My First Concert

ccpickre

Here are some pictures from a concert I shot. Wondere if anyone had some advice.

And yes I know I didn't get any from up front, but that was because there were drunken 18 year olds in a mosh pit, and I didn't want to break my camera, as well as the school paper's.

tiptonbloke

some really cool shots,well done.

W.W. Webster

ccpickre wrote:

Wondere (sic) if anyone had some advice.

Attach large images rather than medium, so we can appreciate 'em!

ccpickre

W.W. Webster wrote:

Attach large images rather than medium, so we can appreciate 'em!

Better? :jose

PS. I know some of the pics colors are overblown and some of them are blocky. I'm still learning PS. And I think some of them I either got carried away and didn't realize how much I had done, or I did something unexpected and liked the result (the second picture being a perfect example. I have NO idea how I did that, I just know it wasn't through a filter or color balance manipulation. That was simple noise reduction, contrast/brightness, and shadow and highlight)

PSS. I'm still afraid to use the curves.

Thanks for the kind words so far. I was really excited to be shooting this. And decided I want to shoot for the Rolling Stone because of it (or maybe start a new magazine, since some people say RS has sold out and deviated from its roots), as well as do promo shots for bands. So if anyone here has suggestions, I would love to hear them.

One of the pics has an edited microphone that was removed cause it was in the way, guess which one (I'm kind of proud since it was my first attempt at manipulation like that)

But as I was editing the photos, I realized how many ofthem didn't turn out that well (I shot 4 gigs of raws at 1600 ISO, and many of them got out of focus cause of punk rockers moving too fast, some got overexposed cause I used a too slow shutter speed, and others, well, others I just accidentally cut stuff out due to punk rockers dancing around everywhere really fast again.

W.W. Webster

ccpickre wrote:

Better? :jose

Yip, now I can see them - nice work!

wesleyt

1 has potential, but seems too dark overall. 2, 3, and 4 are very cool. 5 is a nice silhouette. 6 is good. The look on his face in 7 isn't so good. 8 is cool. 9 doesn't work for me; the bright out-of-focus guy in the background distracts from the silhouette in the foreground. 10 is good, but I'm not sure about the expression. Something's not quite right about 11; maybe the expression, the distracting microphone, or the space above him. I really like 12 and 13.

Overall, a great set; thanks!

ccpickre

wesleyt wrote:

1 has potential, but seems too dark overall. 2, 3, and 4 are very cool. 5 is a nice silhouette. 6 is good. The look on his face in 7 isn't so good. 8 is cool. 9 doesn't work for me; the bright out-of-focus guy in the background distracts from the silhouette in the foreground. 10 is good, but I'm not sure about the expression. Something's not quite right about 11; maybe the expression, the distracting microphone, or the space above him. I really like 12 and 13.

Overall, a great set; thanks!

My dad keeps telling me I don't crop enough in some of my photos, but I like empty space for some reason. This is an xample of one he didn't like much

[IMG]ttp://Mnemosyne.smugmug.com/photos/149898402-L[/IMG]

But I like it.

The concert was hard to shoot though because of drunk teenagers, horrible lighting (it was pretty much all colored stage lights and no ambient lighting, which made it difficult to focus). I was already limited to F2.8 and 1600 iso, so my shutter speed wasn't helping much either (between 1/200 and 1/100)

I'm sure I could remove the guy in the sillohuette but, I personally kind of like it

anwmn1

I may get bashed by some concert purists here but try using a flash if the bands are okay with it.

I have shot a few local shows and shoot with and with out flash- gives a few different looks. There is never good lighting and sometimes only 1 or 2 can lights- usually red.

2 Examples w/ flash






I look forward to seeing more of yours!

ccpickre

anwmn1 wrote:

I may get bashed by some concert purists here but try using a flash if the bands are okay with it.

I have shot a few local shows and shoot with and with out flash- gives a few different looks. There is never good lighting and sometimes only 1 or 2 can lights- usually red.

2 Examples w/ flash






I look forward to seeing more of yours!

Personally, I don't like flash at concerts. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a puris, but I think the lighting adds to the mood. But that's just me. I've shot some local bands here in Bloomington, and the flash just wasn't the same. Although they didn't have stage lights so it wouldn't have been a difference.

I shot a performance by O.A.R. during the Little 5 race here in B'ton, they turned out pretty well. But it helped that the stage was very well lit and I was able to go all the way up to the stage

ccpickre

This one was front page after the Little 5 It's O.A.R.

anwmn1

ccpickre wrote:

Personally, I don't like flash at concerts. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a puris, but I think the lighting adds to the mood. But that's just me.

I understand. I prefer to shoot without as well but there are times it is too dark to get anything without it and am some what limited with effective ISO. I also figure if the bands like the shots than I'll keep using it.:D


I just ordered a f1.4 lens for my Olympus so hopefully it will allow me to shoot better for low light concerts.

I like that last pic you posted- good lighting! Can see the singer is wearing a new shirt and didn't iron it (creases)

ccpickre

anwmn1 wrote:

I understand. I prefer to shoot without as well but there are times it is too dark to get anything without it and am some what limited with effective ISO. I also figure if the bands like the shots than I'll keep using it.:D


I just ordered a f1.4 lens for my Olympus so hopefully it will allow me to shoot better for low light concerts.

I like that last pic you posted- good lighting! Can see the singer is wearing a new shirt and didn't iron it (creases)

I haven't compared it to the original RAW, but that may have a little something to do with Photoshop

And yeah, my ISO is limiting too. I have a top setting of 1600 and from what I've read the Rebel XTi doesn't have the best noise cancellation of the Canon lines. It may have to do with a top Aperture of 2.8 though, so who knows. Hopefully I can save up and get a wider lens in the future (wider as in aperture), but I know they're expensive. Maybe a prime would be cheaper, who knows.