Band Photos

[sunshineradiance]

I have been having an extremely difficult time taking pictures of my boyfriend's band in venue settings (low light, bright stage lights). The outcome? Blurry pictures or ghost like figures. I use a Nikon D80 and have a lot to learn. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Saralonde]

What lens are you using? A lens that lets in a lot of light with an aperture of 2.8 or better would probably be a good choice. If you are close to the stage, a 50mm 1.8 lens (approx. $100) might work for you.
Ghostlike images can be interesting if you use them to show movement, but if you want to stop the action, you will need a fast shutter speed. Unfortunately, that may let in less light so you'll have to shoot wide open (small aperture number) and/or up your ISO. You may have to experiment at different venues.

Check out this article: Concert Photography Master Class

[OsmosisStudios]

If you have access to a flash or two, it may be to your advantage to use it/them. Your boyfriend is in the band, so you should be able to position your flashes where you think youd need them before the show. More than one would be best, but you could get away with it.

[humphreybc]

See my post in reply to Burton15's thread:

Tips for concert photography (please!)