| Why Live Music Photography is different: | | | | Rock Photography is no different and I'd like to share |
| Three songs, no flash, low light, other photographers | | | | what I've learn't. Some of it is just ideas and maybe |
| jostling for position, security guards like Rottwiellers, | | | | you wont care. your call. |
| adoring screaming fans.... and a picky editor the next | | | | First, for the love of god charge your batteries. |
| morning... a lot to deal with. | | | | Obvious yes but I've seen photographers batteries |
| Stage photography is by nature different because | | | | die on them. I also take a spare battery. |
| you're capturing a performance where practically | | | | Next is Memory Cards. Use mid sized ones so you |
| anything can happen if you haven't seen the show | | | | don't have all your shots on one card, bring spares |
| before. And the performers are going to be as | | | | and make sure whatever was on there before is |
| dynamic as they ever get. | | | | safely stored in your systems and the cards are |
| Its in a class of documentary photography. What | | | | empty. This is good discipline and it forces you to |
| happens may only happen once and it is therefore | | | | ingest shots between gigs and get them into |
| both difficult and fun. What follows is my take on | | | | workflow. It means I am at a gig with a full set of |
| how I feel about it. | | | | cards to use. |
| I will cover preparation, being ready, passes shooting | | | | Take with you all the contact details of everyone |
| modes and in particular manual mode. | | | | involved. You will need then about 50% of the time |
| Gigs are also difficult because of low light and this will | | | | and security will if in doubt not let you in, and they |
| in turn dictate your equipment, along with the fact | | | | also won't try to communicate with your contact if |
| that it's a gig, what you can take with you is heavily | | | | they are busy, or maybe even if they are not. |
| dictated. | | | | Wear black. The stage crews and roadies wear black, |
| Photo Passes The difference between taking | | | | security wear black. this is so they aren't seen and |
| photographs and having to take photographs | | | | distract from the performance. you should extend |
| The ratio between my shooting with or without a | | | | the same courtesy. |
| pass is about 50 50. If it's without one then the band | | | | Auto Focus in Servo Mode shooting music with a |
| will be made aware of my presence beforehand and | | | | DSLR |
| this is enough in small venues. | | | | I tether the auto focus point to the metering point |
| If you don't have experience of shooting artists on a | | | | and I then shoot with AI Servo Mode, being |
| bigger stage then there is little point in trying to get a | | | | prepared to mode the AF point. |
| pass to do so. | | | | The reason I do this is that frontmen/women move |
| Larger stages are different in that there is more | | | | very fast, in and out of the plane of focus. If you |
| scope but you need to work MUCH faster and be | | | | shoot in other modes (such as half pressing the |
| practically invisible to artist security and fan and you | | | | shutter then re-composing) this leaves you always |
| still need to keep composed enough to be creative. | | | | running the risk of getting the point of interest |
| Its great fun and you should get as much of this | | | | (usually the eyes) out of focus. |
| experience as possible. | | | | This method works only if there is enough light to |
| However, you need to be able to deliver so get local | | | | use the non-central auto focus points. If there isn't I |
| experience first and for years to come you should | | | | go fully manual. What helps is to shoot with as wider |
| not refuse any opportunity to get more experience | | | | aperture as possible. this doubly emphasizes the need |
| and a good one is local music publications (both print | | | | to use autofocus on servo mode, because your |
| and online) This is because freelancers not connected | | | | depth of field is likely to leave you with very little |
| to a publication are not considered a priority if at all. | | | | space to play with. |
| Music Photography Equipment Gear for shooting live | | | | Using spot metering for live music Choose your |
| events in low light | | | | subject and allow the background |
| Rock Photography is always better if you are | | | | Live music lighting varies enormously making it |
| shooting on a pass. If you get one or if you're meant | | | | impossible for in camera AI to determine the correct |
| to be there for the band then great. The equipment | | | | lighting because they are programmed for a very thin |
| list is going to be one thing and the places you'll be | | | | range of types of photography. |
| able to get to will b superb. | | | | A bright light behind a performer may be what you |
| However, if you're not meant to be taking gig | | | | want but your camera, set to evaluative metering will |
| photos there then you're physical position may be | | | | take it upon itself to over expose the background |
| poor and the and the equipment you can take in will | | | | giving you a silhouette you may not want. |
| be limited to a little compact or some such. | | | | This is why I only shoot in manual mode, expecting |
| Fortunately security don't bother taking these off | | | | under exposed shots (according tot he meter) |
| people because everyone has a camera on their | | | | because of the darker nature of a live music |
| phone anyway but don't expect as good a set of | | | | performance. |
| shots. If that's a problem then decide if you're going | | | | Shoot gigs in 'manual' mode. The camera cannot |
| to take a camera at all.... After all, you will have paid | | | | make decisions for you |
| to see this band, presumably you like them so do | | | | OK so there are things to be said for shooting Live |
| you really want to spend the gig struggling for shots.... | | | | Rock Photography in aperture or shutter priority |
| why not just enjoy yourself? | | | | modes. |
| If you're using one of a number of Digital SLR | | | | I once tried to shoot a gig in AV mode. I had spent |
| cameras then, and this is just an opinion, don't bother | | | | money on f/2.8 lenses and I wanted to ensure I |
| opting for anything outside of the well trodden | | | | used it. This wasn't successful.. |
| ranges of either Canon EOS Digital SLR which offer a | | | | I then tried TV but hated it mainly because i ended |
| huge range of available lenses for practically every | | | | up asking for aperture which was unobtainable. |
| type of photography or the excellent offering from | | | | Ultimately both these modes make the camera |
| Nikon | | | | evaluate light and then adjust something to 'correctly' |
| I am currently producing another lens which discusses | | | | expose based on your exposure compensation |
| equipment in full. probably two in fact. | | | | settings. |
| Preparing to shoot a gig. Tips for getting ready for | | | | But on those incredibly dark gigs or where the light is |
| Rock Photography | | | | dynamic I found that I really needed control over |
| I hate arriving unprepared. Might as well not bother. | | | | ISO as well. |