I shoot mostly NASCAR, and I dont know if this counts really, but these guys showed up to hang out with Carl Edwards at Lowe's Motorspeedway this past October....
Debrah Henson Conant on the Electric Hip Harp
Exposure Time 0.025s (1/40)
Aperture f/3.5
ISO 3200
Focal Length 48mm (72mm 35mm)
Don
Edit: Sorry the image was missing for a while!
D
Don Ricklin - Gear: Canon EOS 5D Mark III, was Pentax K7
'I was older then, I'm younger than that now' ....
My Blog | Q+ | Moderator, Lightroom Forums | My Amateur Smugmug Stuff | My Blurb book Rust and Whimsy. More Rust , FaceBook.
Don Ricklin - Gear: Canon EOS 5D Mark III, was Pentax K7
'I was older then, I'm younger than that now' ....
My Blog | Q+ | Moderator, Lightroom Forums | My Amateur Smugmug Stuff | My Blurb book Rust and Whimsy. More Rust , FaceBook.
Final concert of the Police @ MSG August 7, 2008. I was in the loges and at quite a distance for my 85mm 1.4D but a few were relatively clear when cropped. Here's one
The use of a camera is similar to that of a knife. You can use it to peel potatoes, or carve a flute. ~ E. Kahlmeyer
... I'm still peeling potatoes.
Great thread and great pictures! I'm happy this thread is here and I hope to learn from it.
Shooting bands is my main love and also my main irritation. I don't like to use flash that much and the places I go to see bands are usually dimly light small clubs. In some clubs I am able to bounce flash successfully, but other clubs it's really difficult. I try not to use it too much because it's very irritating for everyone else. I don't want to get into fights when I'm trying to take pictures.
I keep on persevering though. I do some PP with these pics and have become fairly good at it. I'm relieved when the pictures need minimal work and they are slowly becoming that way as I become a better photographer.
Here are a few, most shot with my older camera (Rebel 350d) that aren't as nice as the ones my new/old 20D that I've had for a month. I have to make due with the few lenses I have until I can save up for the ones I NEED!
In my arsenal now I have:
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 - new, haven't used it TOO much yet.
Sigma EX DG f/3.5 Fisheye - also new..LOVE this lens, I use it way too much.
and
Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical - this is the only lens I had for almost 2 years.
Lordgore
Meisce
The Golden Gods - not the most perfect shot but it's a fave of the band. Me too!
Iceage Cobra
Hellbound for Glory
Helios Creed/Chrome- the trippy projector show really added to this!
long time coming!
I have waited soooo long to shoot a live show and contribute to this thread! The light was just so terrible and I've never shot in this type of venue before so I'm not sure what's expected. Everybody else's shots are so GOOD in this thread!!! Is it user technique or equipment or the lighting which I had no control over? I don't know what I could have done to get better shots besides setting up my own strobes. So any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
I have waited soooo long to shoot a live show and contribute to this thread! The light was just so terrible and I've never shot in this type of venue before so I'm not sure what's expected. Everybody else's shots are so GOOD in this thread!!! Is it user technique or equipment or the lighting which I had no control over? I don't know what I could have done to get better shots besides setting up my own strobes. So any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
It can be SO frustrating, believe me! Just about every weekend I'm out there shooting some band and really trying to get a formula. I find with certain clubs bouncing the flash off the ceiling works GREAT, but those are the tiny places. One other club I have to be in the front by the stage or I'm in trouble. Can't bounce light that well in there because the celings are high. Other clubs I either crank up the ISO or crank it down and do indirect flash. I try to NOT use high ISO because of the noise. I have all the PP software for that but would rather not deal with it.
A lot of my pics end up super contrasted and arty because of it.
I'm ok with that.
I don't use a tripod at all. I know it would help but it's just not feasible.
Someday when I can get a killer camera and better lenses it will be easier, but now I struggle. But at least it's teaching me. I also know that it isn't always the camera that makes the pic either. (but it can't hurt!)
I see some truly spectacular photos out there by great people.
And they ALL have 3+k cameras and 1+k lenses. It's so frustrating for me.
But I try my best.
Here are a few I did this past Friday night for my friends. They are called "Slave Traitor" and they are metal. ANY constructive critcism is welcomed!
I love this one. The yellow/orange is a bit much but I like the look of it.
I p'shopped the sweat out of some foreheads but I didn't like it so stuck with the original.
Definitely some flash here, but it worked.
Yeah, the focus is on the microphone.
Here is the other band "MIco de Noche".
One of those times when PP is needed desperately and it worked!
hehehe...
There is no formula = the formula. Lighting is different from club to club and changes from time to time too. You will get a lot or red-yellow in pics as that is the lighting plus there are all those awful red gels that everyone likes to use.
The fun here is getting good pics. I had to ask one bar manager to turn on a few extra sets of Christmas lights above the stage so I could get a tiny bit more light!
A flash suggestion: Don't pop a full flash using TTL as at 0EV this is generally too much light when close to the stage. Dial the flash down between 2 and 3 stops or go to manual and set it to 1/128 or 1/64 power. Use a diffuser, get a StoFen Omnibounce and tape it to your flash for club work. What you are doing here is adding some ambient light to a scene.
I find the matrix metering on my D300 works well but I also shoot Shutter priority so the lens is generally near wide open anyway. I'm saying "Shoot at this speed and devil be damned about the aperature" This results in work being shot in a rage of 40-60/s at F 2.8-4. This is why we want those super bright f 1.4 lenses. For closeups I will use more flash if needed.
My experience says that I only get enough light to really stop motion during outside daylight events on sunny days and at large festivals which have tons of stage lighting.
Live Concert
I am A full time music photographer and would love to see a thread dedicated to our art
Great Idea
feel free to check out some of my work at [URL="http://www.blprophoto.com I would love some input
hehehe...
There is no formula = the formula. Lighting is different from club to club and changes from time to time too. You will get a lot or red-yellow in pics as that is the lighting plus there are all those awful red gels that everyone likes to use.
The fun here is getting good pics. I had to ask one bar manager to turn on a few extra sets of Christmas lights above the stage so I could get a tiny bit more light!
A flash suggestion: Don't pop a full flash using TTL as at 0EV this is generally too much light when close to the stage. Dial the flash down between 2 and 3 stops or go to manual and set it to 1/128 or 1/64 power. Use a diffuser, get a StoFen Omnibounce and tape it to your flash for club work. What you are doing here is adding some ambient light to a scene.
I find the matrix metering on my D300 works well but I also shoot Shutter priority so the lens is generally near wide open anyway. I'm saying "Shoot at this speed and devil be damned about the aperature" This results in work being shot in a rage of 40-60/s at F 2.8-4. This is why we want those super bright f 1.4 lenses. For closeups I will use more flash if needed.
My experience says that I only get enough light to really stop motion during outside daylight events on sunny days and at large festivals which have tons of stage lighting.
Cheers,
David
Really awesome tips!!! I honestly wasn't sure if it was "acceptable" to use flash, I don't know, I was worried it would be distracting to the band (shows how clueless I am!) Now that I know it's ok and I'll definitely be using some of the same techniques I use in the dark cave wedding reception action shots! I would love, love, love to set up some off camera flashes on lightstands. The band would definitely let me if I asked, so I think that's what I might do. In my exp. with other types of photography, that is way less of a distraction as the flash is not coming from the camera itself. :lynnsite
Really awesome tips!!! I honestly wasn't sure if it was "acceptable" to use flash, I don't know, I was worried it would be distracting to the band (shows how clueless I am!) Now that I know it's ok and I'll definitely be using some of the same techniques I use in the dark cave wedding reception action shots! I would love, love, love to set up some off camera flashes on lightstands. The band would definitely let me if I asked, so I think that's what I might do. In my exp. with other types of photography, that is way less of a distraction as the flash is not coming from the camera itself. :lynnsite
When You are working in a bar envioment or a small production flash can usally be used. On full production the artist prefers not to use any flash there is so much that is going on on stage with the performers and Pyro a flash can be very dangerouse if the Perfomer loses his spot or is disorented from the flash. One advatange that I have with my Artist is I have the optunity to photograph their show several times and that allows me to learn parts of the show and where they will be on a certain song or their mannerisuims and how they move when I should to on stage and when to be in the Pit
hehehe...
There is no formula = the formula. Lighting is different from club to club and changes from time to time too.
This is true to an extent, but at the places I go to the lighting is usually the same every time I go. The only time it changes is when a national act comes through and requests something different. One time the band requested just one bright white light in the middle.. I was SO thankful for that.
A flash suggestion: Don't pop a full flash using TTL as at 0EV this is generally too much light when close to the stage. Dial the flash down between 2 and 3 stops or go to manual and set it to 1/128 or 1/64 power. Use a diffuser, get a StoFen Omnibounce and tape it to your flash for club work. What you are doing here is adding some ambient light to a scene.
I find the matrix metering on my D300 works well but I also shoot Shutter priority so the lens is generally near wide open anyway. I'm saying "Shoot at this speed and devil be damned about the aperature" This results in work being shot in a rage of 40-60/s at F 2.8-4. This is why we want those super bright f 1.4 lenses. For closeups I will use more flash if needed.
I have just started experimenting with my flash. I use an off camera shoe cord with mine so I can bounce and direct a bit better. I am not educated as far as how to use it very well yet but I'm getting there. I did get a diffuser before this last shoot, but it didn't seem to help much. Then again I wasn't thinking too much about what I was doing at the time.
I've always focused my energy on figuring out how NOT to use flash! I rarely use shutter priority but I will try that out, thanks for the tips good info!
I poked around in your shots and I really like the Dale Watson set, that's the kind of lighting I like. Did you use flash for all of those shots? The other shots I looked at looked like full on flash to me, that's what I try to avoid. I like a more moody shadowy feel.
Looove this shot!!! You can see Trudy in the "real" front row! Amazing shot under really tough conditions.
Thanks! It was tough getting decent shots. That's Rosanna Arquette who was at the edge of the stage all night long dancing away. She looks like Trudie a bit, doesn't she?
Trudie was much farther back with Springsteen and Patti, Leo DiCaprio (with mum), James Gandolfini and Mickey Dolenz. No Eddie Vedder this time. He sat right behind (our) Andy's wife and me at the Dress Rehearsal in May '07.
The use of a camera is similar to that of a knife. You can use it to peel potatoes, or carve a flute. ~ E. Kahlmeyer
... I'm still peeling potatoes.
Would have given my left arm to be there for that one!!!
I think I did. They may have taken a kidney as well. The tix were a fortune - fundraiser for PBS Channel 13. I'd say PBS is much healthier now than it was last month. Ah well, I was there when they took the stage at the beginning of the tour so I wanted to close the circle. Glad I did. We had such a great time.
The use of a camera is similar to that of a knife. You can use it to peel potatoes, or carve a flute. ~ E. Kahlmeyer
... I'm still peeling potatoes.
I have enjoyed this thread. I have alway tried taking pics at concerts,but have not been very successful. This year, I have picked up a Sony A-700 and a KM 28-75mm f2.8 lens and this combination has proven to work pretty well. Here are a few I have taken this year.
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Pillar:
NEEDTOBREATHE:
"The question is not what you look at, but what you see". Henry David Thoreau
Comments
http://george-1.smugmug.com
Rob Thomas and Matchbox Twenty
Canon Stuff
www.craftgirlcreations.smugmug.com
Terrible light and no place to move but a great gig. What a voice!
... I'm still peeling potatoes.
patti hinton photography
Exposure Time 0.025s (1/40)
Aperture f/3.5
ISO 3200
Focal Length 48mm (72mm 35mm)
Don
Edit: Sorry the image was missing for a while!
D
'I was older then, I'm younger than that now' ....
My Blog | Q+ | Moderator, Lightroom Forums | My Amateur Smugmug Stuff | My Blurb book Rust and Whimsy. More Rust , FaceBook .
Claude Hopper, from a concert at my church
Grandpa Jones at the Grand Ole Opry
Porter Waggoner at the Grand Ole Opry
Keith Urban
Isaacs concert at my church
Rascal Flatts
Some Like it Hot
I have a few I've taken while running sound in the Memphis area. I work with one band but get exposed to quite a few other bands.
it only allowed me to upload one photos so...
Luisiana Zydeco Band
C&C Welcome!
Gotta love that old Concertina Squeeze Box!
Don
'I was older then, I'm younger than that now' ....
My Blog | Q+ | Moderator, Lightroom Forums | My Amateur Smugmug Stuff | My Blurb book Rust and Whimsy. More Rust , FaceBook .
... I'm still peeling potatoes.
patti hinton photography
Shooting bands is my main love and also my main irritation. I don't like to use flash that much and the places I go to see bands are usually dimly light small clubs. In some clubs I am able to bounce flash successfully, but other clubs it's really difficult. I try not to use it too much because it's very irritating for everyone else. I don't want to get into fights when I'm trying to take pictures.
I keep on persevering though. I do some PP with these pics and have become fairly good at it. I'm relieved when the pictures need minimal work and they are slowly becoming that way as I become a better photographer.
Here are a few, most shot with my older camera (Rebel 350d) that aren't as nice as the ones my new/old 20D that I've had for a month. I have to make due with the few lenses I have until I can save up for the ones I NEED!
In my arsenal now I have:
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 - new, haven't used it TOO much yet.
Sigma EX DG f/3.5 Fisheye - also new..LOVE this lens, I use it way too much.
and
Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical - this is the only lens I had for almost 2 years.
Lordgore
Meisce
The Golden Gods - not the most perfect shot but it's a fave of the band. Me too!
Iceage Cobra
Hellbound for Glory
Helios Creed/Chrome- the trippy projector show really added to this!
Eugene Robinson from Oxbow
Here are a few photos from Aussie hip hop act TZU:
I have waited soooo long to shoot a live show and contribute to this thread! The light was just so terrible and I've never shot in this type of venue before so I'm not sure what's expected. Everybody else's shots are so GOOD in this thread!!! Is it user technique or equipment or the lighting which I had no control over? I don't know what I could have done to get better shots besides setting up my own strobes. So any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
From Bearison's debut last night....
(50mm 1.4) 1/80, f1.4, ISO3200
(50mm 1.4) 1/60, f1.4, ISO3200
(17-55 2.8 IS) 1/8, f2.8, ISO 3200
50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, 24-70 2.8L, 35mm 1.4L, 135mm f2L
ST-E2 Transmitter + (3) 580 EXII + radio poppers
Wow, there sure are a lot of great shots in this thread.
Here are some of mine...
First up - Dixie Dirt
I did some PP on these...
Anyone ever heard of The Floating Men?
This first one was taken with a 1.3 Meg P&S
Here is David Steele. He plays for Gary Alan & The Floating Men.
Below is Chris Cottros. He plays for the Men, and darn near everyone in Nashville.
This is Floating Men lead singer & songwriter Jeff Holmes.
Jeff with backup singer Andra Moran
Well, that's more than enough for now.
Thanks for looking.
A lot of my pics end up super contrasted and arty because of it.
I'm ok with that.
I don't use a tripod at all. I know it would help but it's just not feasible.
Someday when I can get a killer camera and better lenses it will be easier, but now I struggle. But at least it's teaching me. I also know that it isn't always the camera that makes the pic either. (but it can't hurt!)
I see some truly spectacular photos out there by great people.
And they ALL have 3+k cameras and 1+k lenses. It's so frustrating for me.
But I try my best.
Here are a few I did this past Friday night for my friends. They are called "Slave Traitor" and they are metal. ANY constructive critcism is welcomed!
I love this one. The yellow/orange is a bit much but I like the look of it.
I p'shopped the sweat out of some foreheads but I didn't like it so stuck with the original.
Definitely some flash here, but it worked.
Yeah, the focus is on the microphone.
Here is the other band "MIco de Noche".
One of those times when PP is needed desperately and it worked!
There is no formula = the formula. Lighting is different from club to club and changes from time to time too. You will get a lot or red-yellow in pics as that is the lighting plus there are all those awful red gels that everyone likes to use.
The fun here is getting good pics. I had to ask one bar manager to turn on a few extra sets of Christmas lights above the stage so I could get a tiny bit more light!
A flash suggestion: Don't pop a full flash using TTL as at 0EV this is generally too much light when close to the stage. Dial the flash down between 2 and 3 stops or go to manual and set it to 1/128 or 1/64 power. Use a diffuser, get a StoFen Omnibounce and tape it to your flash for club work. What you are doing here is adding some ambient light to a scene.
I find the matrix metering on my D300 works well but I also shoot Shutter priority so the lens is generally near wide open anyway. I'm saying "Shoot at this speed and devil be damned about the aperature" This results in work being shot in a rage of 40-60/s at F 2.8-4. This is why we want those super bright f 1.4 lenses. For closeups I will use more flash if needed.
My experience says that I only get enough light to really stop motion during outside daylight events on sunny days and at large festivals which have tons of stage lighting.
Cheers,
David
I am A full time music photographer and would love to see a thread dedicated to our art
Great Idea
feel free to check out some of my work at [URL="http://www.blprophoto.com I would love some input
Really awesome tips!!! I honestly wasn't sure if it was "acceptable" to use flash, I don't know, I was worried it would be distracting to the band (shows how clueless I am!) Now that I know it's ok and I'll definitely be using some of the same techniques I use in the dark cave wedding reception action shots!
50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, 24-70 2.8L, 35mm 1.4L, 135mm f2L
ST-E2 Transmitter + (3) 580 EXII + radio poppers
When You are working in a bar envioment or a small production flash can usally be used. On full production the artist prefers not to use any flash there is so much that is going on on stage with the performers and Pyro a flash can be very dangerouse if the Perfomer loses his spot or is disorented from the flash. One advatange that I have with my Artist is I have the optunity to photograph their show several times and that allows me to learn parts of the show and where they will be on a certain song or their mannerisuims and how they move when I should to on stage and when to be in the Pit
I have just started experimenting with my flash. I use an off camera shoe cord with mine so I can bounce and direct a bit better. I am not educated as far as how to use it very well yet but I'm getting there. I did get a diffuser before this last shoot, but it didn't seem to help much. Then again I wasn't thinking too much about what I was doing at the time.
I've always focused my energy on figuring out how NOT to use flash! I rarely use shutter priority but I will try that out, thanks for the tips good info!
I poked around in your shots and I really like the Dale Watson set, that's the kind of lighting I like. Did you use flash for all of those shots? The other shots I looked at looked like full on flash to me, that's what I try to avoid. I like a more moody shadowy feel.
I have a few, but mine are mostly from long range, taken at an amusement park in our area...
Dan
Ann
Nancy
Heart
Steve Miller
Steve Miler Band
Toby Mac
Toby Mac and Company
A. Adams
Mr. Copeland working his magic during the last performance of Wrapped Around Your Finger
Sting thanking the fans at the end of the concert
... I'm still peeling potatoes.
patti hinton photography
Looove this shot!!! You can see Trudy in the "real" front row! Amazing shot under really tough conditions.
50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, 24-70 2.8L, 35mm 1.4L, 135mm f2L
ST-E2 Transmitter + (3) 580 EXII + radio poppers
three drummers drumming....:D
And something a little more experimental...
50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, 24-70 2.8L, 35mm 1.4L, 135mm f2L
ST-E2 Transmitter + (3) 580 EXII + radio poppers
Thanks! It was tough getting decent shots. That's Rosanna Arquette who was at the edge of the stage all night long dancing away. She looks like Trudie a bit, doesn't she?
Trudie was much farther back with Springsteen and Patti, Leo DiCaprio (with mum), James Gandolfini and Mickey Dolenz. No Eddie Vedder this time. He sat right behind (our) Andy's wife and me at the Dress Rehearsal in May '07.
... I'm still peeling potatoes.
patti hinton photography
Would have given my left arm to be there for that one!!!
Canon 50D, Rebel XTi,Canon 24-105L, Canon 50mm 1.8, Tamron 28-75 2.8, 430EX
www.sbrownphotography.smugmug.com
my real job
looking for someone to photograph my wedding 8/11
I think I did. They may have taken a kidney as well. The tix were a fortune - fundraiser for PBS Channel 13. I'd say PBS is much healthier now than it was last month.
... I'm still peeling potatoes.
patti hinton photography
Wavorly:
Pillar:
NEEDTOBREATHE:
http://ront.smugmug.com/
Nikon D600, Nikon 85 f/1.8G, Nikon 24-120mm f/4, Nikon 70-300, Nikon SB-700, Canon S95