# Concert photography tips?



## Kittyy (Dec 10, 2008)

Just got back from the Trans Siberian Orchestra in Ottawa with my girlfriend and I decided to bring along my Nikon D40 and my 55-200mm VR lens. Well... my pictures didn't turn out so great. A lot of the were blury and jagged. I didn't have much time to play with my settings because I was enjoying the concert.

So, anyone have any good tips for future concerts? Going to see Sam Roberts soon.

*Edit:*

Picture down below.


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## chrisburke (Dec 10, 2008)

man, i was gonna go see that,  but my wife didnt think it would be smart to leave our newborn with a sitter this early in the game.. especially since we live 2 hours from ottawa... how was the show???  man i wish i was able to be there.. I love the TSO


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## prodigy2k7 (Dec 11, 2008)

Tripod/Monopod, High ISO, VR (if no monopod), Fast Lens (Big aperture), flash, stage lights...


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## chrisburke (Dec 11, 2008)

it would be a lot easier to tell you how to improve if we saw some of the shots, so we can tell you what was wrong


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## Garbz (Dec 11, 2008)

prodigy2k7 said:


> Tripod/Monopod, High ISO, VR (if no monopod), Fast Lens (Big aperture), flash, stage lights...



God I was about to say spot on till I saw the second last word. Nothing ruins stage photos more than blasting a big flash. The photo can only see the performance, so effectively blasting the show with a flash you kill the only remaining interest.

Use fill flash at the most, use sparingly, and use artistically. Do not use as a primary light source as the result is rarely interesting. Embrace the noise. Interesting noisy pictures are better than pristine boring white ones.


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## epp_b (Dec 11, 2008)

The most important thing for good exposures with night or indoor concert photography is a fast lens.  Anything slower than f/2.8 will be hopeless, unless you like craploads of noise or grain in your photos.


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## lockwood81 (Dec 11, 2008)

I use spot metering....to expose the subject I want the photo of properly.

Example of a play in very low light.
1/30
f/3.5
iso 800
at 200mm IS


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## Village Idiot (Dec 11, 2008)

Garbz said:


> God I was about to say spot on till I saw the second last word. Nothing ruins stage photos more than blasting a big flash. The photo can only see the performance, so effectively blasting the show with a flash you kill the only remaining interest.
> 
> Use fill flash at the most, use sparingly, and use artistically. Do not use as a primary light source as the result is rarely interesting. Embrace the noise. Interesting noisy pictures are better than pristine boring white ones.


 
But you would recommend a tripod?

You want as fast shutter speed as possible. By the time you get to where a tripod would be any use, your subjects would be just a blur. Plus most venuew don't allow them.


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## Kittyy (Dec 11, 2008)

Concert was great! Light show was fantastic too.

I'm not really sure if I was actually allowed to bring my camera, so a tripod is out of the question. 1600 ISO, widest aperture with my 55-200mm zoom.

I'm looking at a Sigma 105mm. Hopefully that'll be a little better.


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## epp_b (Dec 11, 2008)

I retract my previous statement, because those aren't too bad!

In fact, the second one looks like something I'd expect to see on an advertising poster!  Very nice.



> 1600 ISO, f/3.5. That's with my 55-200mm zoom.


Um... that can't be.  The 55-200 is only f/4-5.6.


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## lockwood81 (Dec 11, 2008)

Looking at the EXIF data...they vary from f/4.5 to 5


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## FlyingFly (Dec 12, 2008)

DO NOT use any flash at a classic concert. This would definitely anger the player and you may be driven away from the concert.

DO NOT produce any noise at classic concert. The shutter noise may disturb those who sit by you.

At a rock concert the shutter noise might be out of question. You need high ISO, faster VR lens. Monopod/tripod is not a good idea as it takes up too much space and may annoy other audience.

BTW: Next time you shoot a concert with mainly red light, you'd better set your D40's color profile as Mode II (AdobeRGB). This helps reduce overflow in red channel. Thus you may no longer see red mess up. However you'd better later convert it to sRGB color space to produce correct saturation before you upload it to web, as most image viewers including Internet Explorer don't support AdobeRGB.


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## Kittyy (Dec 12, 2008)

epp_b said:


> I retract my previous statement, because those aren't too bad!
> 
> In fact, the second one looks like something I'd expect to see on an advertising poster! Very nice.
> 
> ...


 
Ooops, sorry. Thanks for pointing that out. Little mistake on my part.


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## Fiendish Astronaut (Dec 13, 2008)

No flash (unless the venue is like a cave - in which case turn it right down and bounce off the ceiling), spot meter, if it's a large venue you might be able to get away with 1/125, f3.2, 800 or less ISO. But you might have to push to 1600ISO if it's a dark one. Remember to expose for and meter your subject's face - the rest will fall into place from there.


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## Garbz (Dec 15, 2008)

FlyingFly said:


> BTW: Next time you shoot a concert with mainly red light, you'd better set your D40's color profile as Mode II (AdobeRGB). This helps reduce overflow in red channel.



You're entering in a world of colour hassles that opens potential to go wrong. Really shoot RAW and adjust the saturation to prevent the red channel from clipping is all that's needed, and it will reduce the inevitable "Why do my images look crap in xxxxx viewer" thread. You even benefit from the fact that the camera sensor has a wider gamut than AdobeRGB so you end up with even more latitude to play with.



Village Idiot said:


> But you would recommend a tripod?
> 
> You want as fast shutter speed as possible. By the time you get to where a tripod would be any use, your subjects would be just a blur. Plus most venuew don't allow them.



Depends. The blur can be used for artistic effect as you well may know. But in most cases unless the band shoot is staged then it is unlikely you'll achieve much other than royally piss off the crowd if you take in a tripod.

This could have been better but I had no tripod. Shutter wasn't slow enough.


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## Village Idiot (Dec 15, 2008)

Garbz said:


> You're entering in a world of colour hassles that opens potential to go wrong. Really shoot RAW and adjust the saturation to prevent the red channel from clipping is all that's needed, and it will reduce the inevitable "Why do my images look crap in xxxxx viewer" thread. You even benefit from the fact that the camera sensor has a wider gamut than AdobeRGB so you end up with even more latitude to play with.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

I take it that it wasn't a crowded night? Most venues wouldn't let you setup a tripod. Pretty much all medium sized to large venues I've been to don't allow photography (unless you "sneak" in a P&S) unless you can get a photo pass. The only places I've been in in Baltimore that don't care about photography are small dive bars where very new local bands play.


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## Garbz (Dec 15, 2008)

It was small and crowded but shot handheld with 50mm AI f/1.8. I would have preferred a tripod and a slightly faster shutter but as it is the picture isn't very sharp.
And this was a big gig 4-5 bands playing for a select set of fans. No large venue with photography banned.


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## gsgary (Dec 19, 2008)

Tripods and monopods are a total waste of time for shooting bands you need to be able to move fast


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## Fiendish Astronaut (Dec 19, 2008)

You can get well lit pictures using available light. I was pleased with this at the last gig I went to. No photo pit, and reasonably tough lighting condition. I shot this at 1/125, f.28, ISO1000. At a larger venue I might go for 1/160, f3.2, ISO800 for this sort of shot.






I shot this in RAW, but actually didn't need to do any alteration. The light was very red, but if you choose tungsten WB then it will bring out any blues in the light which can set off the red quite nicely. And no, you can't bring those out via RAW afterwards very easily! (I've tried).


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## JerryPH (Dec 20, 2008)

Leave the tripod and monopod at home.  Same for the flash.  You will be escorted out if you use a high powered flash.  Anyways it is only effective if you are 50 feet or closer.

Fast lens, constant aperture and higher ISO are your friends.  You can *always* clean out a good amount of the noise with the right software.

Find out in advance if you can even bring in a dSLR.  Many places do not mind P&S cameras, but show you the door when they see the bigger cameras and longer lenses.

I would love to do this concert again with my D700, but these pics were with a D200 and 70-200 lens:

Headley:









Tokio Hotel:









With a little creative cropping you can get some nice close ups:


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## Jeremyc482 (Dec 23, 2008)

I did a photoshoot for Foreigner in October. 
They wouldnt allow me to use flash during the concert.
So all these were taken with available light at ISO400


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## thc_guy (Dec 27, 2008)

SO I have a nice camera and that one takes great pics at concerts already. 

My issue is my point and shoot.  HOW CAN I ADJUST THE FOLLOWING SETTINGS TO TAKE BETTER CONCERT PHOTOS (low light, flashing stage lights, moving artists, etc)

ISO (choices are 64 up to 3200)

WHITE BALANCE (choices are daylight, tungsten, flouresent, open shade)

EXPOSURE METERING (choices are center weight, mutli pattern, center spot)

EXPOSURE COMPENSATION (choices +3 all the way to -.3)

LONG TIME EXPOSURE (none, .5 sec. 1 sec, 2 sec, 4 sec, 8 sec)

AF CONTROL (single AF,  continous AF)

AF ZONE  (multi zon, center zone)

SHARPNESS (low, normal, high)


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## JerryPH (Dec 27, 2008)

These are really basic questions... why ask that here?

Chances are damn good that you will *NEVER* get your point and shoot to do 1/2 of what a good dSLR can.  Thats why they pay the big bucks to get the dSLR cameras... lol


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## JerryPH (Dec 27, 2008)

Jeremyc482 said:


> I did a photoshoot for Foreigner in October.
> They wouldnt allow me to use flash during the concert.
> So all these were taken with available light at ISO400



If these were taken at ISO 400 (and I am not doubting that), this was a really brightly lit concert or there was not a lot of moving/jumping around going on.

The last one I was at, I was pushing ISO 800-1250 and should have gone ISO 1600 for increased shutter speeds... lol


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## thc_guy (Dec 27, 2008)

I do have an dSLR - just don't always like lugging it around.  Figured I would ask the experts.  

Some advice on the PROGRAM OPTIONS I listed above would be really helpful instead of just saying it'll never work.

Any advice would be really, really appreciated.


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## JerryPH (Dec 27, 2008)

The same settings as your dSLR... DUH!
-------------------------------------
This is a waste of time, but since I am going to bed in a few:

*ISO (choices are 64 up to 3200)*
Whatever it takes.  It depends on the scene.  Obviously some can get ISO 400 to work  Other times you will need ISO 3200.  The problem is that the higher it goes the more noise and crappier P&S cameras get.

* WHITE BALANCE*
 Shoot RAW, adjust in post process.  If you cannot do that, set it to daylight.

* EXPOSURE METERING*
center spot

* EXPOSURE COMPENSATION*
0

* LONG TIME EXPOSURE*
You've GOT to be kidding me, right???  1/125th and FASTER... not seconds!!!

* AF CONTROL*
continuous

* AF ZONE*
 multizone

* SHARPNESS*
Adjustable in post process.  If you are totally lost editing your own pics, normal will do fine.

These are questions that belong in the BEGINNERS section in the future... *PLEASE*????


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## dtornabene1 (Dec 29, 2008)

I've shot enough concerts to know you are only going to get the right shot with a fast lens.  Usually with a fast lens you will get better glass and color will be more accurate.

I do not recommend upping the ISO too high because of the light variations at a concert.  A faster lens will be better equipped to hand the light changes then the sensor.  It's complicated, but I can explain if you require.

Remember, either IS (image stabilization), VR (vibration reduction), etc... will only help if the subject is still.  Yeah, the frame will stay still, but it does not prevent your subject from moving around.  Therefore, shooting at lower shutter speeds and relying on these technologies will get you a lot of blurry people.

-Nick


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