Nightclub Photography - Getting Started

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JamesClarke

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James
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I've recently had a big interest in nightclub photography and am looking to start learning and experimenting with it as a new hobby. I often go to clubs and bars with friends and take my compact digital just to take a few snaps and I really enjoy it and often get carried away coming home with 300+ photographs and my friends say they're really good.

Because I enjoy it so much and there may be a bit of a spark for it there already I thought this could be a fun and interesting hobby to take up and learn about.

I've been reading up about equipment and techniques and watching videos on YouTube by club photographers but I was hoping for some advice that was more relevant directly to me.

First things first, I'm not loaded. I'm just 18, a 3D CAD Art student at University and do freelance web/graphic design to live on along with my loans. I'm looking to invest into some equipment but would like some advice on what would be best to get in my price range.

To get started out I think around £500-£600 is a reasonable budget to get setup with camera, lens, flash + accessories. Still undecided if I'll buy new or try and pick stuff up cheaper of eBay.

Basically I'm looking for advice on what to buy for my budget. What's a good digital slr for around £200-£300? I've seen the Nikon D60 for about £200. I was reading that a 9-18mm wide angle lens is preferable since the subjects in a club setting will most often be very close; I noticed that these are very expensive though so is there any alternative that will produce similar results? Any specific flash setup that performs better than others? I know I'll need a diffuser, I'll probably go for the Sto-Fen Omni Bounce since it's cheap and I've heard good things about it.

If there's anything else I should know, things I need to buy or tips about shooting in club environments that would be great!
 
I workked for IAMVIP Selling keryings of pictures i took for a year, and really enjoyed it and got some good results.
clubs are usually reasonably well lit. so you're really not needing any fast glass.

Basically, the most important thing you need is a flash gun.
I never used to take my best kit (incase a drunk tries to grab it) So i would just use a 400d with kit lens and a 430ex mkii.

So i recon you could quite easily get hold of a canon 450d + a 430exmkii flash for around 600ish.

in terms of technique best setting is lowest aperture possible, iso 400 1/5 shutter speed.
 
Thanks, I was also wondering what's the etiquette for taking a camera in to clubs? Should you notify management first and get permission or are bouncers normally ok with you taking a massive DSLR with lens/hud/flash in and photographing the customers?

Obviously I'm talking about for practice and training purposes not paid work. :)
 
You'll be struggling to get it in without working for the club. Also, Having worked with others, if your not wearing branded clothing (i have a t with the company logo on it) then people are often cautious about letting you take their pictures. If you take it in and the club have a tog, and you get spotted, you'll get chucked out.

perhaps worth saying you will provide images to the club for their fb/website?

where are you at university?

as a student myself, i work for IAMVIP during term time and enjoyed it very much
They are definitely looking for staff across the uk, so might be worth checking out if you live near a big city!
 
I'm at Teesside University in Middlesbrough which is also not far from Newcastle so there's probably a lot of opportunity around. Obviously I'd have to get to a decent standard first though! When I'm set up I might get in touch with the Student Union see if I can photograph their events for free to promote for them and get a bit of experience then get in touch with IAMVIP later in the year.

Thanks again for the info on the kit. I was watching a video that suggested you may see better results and have a better investment by buying a cheaper camera body and more expensive lens. I found a professional with some very good shots recommending the Sigma 24-70 lens for nightclub photography. Would it be better to pick up a cheaper camera like the D60 with the Sigma 24-70 + Flash or would you still recomend the 400D kit over that? Sigma 24-70 is about £300 on eBay.
 
IAMVIP is a newcastle based company, watch out for their Branded Mini's :D
yeh that totally right, you will see very good results with the 24-70mm due to its constant f/2.8 aperture. I do like that lens and have used it before many times. However in a night club situation it wont be of any use. 24mm on a crop sensor wont be anywhere near wide enough. sometimes you are literally IN a crowd and there is about 2ft between you and your subjects, so i often shoot at 18mm and usually never zoom in about 30mm. so It may be cheaper but not of any use.
well perhaps a canon 1000d might be of more interest. More than enough to shoot with.
Its £290 on Amazon NEW. Also on amazon NEW is the sigma 18-50mm F/2.8 which is a totally solid lens which also has a constant aperture like the 24-70mm.

Personally i wouldn't risk buying second hand stuff, if it breaks what do you do? no warranty or receipt! And as fellow student i know that its not easy to just fork out for new kit without living on breadsticks all year. :D

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0014IK7W8/watersphotogr-21/ref=nosim - 1000d £288

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000JDJJ82/watersphotogr-21/ref=nosim - 18-50mmf2.8 £340
 
Thank you so much, very helpful! I'm going to think this through and weigh things up carefully then make a purchase in a month or two. :)
 
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