Comments on: How To Photograph Rock Concerts – The Basics http://digital-photography-school.com/rock-concerts-photography Discover how to use your digital camera with our Digital Photography Tips. We are a community of photographers of all experience levels who come together to learn, share and grow in our understanding of photography. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:28:06 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Fábián Gábor http://digital-photography-school.com/rock-concerts-photography/comment-page-1#comment-69150 Fábián Gábor Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:17:40 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4093#comment-69150 I started concert photography about a half a year and this article really helped me out to know some basic rules. Since then I enjoy it so much that it became one of my favorite styles of photography. Thank you! I started concert photography about a half a year and this article really helped me out to know some basic rules. Since then I enjoy it so much that it became one of my favorite styles of photography. Thank you!

]]> By: Raveendra Holla N http://digital-photography-school.com/rock-concerts-photography/comment-page-1#comment-62223 Raveendra Holla N Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:19:52 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4093#comment-62223 Here is my shots http://www.flickr.com/photos/raveendraholla/sets/72157622118631798/ Here is my shots
http://www.flickr.com/photos/raveendraholla/sets/72157622118631798/

]]> By: allen http://digital-photography-school.com/rock-concerts-photography/comment-page-1#comment-50803 allen Thu, 14 May 2009 08:45:13 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4093#comment-50803 a good article but i don't think it is easy for the photographer to act as you say , here is my album www.jerseyfaves.com and any advice is welcome from you ! a good article but i don’t think it is easy for the photographer to act as you say , here is my album http://www.jerseyfaves.com and any advice is welcome from you !

]]> By: Andrew Cook http://digital-photography-school.com/rock-concerts-photography/comment-page-1#comment-49645 Andrew Cook Fri, 01 May 2009 00:54:11 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4093#comment-49645 Forget the flash YEAHman. You will never be able to capture the mood of the show with a flash becasue it will wash out the lighting. Not to mention that 99% of the artists dislike haveing the flash going off in there faces when they are performing, it is very distracting for them. Bump the IOS to 1600 or even 3200 if you have to, and also don't be afraid to convert to B/W in prost production. I have never had any problems bringing my gear to a club, just need to learn to protect it with your body and watch out for flying beer.:-) On a side note i was just hired by Backstreets magazing to shoot the entire Bruce Sprinsteen show in Toronto May 7th, not just the normal 3 songs, the entire show. Man am I excited. Look for those images on my site next weekend. Forget the flash YEAHman. You will never be able to capture the mood of the show with a flash becasue it will wash out the lighting. Not to mention that 99% of the artists dislike haveing the flash going off in there faces when they are performing, it is very distracting for them. Bump the IOS to 1600 or even 3200 if you have to, and also don’t be afraid to convert to B/W in prost production. I have never had any problems bringing my gear to a club, just need to learn to protect it with your body and watch out for flying beer.:-) On a side note i was just hired by Backstreets magazing to shoot the entire Bruce Sprinsteen show in Toronto May 7th, not just the normal 3 songs, the entire show. Man am I excited. Look for those images on my site next weekend.

]]> By: YEAHmanh http://digital-photography-school.com/rock-concerts-photography/comment-page-1#comment-49634 YEAHmanh Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:58:07 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4093#comment-49634 I shot a small show last week using a Canon XSi with an 85mm 1.8 lens at 400 and 800 ISO. The results were ok but I was disappointed I didn't get a lot more pictures that were sharp. Tonight, I'm shooting a show and will have the same camera and lens but am also adding a 24-70mm 2.8L as well as a 580EX flash to the mix. I think the best advice I got from this article was to shoot in Manual and not Aperture priority. I'll do that and we'll see what comes of it. Here are the photos from last week's show if anyone cares to see: http://yeahmanh.com/?p=312 I shot a small show last week using a Canon XSi with an 85mm 1.8 lens at 400 and 800 ISO. The results were ok but I was disappointed I didn’t get a lot more pictures that were sharp.

Tonight, I’m shooting a show and will have the same camera and lens but am also adding a 24-70mm 2.8L as well as a 580EX flash to the mix. I think the best advice I got from this article was to shoot in Manual and not Aperture priority. I’ll do that and we’ll see what comes of it.

Here are the photos from last week’s show if anyone cares to see: http://yeahmanh.com/?p=312

]]> By: biz http://digital-photography-school.com/rock-concerts-photography/comment-page-1#comment-49624 biz Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:09:39 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4093#comment-49624 Great tips! It can help, but bringing in the good camera to the concert can be trouble. Otherwise, with mobile phone camera I was not able to have even a decent photos. :-( Great tips! It can help, but bringing in the good camera to the concert can be trouble. Otherwise, with mobile phone camera I was not able to have even a decent photos. :-(

]]> By: Andrew Cook http://digital-photography-school.com/rock-concerts-photography/comment-page-1#comment-44970 Andrew Cook Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:37:57 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4093#comment-44970 Some very good tips and tricks listed here. I have no tricks but a couple tips of things I have learned over the last few years shooting mostly clubs up until a year ago when I started mostly shooting an arena. My personal choice of three must have lenses if you have the budget and are shooting Canon, 70-200 2.8 non-IS, 16-35 2.8, and a 50 1.4. Now these lenses are not cheap, but if you have the budget they can make all the differance in the world between trashing 75% of what you shoot and keeping 90% of what you shoot. The 50 1.4 and the 16-35 2.8 are perfect for the clubs and the 70-200 only if it is a bigger club or are looking to get just facial shots. In arena mode loose the 50 1.4 as you will never use it. The last thing I will point out is, if your just getting into this concert photography is to shoot loys of frames until you figure out what works betst at different settings. If you shoot at the same clubs you can be pretty confident things will remian the same from one band to the next and with experiance be able to predict what settings will work. At the arena level things change dramtically from one act to another. Feel free to check out my site and see how over fours years I have progressed at www.z-photography.ca. Last point is get to know the managment of where you are shooting, they can be your best friend or worst enemy. If it helps offer them low res copies of pictures to get a little more freedom to move around in areas that spectators are not permitted. Also the bouncers, once you get to know them will on occaision assit in getting through the crowds and actually moviing people away from the sides of the stage to allow you to shoot. This dosent happen every where but it happens for me after being at the same clubs for the past 4 years so it takes time, and nothing comes without hard work and respecting the club workers. Good luck to all just getting into this and most of all have fun and have respect for the workers that get in the way. Some very good tips and tricks listed here. I have no tricks but a couple tips of things I have learned over the last few years shooting mostly clubs up until a year ago when I started mostly shooting an arena. My personal choice of three must have lenses if you have the budget and are shooting Canon, 70-200 2.8 non-IS, 16-35 2.8, and a 50 1.4. Now these lenses are not cheap, but if you have the budget they can make all the differance in the world between trashing 75% of what you shoot and keeping 90% of what you shoot. The 50 1.4 and the 16-35 2.8 are perfect for the clubs and the 70-200 only if it is a bigger club or are looking to get just facial shots. In arena mode loose the 50 1.4 as you will never use it. The last thing I will point out is, if your just getting into this concert photography is to shoot loys of frames until you figure out what works betst at different settings. If you shoot at the same clubs you can be pretty confident things will remian the same from one band to the next and with experiance be able to predict what settings will work. At the arena level things change dramtically from one act to another. Feel free to check out my site and see how over fours years I have progressed at http://www.z-photography.ca. Last point is get to know the managment of where you are shooting, they can be your best friend or worst enemy. If it helps offer them low res copies of pictures to get a little more freedom to move around in areas that spectators are not permitted. Also the bouncers, once you get to know them will on occaision assit in getting through the crowds and actually moviing people away from the sides of the stage to allow you to shoot. This dosent happen every where but it happens for me after being at the same clubs for the past 4 years so it takes time, and nothing comes without hard work and respecting the club workers. Good luck to all just getting into this and most of all have fun and have respect for the workers that get in the way.

]]> By: chris brown http://digital-photography-school.com/rock-concerts-photography/comment-page-1#comment-44758 chris brown Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:50:25 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4093#comment-44758 Reds, blues and purples may be challenging for the photographer, but they are pretty much vital for most rock and roll/jazz/folk music shows. Likewise amber, pink, lavender and turqoiuze. If you take out all of these you are left with the lovely options of yellow, green and white. Traditionally Rock and Roll bands don't like green so that's down to yellow and white. The lights are there for the purpose of making a dynamic and varied show; which is why almost all of the rig is upstage of the performers. Other than superstars and the very young, most bands won't be very interested in pics and most tour managers will have neither time nor inclination nto deal with photographers, but you can get on by talking to the LD - lighting designer - about setting up a lighting state or two at soundcheck. A good move here is not to say somethiong like 'oooh those red lights are horrid' - remeber that as a photographer yopu are (generally) only bat the show on sufferance anyway - it is a different matter if you are there by invitaion or contracted in to do a shoot - in which case, talk mto the lighting designer about what you need. Reds, blues and purples may be challenging for the photographer, but they are pretty much vital for most rock and roll/jazz/folk music shows. Likewise amber, pink, lavender and turqoiuze. If you take out all of these you are left with the lovely options of yellow, green and white. Traditionally Rock and Roll bands don’t like green so that’s down to yellow and white. The lights are there for the purpose of making a dynamic and varied show; which is why almost all of the rig is upstage of the performers.
Other than superstars and the very young, most bands won’t be very interested in pics and most tour managers will have neither time nor inclination nto deal with photographers, but you can get on by talking to the LD – lighting designer – about setting up a lighting state or two at soundcheck. A good move here is not to say somethiong like ‘oooh those red lights are horrid’ – remeber that as a photographer yopu are (generally) only bat the show on sufferance anyway – it is a different matter if you are there by invitaion or contracted in to do a shoot – in which case, talk mto the lighting designer about what you need.

]]> By: Ian Seddon http://digital-photography-school.com/rock-concerts-photography/comment-page-1#comment-44581 Ian Seddon Sun, 08 Mar 2009 14:42:56 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4093#comment-44581 Another important thing to remember, when you're front of stage right next to the PA stacks you'll want some professional ear protection, I use "ALPINE MUSIC SAFE PRO - PROFESSIONAL DJ EAR PLUGS - MR226585" http://www.htfr.com/more-info/MR226585 Another important thing to remember, when you’re front of stage right next to the PA stacks you’ll want some professional ear protection, I use “ALPINE MUSIC SAFE PRO – PROFESSIONAL DJ EAR PLUGS – MR226585″
http://www.htfr.com/more-info/MR226585

]]> By: Shane http://digital-photography-school.com/rock-concerts-photography/comment-page-1#comment-44522 Shane Sat, 07 Mar 2009 04:28:56 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4093#comment-44522 First of all, paul, I have met many famous musicians while shooting their shows, including Willie Nelson, Toby Keith, Chris Ledoux, Chubby Checkers, Tracy Lawrence, etc.... Secondly, by contracting with the venue or sponsor (state fair, club, etc.) you can get unlimited access to these shows. Another lighting option, if it is a preset stage where bands come and go, if you are contracted to shoot by the venue they will allow you to mount a couple 1000 ws strobes on radio slaves to light the stage. Then before the show you get meter readings from different points on the stage and adjust your aperature accordingly. The key here is you are not going to get the "professional" shots from a tenth row seat with a cheap lens. I shoot from below the stage, on the stage, and of course back a ways with a 400mm f2.8 for the great eye level shots. You need to be the "official" photographer to get these shots. But with the right equipment and knowhow, you can get a good shot or two from your seats. You can't control what happpens on stage (lighting, etc) so you just need to work around it. The good shots take a lot of work, sometimes weeks of phone calls, bids, meeting and greeting, freebie jobs, etc to pay your dues and land the gig, but afterall, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. First of all, paul, I have met many famous musicians while shooting their shows, including Willie Nelson, Toby Keith, Chris Ledoux, Chubby Checkers, Tracy Lawrence, etc….
Secondly, by contracting with the venue or sponsor (state fair, club, etc.) you can get unlimited access to these shows. Another lighting option, if it is a preset stage where bands come and go, if you are contracted to shoot by the venue they will allow you to mount a couple 1000 ws strobes on radio slaves to light the stage. Then before the show you get meter readings from different points on the stage and adjust your aperature accordingly.
The key here is you are not going to get the “professional” shots from a tenth row seat with a cheap lens. I shoot from below the stage, on the stage, and of course back a ways with a 400mm f2.8 for the great eye level shots. You need to be the “official” photographer to get these shots. But with the right equipment and knowhow, you can get a good shot or two from your seats. You can’t control what happpens on stage (lighting, etc) so you just need to work around it.
The good shots take a lot of work, sometimes weeks of phone calls, bids, meeting and greeting, freebie jobs, etc to pay your dues and land the gig, but afterall, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it.

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