 and 50 1.4
    45 PC and sb910 x2
    http://www.danielkimphotography.com
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    Rob DouglasRob Douglas Registered Users Posts: 65 Big grins
    edited March 21, 2012
    Thank you very much for the help guys! I'll have some new shots up for CC after the next show on April 7th. Hopefully with better results.
    1D Mark IIn | EF 28-70mm 2.8L | EF 50mm 1.8 | 580EX
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    W.W. WebsterW.W. Webster Registered Users Posts: 3,204 Major grins
    edited March 21, 2012
    Rob Douglas wrote: »
    Thank you very much for the help guys! I'll have some new shots up for CC after the next show on April 7th. Hopefully with better results.
    Good luck! thumb.gif
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    Rob DouglasRob Douglas Registered Users Posts: 65 Big grins
    edited March 21, 2012
    One more question, do you think it would help to shoot in high speed continuous?
    1D Mark IIn | EF 28-70mm 2.8L | EF 50mm 1.8 | 580EX
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    W.W. WebsterW.W. Webster Registered Users Posts: 3,204 Major grins
    edited March 21, 2012
    Rob Douglas wrote: »
    One more question, do you think it would help to shoot in high speed continuous?
    My view would be that, if you have the memory card space, go for it - but just in short (3-5 frames at a time) bursts. I would see the main advantage as minimising the risk of blinking eyes! I shoot single shot myself, and choose the moment of firing very carefully, to ensure my subject hasn't moved out of the extremely narrow DOF in the low available light.
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    reyvee61reyvee61 Registered Users Posts: 1,877 Major grins
    edited March 21, 2012
    Rob I shoot a lot of bands under tough lighting conditions and it appears that you are also well equipped to do so judging from these examples. I think where you need to improve has been mentioned already but definitely wait for those more dramatic moments to snap and don't be afraid to go in tight either. Even a band that is quite static can appear for more animated if you wait for the moments and apply different angles. Also a lot of bands and their PR people like actual tilts as they appear to enhance the images in a way that eliminates static-ness....is that a word?
    Ha ha ha
    Keep shooting
    Yo soy Reynaldo
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