First Live Music shoot ever...need some feedback!

Raphy

1st off - thanks you to all your sugestions on my earlier inquiry about shooting live music. !!
After some preparation I fianlly attempted my very 1st live concert. I'd like to know where i can improve.

Here's some background:

- The place was small and lighting was horrid (ie. red spotlight on performer, few backlights)
- I shot everything using MANUAL FOCUS
- ISO 1600 for the most part, but a few i got away at ISO 800
- Shot everything in Manual Moe, with exception of Aperture Priority when using the 50mm (which meters) and spot-metering
- My equipment: Nikon D40, 50mm 1.8D (meters, but no autofocus), 28mm 2.8 (no metering, no AF), and 135mm 3.5 Series E (no metering, no AF)
- WB and color balance adjusted in post processing
- Don't mind the watermark, as i am sending these to the promoter (she asked to see some for possible future work for me) :dunno
- My first unofficial payment...a beer from the promoter... just for being there (very nice ppl)

PLease let me know what you think and where I can improve...

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Thanks for looking ! :barb

Agnieszka

Very nice photos. Some of them are maybe a bit too noisy ... but I like the compositions & you had some great colors! Hope you'll get future jobs from them, for more than a beer ...

Raphy

Agnieszka wrote:

Very nice photos. Some of them are maybe a bit too noisy ... but I like the compositions & you had some great colors! Hope you'll get future jobs from them, for more than a beer ...

THanks Agnieszka (i have a cousin by that name)... ya, some of them are noisier than others, not sure why but most were shot at ISO1600 and i didn't use NoiseNinja because it softened the images too much... oh well, embrace the noise i say .. lol ... Oh, and the beer was not really a form of "payment" ...they were just nice ppl and appreciated that someone came and covered their event lol ! But more beer is always good

Agnieszka

Oh, ok Missunderstood that (beer) part then ...

Scott_Quier

Low light and different temperature lighting makes photography difficult. I think you handled it rather well.

Please understand that I don't do this sort of event photography, but one thought I had is that many of these photos are quite centered. Does it make any sense at all to not be quite so tight on the performer or to include a little more of the environment and put the performer into one of the "rule of thirds" intersections?

Raphy

THanks Scott for your comment.

I agree with you about the tight crop... your suggestions certainly make snese to me... i have quite a few using the 28mm and shot from a distance incorporating a bit more of the environment. I took about 300+ photos, so these are just a selection.. When i get to those i will post a few (it might take me a while tho) lol...

Scott_Quier wrote:

Low light and different temperature lighting makes photography difficult. I think you handled it rather well.

Please understand that I don't do this sort of event photography, but one thought I had is that many of these photos are quite centered. Does it make any sense at all to not be quite so tight on the performer or to include a little more of the environment and put the performer into one of the "rule of thirds" intersections?

neastguy

try noiseware to clean those up.. I would ... nice shoot!!!!