looking for advice on concert photos!

Tcrow · December 29, 2011

Hello Dgrin world! I am very new to photography and would love some advice on taking concert photos. My brother is Playing a New Years Eve show with his band The Herbert Wiser Band (herbertwiser.com):D at a new local venue and i would love to get some decent pics. I have a Canon Rebel xs with a kit lens (18-55mm) also a telephoto lens 75-300mm. The venue has new LED lighting with lots of lazers/ lights on movers/ smoke, its gonna be a crazy rock show:barb!! I know that i dont have the ideal glass for low light situations but I would love some input on what settings/appature/iso to use. Should i be shooting in all Manuall mode? turn auto focus off on the lens? Any advice would be most excellent!!

Qarik · December 29, 2011

with your setup..keep it at f/4, 1/100s and start at iso1600. you will most likley be underexposed. Then its a choice between getting stuff in focus vs noise. If you have a flash try bouncing it off ceiling but if it's like most clubs the ceiling and walls be be black/dark. Direct flash is just not an option imo..it will ruin everything. You can try some kind of diffused flash option. I am assuming you can get up close to the stage..you won't even need your telephoto (it will be too dark anyway with the shutter speeds you will need).

New Hope Studios · December 30, 2011

Qarik wrote: »

with your setup..keep it at f/4, 1/100s and start at iso1600. you will most likley be underexposed. Then its a choice between getting stuff in focus vs noise. If you have a flash try bouncing it off ceiling but if it's like most clubs the ceiling and walls be be black/dark. Direct flash is just not an option imo..it will ruin everything. You can try some kind of diffused flash option. I am assuming you can get up close to the stage..you won't even need your telephoto (it will be too dark anyway with the shutter speeds you will need).

I have a hard-core metal concert coming up in February. I too am shooting with a Rebel XSi. I have a 50mm and a 17-50mm. I am not yet certain about whether I will be allowed to use flash (waiting for a response on that). The venue it is at has high enough ceilings that I am not sure the flash would actually bounce anyway. So, it seems as though I will be limited to available stage ambient and strobe lighting. I have on stage access from both sides as well as off stage floor. The stage is about chin high to me on the floor. I expect with it being a hard-core metal show that I may lose my floor space with the crowd pushing up to the stage (again not certain, but preparing for different scenarios).

The only experience I have had with weird lighting like that was a wedding reception where the wall lights randomly changed colors, causing me to adjust my white balance occasionally.

The big problems I am trying to work out are:

1. How to set my custom white balance in a low light/strobe/ambient lighting situation. I "should" have access to the sound and light checks prior to the show, but I don;t expect they will have the house lights down for that... would they?

2. How to get sharp focus on eyes/faces/etc with a band that is VERY active. I believe to start, I need to have a fast shutter speed unless I am going for a blur effect, but how do you get that sharp focus and still show a good bit of motion?

3. I have an issue in autofocus sometimes getting my lens to take the darn shot... keeps trying to focus on whatever it thinks it should and often I have to go into manual focus to get my shot. Is that pretty normal?

I shoot in manual 99% of the time and am not that familiar with AP and AV modes. Should I use full auto *gag* in this situation?

Oh and one more question:

4. Is it better for a B & W shot to be taken in color and post-processed to B & W or to take it in B & W in camera? I really like the look of the high contrast and exposure in my B & W, but have to do so much post-processing to get the deep wrinkle lines and the character I am looking for.

Examples:

http://newhopestudios.smugmug.com/Portfolio/Band-Promo/Warneck/20485580_5bmWC2#1622200696_ZNCNWzg-L-LB

http://newhopestudios.smugmug.com/Portfolio/Portraits/Annie/20653210_HfTMLX#1637552100_Kw7XJqS-A-LB

THIS http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LGKh9tjWmdM/TjxENGIL3tI/AAAAAAAAB_E/nzLvkxp-Zak/s1600/192954_10150254587177998_201542597997_7527831_1337745_o.jpg is the goal... to get that character. I understand that the character needs to also be present in the face of the person I am shooting, but I feel like my B & W is way far off from the depth in images like these.

Tcrow · December 30, 2011

Qarik wrote: »

with your setup..keep it at f/4, 1/100s and start at iso1600. you will most likley be underexposed. Then its a choice between getting stuff in focus vs noise. If you have a flash try bouncing it off ceiling but if it's like most clubs the ceiling and walls be be black/dark. Direct flash is just not an option imo..it will ruin everything. You can try some kind of diffused flash option. I am assuming you can get up close to the stage..you won't even need your telephoto (it will be too dark anyway with the shutter speeds you will need).

Thanks for the advice! Using the setup you suggested, I should have it in manual mode, with the auto focus off correct? Also, will the lazers ruin my lens if I shoot directly into them?

Art Scott · December 30, 2011

New Hope Studios wrote: »

I have a hard-core metal concert coming up in February. I too am shooting with a Rebel XSi. I have a 50mm and a 17-50mm. I am not yet certain about whether I will be allowed to use flash (waiting for a response on that). The venue it is at has high enough ceilings that I am not sure the flash would actually bounce anyway. So, it seems as though I will be limited to available stage ambient and strobe lighting. I have on stage access from both sides as well as off stage floor. The stage is about chin high to me on the floor. I expect with it being a hard-core metal show that I may lose my floor space with the crowd pushing up to the stage (again not certain, but preparing for different scenarios).

The only experience I have had with weird lighting like that was a wedding reception where the wall lights randomly changed colors, causing me to adjust my white balance occasionally.

The big problems I am trying to work out are:

1. How to set my custom white balance in a low light/strobe/ambient lighting situation. I "should" have access to the sound and light checks prior to the show, but I don;t expect they will have the house lights down for that... would they?

properly done lighting checks always have the house lights just as it will be during show...no other way to see what the lights are doing, as to White Balance....go AWB and fix in Lightroom or Photoshop ACR or other raw processor ,,, ,,, ,,, You are shooting raw correct???

2. How to get sharp focus on eyes/faces/etc with a band that is VERY active. I believe to start, I need to have a fast shutter speed unless I am going for a blur effect, but how do you get that sharp focus and still show a good bit of motion?

]for me I find the lowest ISO i can live with and then work on the image effects after that... ... my thumb is always changing the shutter from shot to shot a lot of times...so one shot goes for a "portrait shot"...next is for an effects shot, that is when time allows ... ... ...

3. I have an issue in autofocus sometimes getting my lens to take the darn shot... keeps trying to focus on whatever it thinks it should and often I have to go into manual focus to get my shot. Is that pretty normal?

depends on contast of subject and also lighting...it happens to all of us at times ... ... ... just be prepared.

I shoot in manual 99% of the time and am not that familiar with AP and AV modes. Should I use full auto *gag* in this situation?

I either go AP or Manual...NEVER go full auto or program... ...KEEP CONTROL OF AT LEAST 2 OF YOUR SETTINGS so that you can get artistic shots if warranted ... ... ...

Oh and one more question:

4. Is it better for a B & W shot to be taken in color and post-processed to B & W or to take it in B & W in camera? I really like the look of the high contrast and exposure in my B & W, but have to do so much post-processing to get the deep wrinkle lines and the character I am looking for.

Unless you can have a camera dedicated to the BW setting I would just shoot in normal raw (color) and process it out...there are tons of BW presets out there that are really good...some are free.....

Examples:

http://newhopestudios.smugmug.com/Portfolio/Band-Promo/Warneck/20485580_5bmWC2#1622200696_ZNCNWzg-L-LB

http://newhopestudios.smugmug.com/Portfolio/Portraits/Annie/20653210_HfTMLX#1637552100_Kw7XJqS-A-LB

THIS http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LGKh9tjWmdM/TjxENGIL3tI/AAAAAAAAB_E/nzLvkxp-Zak/s1600/192954_10150254587177998_201542597997_7527831_1337745_o.jpg is the goal... to get that character. I understand that the character needs to also be present in the face of the person I am shooting, but I feel like my B & W is way far off from the depth in images like these.

Answers above ..bolded and large...

Tcrow wrote: »

Thanks for the advice! Using the setup you suggested, I should have it in manual mode, with the auto focus off correct? Also, will the lazers ruin my lens if I shoot directly into them?

I WOULD DO AUTO FOCUS on.....Lasers at concerts should not be strong enough to da any sensor damage if you do shoot directly at them....they have to be real careful with Laser output so that if one drops on to a person pupil it does not blind them...15 - 20 yrs ago a laser pointer could easiluy blind you...

Dan7312 · December 31, 2011

There was a report, without much in the way of details, of a 5D being damaged at a laser show.

http://www.cinema5d.com/news/?tag=canon-5d-laser-damage

BeachBill · December 31, 2011

My first piece of advise after reading the above ALWAYS SHOOT IN RAW (and yes I am shouting!).

Leave your camera on AWB and fix any white balance problems there in post. Shoot manual because your camera will not get the exposure right in a concert low light situation (anything lit would most likely be blown out as the camera would want to compensate for the mostly dark areas). Definitely take advantage of any lighting checks to get your exposure right before the show. You will most likely want to be shooting wide open at the highest possible ISO (test first to see how much noise you can handle). You will change the shutter speed for effect.

I recently shot a CD release party which to my horror had the worst possible lighting--all ambient from a few overhead lights. I ended up having to use a speedlite mounted on camera pointed directly at or angled slightly left or right (ceilings too high to bounce off of), the key was in using 2nd curtain sync to get the best possible captures the situation could warrant, and doing a lot of post processing. High contrast monochrome ended up being my friend in many situations.

My shots are posted at http://billgerrard.com/Sessions/ArgyleCDReleaseParty/ I have camera info turned on in that gallery if you want to see how I shot them.

Whitefoot · January 15, 2012

90% of my work is Concert Photography. Depending on the rules the band gives you probably only get the first three songs. I carry two bodies. One with a 17-50 2.8 and the other 70-200 2.8. I also have a fish eye on me if needed. You should plan on shooting at 2.8. Usually you wont be able to use a flash, I don't even bring mine to most gigs. You will be shooting fast frames so unless you have a good camera buffer I would shoot jpg. I shoot both Raw and Jpg and edit my jpg's in my workflow, and just archive the Raw images.

Concert Photography is a blast but really all depends on what you are shooting for. In 3 songs I might blast 500 images, but I am only looking for 1-3 great images. Others are pretty useless to me.

Cheers!

www.MatthewLambPhotography.com

Jimna · January 25, 2012

I like your work Whitefoot, what bodies are you using?

pmbpro · February 16, 2012

I shoot RAW; using AWB and fixing up in Post. I shoot using AP with single & manual focus and completely manual sometimes, depending on the lighting.
I carry 2 bodies: one with a 14-54mm wide and the other with a 50-200mm zoom lens -- both are f2.8 (I shoot with Olympus 4/3 system cameras). Sometimes I may carry my 50mm f2.0 prime but find I don't need it as much. The zoom has really saved me when I find myself so far away hat the performer is quite small (eg an Aretha Franklin concert I shot once). I just crop those in Post.
I've never used a flash in my work. I don't get press passes, so I'm shooting from the audience. People around me are more accepting/tolerant when flashes aren't used.

http://www.pmbimages.com/People/Concerts-and-Performances

Moving Pictures · February 16, 2012

pmbpro wrote: »

I've never used a flash in my work. I don't get press passes ...

Which may mean that you're violating licencing agreements and making it even tougher for legit shooters to obtain access.

Sorry to sound cranky, but it's stuff like this that caused me to run afoul of a security type because I'd missed the change from one song to another, and was thus beyond the "stand in the pit between audience and Queenscryche, but you can't shoot longer than the third song of the second set parameters" laid down way in advance of my shoot.

Why is there such strict control? Because of folks that shoot PAS cameras or smuggle rigs into the concert, and take pictures despite clear directions in most events that doing so is a major no-no (not to mention, voilating the licensing agreements of pro firms who lose money when people pirate pictures.)

pmbpro · February 16, 2012

Moving Pictures wrote: »

Which may mean that you're violating licencing agreements and making it even tougher for legit shooters to obtain access.

Sorry to sound cranky, but it's stuff like this that caused me to run afoul of a security type because I'd missed the change from one song to another, and was thus beyond the "stand in the pit between audience and Queenscryche, but you can't shoot longer than the third song of the second set parameters" laid down way in advance of my shoot.

Why is there such strict control? Because of folks that shoot PAS cameras or smuggle rigs into the concert, and take pictures despite clear directions in most events that doing so is a major no-no (not to mention, voilating the licensing agreements of pro firms who lose money when people pirate pictures.)

I understand what you're saying. That's why I always asked permission from venues where it was unclear. Most of the concerts I shot at though, were free and photography was allowed -- local free events with multiple artists/shows, like Gay Pride events, Jazz festivals, or at local clubs where I've even been invited to take pics since people recognize me there when I first started learning and ever since. I specifically seek out such events in particular as they're more permissive. A lot of those concerts I still have the email correspondence or the screen grabs (of the rules) from their websites. Even Chaka Khan's producer (the drummer) approached me first about taking pics before that show started at the Jazz festival and I got his card. I met Chaka too, spoke with her at the end and she obviously knew I was taking pics at this free event. The Producer saw the pics later, liked them and passed the link on. I met Macy Gray also.
Some venues told me it depends on the show and the artist specifically, so I call/email each time.

The case of Prince was the only weird exception. I did the same thing -- contacting the promoter, got no response in time. I checked the venue's site, which said photography depended on which shows and to call first and got no response. I even dug up his manager's contact info and emailed her. I didn't bring my SLR gear at all to the concert. I was at floor seating behind VIPs, very close up, but yet there were cameras all around me and elsewhere when a sign said no photos. Security and another staffer saw this and said nothing while watching people shoot with cameras and flash. I asked 3 of them directly on the floor about this and they shrugged, not objecting when I asked about using my phone. With that, I managed to get pics with my phone after Prince himself comments and tells the audience several times to whip out, before I put it away. It's not like I snuck those shots as security was right there and I even asked them and the staffer. I was told that someone was taking pics of the earlier sound check session and got kicked out though.

I was also invited by a singer friend Jully Black to shoot her opening performance at after-party the next evening after that show. I've shot her before and she's in my gallery (performance and studio sessions). Another artist (Divine Brown, also on my site) was opening as well. I brought my gear for that. While waiting to set up at like 2am, we all were explicitly notified by his people last-minute that NONE of us were allowed to use cameras there (not even to shoot the opening acts before he arrived). In that case, I did not get pics at all, not even of my friend's show or the other artist I've shot before. I stuck to the rules.

Again, I understand what you're saying, which is why I go through all the effort to ask and verify at those events. I don't "sneak" pics, as I don't need to. Same thing with celebrity fan events/conventions and talks that I've shot.

looking for advice on concert photos!

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