Advice for Gig Photography

revolutionrock!

revolutionrock!

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Hi all! I haven't posted for a while, been pretty busy lately and paid my new camera no attention :(
However just this morning I have been boosted, somewhat. One of my favourite artists Frank Turner runs his own Forum on his website, and he has a direct email. Me being the oppurtunitist, I emailed him yesterday. Basically, I have bought tickets to see him in Leeds and Manchester on his forthcoming tour. He has just replied, whilst on tour in America may I add, saying that If I wish I can have a press pass for both shows I am going for. Now I am seriously excited for this, the prospect of photographing him live has just seriously boosted me, and I feel this is somewhere i really want to go with my photography, not all togethor, I still want to do other aspects of photography but this is really exciting me. But anyway, the gigs are in October, and I have no experience of shooting live bands. I think I can get some experience pretty easy by asking my brother and his friends to see if I can photograph them play, but I am more worried by equipment truth be told. I currently have a Canon 450d, with just the stock lens. Now do I need a flashgun as such? Or not? I am seriosuly clueless. The shows are at Manchester Acedamy 2 and Leeds Met University. Now I have been to Manchester before, and the lighting is good, colour etc the lot. But I have never been to Leeds before, so I don't know what to expect, however I think it will be the same as most venues really. So basically, could anyone give me any pointers, essential things to have?!
 
I would simply take fast glass and ditch the flash for venues like this
 
if you're on a budget then a 50mm f/1.8 would be good, im not very experienced with bigger venues though saying that
 
marcusp13 said:
if you're on a budget then a 50mm f/1.8 would be good, im not very experienced with bigger venues though saying that
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Yeh someone I know who does Gig photography has 1.4, so thats something I need to look into. Hmmm
 
Absolutely no flash is usually the rule, as is the "First three songs" only one........but if he is extending a personal invite, you might be excused the three songs rule.

If you are in the photographers pit, (or on side stage), then you really can't go wrong with the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8. Whilst the 50mm f1.8 is BRILLIANT (and cheap)...:)....it can sometimes be too narrow if you are really close, so the zoom gives you greater flexibility.

Just remember, if shooting wide open, the depth of field is an issue, so you must nail the focus. Watch the singer carefully if he moves about a lot........when he pauses for breath......hit that trigger!!

Have fun above all else.
 
Yeah, so far for me my 50mm f/1.8 has worked best. 1.4 might be better but way more expensive! That's awesome though, congrats :)
 
how close are the gigs would a weeks hire cover them, cos you could hire some proper nice fast glass from lenses for hire instead of buying, just a thought

(I love my 50mm f1.8 for gigs and am considering a 1.4 upgrade :D)
 
I have just shot 3 shows in a row for Joseph Arthur, in small and dark venues. I make most use of my 17-55 f2.8 and my 70-200 f2.8. I never use flash, and I shoot as much as I can - it is unbelievable how many shots can be unusable because of focus issues. I also always use manual settings - start at say iso 800, 1/30 sec at 5.6 and then adjust from there. Also can be handy to shoot the support and use them to get your settings right.
 
50mm is my favourite lens ever

this was a very low light concert last week,fixed lights and a smoke machine

i was really pleased with the photos,whether technically perfect or not


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If your only doing these 2 shows as a 1 off there's no point in buying a fancy me we for something you aren't going to do that often.
So the 1.8 will be fine and won't break the bank.
If your planning to get into this seriously I would go for the 1.4! Yes it will be more expensive but has 2 more stops, and it will be better built.
The next thing is it just requires practice, dealing with the different light conditions and sometimes virtally no light.
I will write more when I get home as I'm on My iPhone and it takes forever to type anything lengthy.
 
i started of with a 50mm .
i mostly use a sigma 18-50 ex dc. f2.8.
you'll almost certainly need a fast lens.venues tend to be pretty dark.
i tend to use shutter priority to keep it above about 1/80. or higher. usualy wide open. and often with iso as high as 3200.
may get away with 1600 on a 50.
again, depends how dark the venue is.
saw 3. 1/30th. bloomin eck thats slow.
either youve got a steadier hand than me, or that out of focus your talking about is camera shake.
you got IS?
i dont usualy go below 1/60th. even then, if i can lean/rest on something.
you must have reflexs like a stone.
 
saw3 said:
I have just shot 3 shows in a row for Joseph Arthur, in small and dark venues. I make most use of my 17-55 f2.8 and my 70-200 f2.8. I never use flash, and I shoot as much as I can - it is unbelievable how many shots can be unusable because of focus issues. I also always use manual settings - start at say iso 800, 1/30 sec at 5.6 and then adjust from there. Also can be handy to shoot the support and use them to get your settings right.
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Id love to know where your shooting with those settings:thinking:

Frank doesn't move about too much on stage so you should be fine in that respect. The 50mm 1.8 is probably your best bet, it's cheap as chips and is great for gigs. I always recomend shooting manual, my settings usually start at around iso 800 - 1/125 (1/200 in an arena) - 2.8.
 
how much have you got to spend dude?
I have an 85 f/1.2 which is amazingly handy for this type of thing but I also use the 50 f/1.8 which likes to hunt and go mad on me but achieves almost as good a result.

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haha... actually I don't have any of the 85 to hand. sod it. get the 50mm, crank up the ISO to as high as your camera can, AI servo, use the '*' to focus, single point focusing - and away you go!

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adsayer said:
haha... actually I don't have any of the 85 to hand. sod it. get the 50mm, crank up the ISO to as high as your camera can, AI servo, use the '*' to focus, single point focusing - and away you go!

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I personally use one shot :)
 
the_doctor199 said:
I personally use one shot :)
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your shots are way better than mine so I'll try one shot in future :) It's just I've found with the acts invariably moving nailing focus can be tricky. But I guess if you're quick and the fact with the One Shot you can make use of the AF assist on a flash (even if the flash is redundant or not) then it is probably better! :geek:
 
hey mr revolution rock

I know nothing about gig photography whatsoever

but i love your username and avatar

obviously a man of taste !

"ignore alien orders"
 
I'll have to remember one shot AF as the way my 50mm f1.8 hunts drives me to distraction, I was considering dumping it for a f1.4 for that very reason
 
I've not really anything to add but just wanted to say well done on getting the pass. I got my first proper pass (i.e one you stick onto yourself) a few weeks back for Twin Atlantic and I remember how excited I was. It's great when bands etc are responsive in this way.

I use a 24-70mm f2.8L, but I'm usually shooting in small venues. I don't know the Leeds venue you are going to but Manchester Academy is pretty big and with a photo pit, so a 50mm will prob be wide enough.

If you are worried about what settings to use what I tend to do is to go on flickr and search for shots taken at the same venue/of the same band and take a look at the exif data. This will help you see how others have taken shots.

Most of all have fun :)
 
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