Concert photography

[ducklite]

Better yet if the conditions are very dark and you can't use a tripod, get a 50mm prime f/1.8 or f/1.4, set the camera on ISO 800 (using a wide aperture lens like these you don't have to go to a higher ISO to still get good shots). A 50mm prime f/1.8 will cost around $100, less if you go with an "off-brand."

In all honesty, I normally shoot RAW in Aperture Priority mode, use an f/2.8 80-200 lens, at ISO 640 or 800 and have no problems in most situations. If my photo's are a bit dark I can lighten them in Photoshop.

I shot 26 bands this past weekend in a variety of lighting conditions ranging from bright daylight to no front lighting on the band under darkness, and got some phenomenal shots using the above glass and techniques.. Now I'm off to sort through thousands of photo's...

Anne

 

[Kelly Grannell]

what are you talking about? Canon 50mm f/1.8 is less than $100, definitely Canon is not an "off brand".

Besides, why do you need to do PP on Photoshop? Just look at my concert pictures, very dim lighting, taken with JPEG, ISO 1600, no post processing. I don't like to waste time doing post processing other than the ocassional cropping.

Brian Roman and Cara Chisholm at Roy Thomson Hall

Brian Roman at The Toronto Opera Company

 

[Kelly Grannell]

PS: just curious, how can you take 26 bands in one weekend? The one at Roy Thomson Hall took me 10 hours, the one at Toronto Opera Company took 5 hours. That's not including travel, set up, packing up, security clearance, breaks, etc.

 

[ducklite]

what are you talking about? Canon 50mm f/1.8 is less than $100, definitely Canon is not an "off brand".

I wasn't saying Canon is an off brand. Nikon's prime 50mm f/1.8 is in the $110 range. I was giving a general reference point as opposed to citing the cost of every available lens.

Besides, why do you need to do PP on Photoshop? Just look at my concert pictures, very dim lighting, taken with JPEG, ISO 1600, no post processing. I don't like to waste time doing post processing other than the ocassional cropping.

And there was a lot of light there. I'm talking in very dark situations. Clubs with four par cans to light the entire stage. I shoot in RAW and it's a fast automated conversion to .jpg if I'm satisfied with the results without any edits.

Anne

 

[Kelly Grannell]

not at Roy Thomson Hall. 1 light per subject at a time, the rest is basically no light. So the pic of Brian Roman, that's just one pot light, Cara, that's also one pot light, the clarinetist, also one pot light.

As mentioned, taken with ISO1600, f/2.8 and f/4, 50 to 100ft away, handheld, zero post processing, JPEG Large only.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

PS: the lighting system was broken just before the show, so for the entire show all they did was turn on the house light just a little bit (for safety reasons) and use one spot light manouvered manually.

 

[ducklite]

PS: just curious, how can you take 26 bands in one weekend? The one at Roy Thomson Hall took me 10 hours, the one at Toronto Opera Company took 5 hours. That's not including travel, set up, packing up, security clearance, breaks, etc.

We do very different types of work. The types of gigs I shoot are not the same as the gigs you shoot. My guess is that there are not pat down body searches and airport style metal detectors to get into the shows you shoot. That maybe gives you an idea... I generally shoot anything from hard rock to death metal. It's an entirely different world--mine can only be described one way--down and dirty guerilla photography. I do not have the luxury of getting there early, setting up a variety of gear in a secure area, and shooting the entire show.

Instead I get there and am luckly to get through the lines and security and get to the pit in time to shoot the first band. I only get the first three songs of each band--if I'm lucky, I got thrown out of the pit after 1 1/2 on Zombie last night because it became too dangerous to stay, and the same thing happened with Mudvayne the night before. I often have no "safe" place to leave my gear bag, it stays on my shoulder while I'm shooting--so I "travel light" and don't carry a wide assortment of lenses, light meters, etc. "Packing up" means throwing the camera back in the bag. I'm also constantly watching my back for incoming crowd surfers, shoes, and anything else the crowd can throw.

Here's the bands I shot:

Saturday:

CLENCHFIST
FAKTION
HYBRID L
HURT
HINDER
THEORY OF A DEADMAN
TRAPT
SHINEDOWN
STAIND
ROB ZOMBIE
MUDVAYNE

Sunday:

Local Bands:
Rising Up Angry
Power Movement Project
Social Ghost
Audiology
Asphault

National Acts:
FAKTION
EVANS BLUE
HINDER
THEORY OF A DEADMAN
LACUNA COIL
NONPOINT
TRAPT
SHINEDOWN
STAIND
ROB ZOMBIE
MUDVAYNE

I don't get "breaks." I'm lucky to stop and wolf down a slice of pizza or get to the bathroom. Often I'm trapped in a security area by a crowd I'm not willing to venture into while the band is on. Both of those shows ran bands non-stop on multiple stages, and I was back and forth between them all. It was nonstop for twelve hours each day. And that doesn't count travel time and getting in. In fact yesterday the first national band was onstage and I was still waiting on credentials when the one of the promoters happened to come to the main gate in his golf cart. He saw me and loaded me in the cart and buzzed me backstage so I could run into the pit and shoot the third song. I was literally getting my camera set up as I bumped along in a golf cart going what felt like 80 mph.

It's a very different world. While yours is very "artisitc," mine is get in, get your shots, get out, and figure it out later if you need to (which is why shooting in RAW is important). I'll bet you never got hit by a shoe in the back of the head. I'm not saying either is better. I'm just saying they are two VERY different animals.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

PS: the lighting system was broken just before the show, so for the entire show all they did was turn on the house light just a little bit (for safety reasons) and use one spot light manouvered manually.

Shooting a single fairly stationary subject front lit with a spotlight is not a difficult thing to do. Try shooting a fast moving guitar player when there's only back light and it's all red...

Anne

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Shooting a single fairly stationary subject front lit with a spotlight is not a difficult thing to do. Try shooting a fast moving guitar player when there's only back light and it's all red...

Anne

Sorry, but my objects are far from "fairly stationary". Also the 'security clearance' I mentioned about, yeah, it's pat down, opening my camera bags etc, and when I said spot meter, it doesn't mean I have a light meter, I use spot meter mode on my camera. Yes I have the luxury of not being hit with a shoe, but I also have to sprint from one end of the stage to the other and NOT by crossing the stage. I had to exit the auditorium, run 3/4 circle (because the shorter run is closed during concert) to the other end, take a couple more shots, and sprint back again.

Now I'm not saying my situation is more difficult than yours, I'm just saying that we both don't understand the real difficulty of each other's shooting condition.

 

[tigger795]

Hi Kelly and Ducklite,

It has been really interesting reading how both of you approach your band concert photography but I think that for the last several posts from both of you are not helping the OP with his situation at all. Additionally, none of them help him with his point-n-shoot camera. Maybe two threads should be started, one for DSLRs and one for point-n-shoots. Just a thought.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

the thing is that with point and shoot, it's virtually impossible to take concert pics due to low-ISO availability, no spot metering, shutter lag and small sensor size. Some, if not all, of these will contribute to either bluriness and/or washed-out pictures.

 

[ducklite]

PS: just curious, how can you take 26 bands in one weekend? The one at Roy Thomson Hall took me 10 hours, the one at Toronto Opera Company took 5 hours. That's not including travel, set up, packing up, security clearance, breaks, etc.

Just wondering--did the bands actually perform for ten hours? The shows I shoot generally there are three to four bands in a 3.5-4.5 hour time span. The opening act does 20-30 minutes, next act does 30-45 minutes, if there are four bands the next act does 45-60 minutes, and the headliner genrally plays 60-90 minutes. KoRn played a full two hours, which is almost unheard of.

I'm not understanding how you were able to shoot for ten hours?? Even if I've got the luxury of shooting an entire set, which I very seldom do--I can get everything I need in 10-15 minutes. In fact depending on the band I can get what I need during the first song then just screw around and expirimenting for the next two.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

the thing is that with point and shoot, it's virtually impossible to take concert pics due to low-ISO availability, no spot metering, shutter lag and small sensor size. Some, if not all, of these will contribute to either bluriness and/or washed-out pictures.

We agree on this. There are a handful of higher end P&S cameras with some extra bells and whistles that you *might* be able to get reasonably acceptable personal use concert photo's from, but for the most part you need a DSLR.

Anne

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Just wondering--did the bands actually perform for ten hours? The shows I shoot generally there are three to four bands in a 3.5-4.5 hour time span. The opening act does 20-30 minutes, next act does 30-45 minutes, if there are four bands the next act does 45-60 minutes, and the headliner genrally plays 60-90 minutes. KoRn played a full two hours, which is almost unheard of.

I'm not understanding how you were able to shoot for ten hours?? Even if I've got the luxury of shooting an entire set, which I very seldom do--I can get everything I need in 10-15 minutes. In fact depending on the band I can get what I need during the first song then just screw around and expirimenting for the next two.

Anne

The show itself was 2.5 hours long with no breaks. 20 minutes of opening act, the Brian came on stage, then transition to his song with children choir, then the choir themselves, then transition to choir with Cara singing, then just Cara, Cara and Brian, and close with just Brian. No breaks within that 2.5 hours. Sound check is also the full 2.5 hours. Then the meet and greet time between sound check and the actual concert (meeting the mayor, head of Children's Wish Foundation Canada, etc, that's another 2.5 hours, and publicity shots of each individual artist (back up vocalists, the orchestra crew etc) that's another 2.5 hours. I managed to get a quarter of sandwich that day and half a bottle of water.

 

[ducklite]

The show itself was 2.5 hours long with no breaks. 20 minutes of opening act, the Brian came on stage, then transition to his song with children choir, then the choir themselves, then transition to choir with Cara singing, then just Cara, Cara and Brian, and close with just Brian. No breaks within that 2.5 hours. Sound check is also the full 2.5 hours. Then the meet and greet time between sound check and the actual concert (meeting the mayor, head of Children's Wish Foundation Canada, etc, that's another 2.5 hours, and publicity shots of each individual artist (back up vocalists, the orchestra crew etc) that's another 2.5 hours. I managed to get a quarter of sandwich that day and half a bottle of water.

I see. I don't do that much promo work, I just don't really enjoy it so unless I'm asked (begged) I don't go out looking for that type of business. I do some candid work now and then though, but for me, it's really all about the live show.

The bands I work with half the time don't even GET sound check, it's just a throw and go, or a line check at best.

Two very different worlds. I would be out of my gourd with boredom with yours, and I'm sure you would find mine--well, not boring but certainly not your cup of tea.

Like I said, mine's down and dirty guerilla photography with singers who like to spit and crowds who tend to vomit over the barricade when they aren't moshing or fighting. It's a lovely thing. Not. The show I shot last night ended up needing armed police officers in the pit area to manage the crowd, the security who were VERY good, well trained, and properly staffed were simply overpowered by the 20,000 drunken lunatics all rushing the barricade at once. Of course the lead singer coming down off the stage and starting a fist fight over the barricade with some guy in the audience didn't help matters... Welcome to my world...

Anne

 

[Kelly Grannell]

I don't get bored when one gig can pay my household expenses for the whole month

 

[crazyme5kids]

Anne just curious, why do you have to go to the main gate for credentials? Isn't there normally a place you can go through for working personal?

 

[crazyme5kids]

Oops.... just read post 21. Sounds like it was a second rate promotor and a really bad staff to boot. I am still curious though, is it standard procedure for photographers at clubs and small venues to wait at the main gate for credentials?

 

[MICKEY88]

I often have no "safe" place to leave my gear bag, it stays on my shoulder while I'm shooting--so I "travel light" and don't carry a wide assortment of lenses, light meters, etc. "Packing up" means throwing the camera back in the bag.
Anne

you should buy a vest, much easier than holding a bag on your shoulder while shooting, I bought 2 ,,a black and a khaki for around 35 dollars each....

 

[ducklite]

Oops.... just read post 21. Sounds like it was a second rate promotor and a really bad staff to boot. I am still curious though, is it standard procedure for photographers at clubs and small venues to wait at the main gate for credentials?

Actually not a second rate promoter at all. It's Florida's second largest annual rock festival that isn't an actual "tour." (Like Van's Warped or Taste of Chaos) It was just a combination of a lot of things, primarily a certain artist going on late and then purposely trying to incite a riot. The security was actually amazing in how they were able to handle the crowd up to that point. I have no complaints at all as far as crowd control and security, except for two cops who were on ego trips and injured innocent bystanders. But that's another thread.

At almost all rock concerts there is no separate "gate" for press, regardless of the venue. I've shot at over a a dozen large arenas and ampitheatres in NY/NJ/PA/GA/FL and all but one, media uses public entrances after picking up credentials at will call at the box office. The "rules" from that point on vary from venue to venue. At Hard Rock Live (capacity of over 3000, so hardly a "small venue"--it's larger than many theaters) media uses the public entrance, although they generally allow us to "cut the line." House of Blues clubs are basically the same, although line cutting is generally not allowed unless the box office has messed up something and you're going to miss your shooting window.

Anne