I remember watching this video when I was actually getting into concert photography... over a year later I can confidently say it's my full time job :)
@ I know you didn't ask me, but yes, I recommend it. I (and a ton of other concert photographers) use it. I've been using it for years and do NOT want to throw it away.
You guys should start another channel, Mango Street Ads, where you just make ads for stuff. It seems like every page on TH-cam is sponsored by Squarespace, but you guys consistently make the best ads for it. To the point where I don't feel that it detracts from the video and is legitimately interesting in its own right. Also, your concert photography is dope.
As a concert photographer id say you nailed it. The only two tips I'd add are 1. Be extremely familiar with all your equipment. You have to work fast and in the dark for the most part. 2. Get in with your local music scenes! That's how I got started, get to know your local bands! Live music production is a small world.
I'm a concert photographer and I approve these tips. Also, concert is one of the few genres of photography that noise can actually be beneficial so dont be afraid of High ISOs.
@@ianpollard184 manual. Auto will give you way too low shutter sheeps and some random apertures. It doesnt know what the hell you're shooting or the situation. I shoot SS 1/250 F2.8 (the wider the better) and ride the ISO up and down if lights change.
@@xMiiDNiTe I'm drunk right nos, but the One were you set the Shutter because the camera most likely Will Open up your aperture up and bump your iso up. But if you can just put your aperture Open to the max, Shutter to 1/200 at least and manage uso accordigly
More than one year ago I asked in the Mango Street Lab forum about tips for taking photos at concerts. The confidence and tips that I got from you really helped me and encouraged me to take even more photos, and during a year-long creative rut, shooting at concerts is the thing that kept me close to photography even during times when I was less motivated and more uninspired. This has helped me not only getting better at this type of photography but working with big local bands that now trust me to take their pictures at every concert they give, creative connections with other creative people and, as a musician, meeting lots of cool people to collaborate with. I wanted to thank you in general for your hole channel, the cool cinematography, the great educational educational content you create and your sense of humor, you are doing a beautiful thing, and for inspiring me to try new techniques and learn new things. You are the best
I just recently shot my first gig and felt the pains you guys addressed 😅. Did not know about the Servo AF option, neat! That would be a really useful video: an in depth guide of camera settings you often use. I feel like I don't use the full capacity of my camera yet because I just don't know those settings and what they do... What I still struggle a lot with is nightlife photography, if you could share any info on that, that would help out a lot... Keep up the great work you guys!
You guys literally covered everything a photographer needs to shoot a big concert, i used your tips, got some bangers and the client is very happy, much love ❤
This video was perfect for me at the perfect timing because I’ll be shooting my first photo pass concert next week!! Hopefully I can apply these tips during the show and edit the pictures well! Thank you!!!
Thanks for the video. Ages ago in an era of completely different technology I shot Alice Cooper, Deep Purple and others. This week I'm shooting Nightwish on tour and the equipment I have now is so incredible compared to 1980s that I'm definitely pumped. Appreciate the tips.
Fast shutter speed and having the camera on burst has been a life saver! I can scroll through 5-8 shots of a particular moment and pick the best comp/lighting/facial expression. When people and lighting is moving so much I can't do without it.
The bands you were shooting make me emo heart so happy! Getting to shoot at concerts, particularly if I'm seeing my favourite bands, is honestly the best!!
I honestly couldn't believe the first video to do with gig photography i clicked on had American Football, You Blew It! Tiny Moving Parts and Into It. Over It. in one video wtf
This info is gold, appreciate it BIG time. Been aiming to get into concert photography and I feel well equipped for thet technical side of things... now just need to find a concert!
Absolutely loved this video! I've done a few club nights for various underground events. One of the things I would add is to embrace the darkness; and I don't mean worship the devil, but if that's what you're into, I'm not judging.I mean that there will be a lot of contrast between the bright and dark parts, and it's perfectly fine to have areas completely dark, as long as the subject is lit enough (pun intended). This helps with not having to use high ISO since it doesn't matter too much if the background is under exposed/black, if the performer/subject is perfectly exposed.
Great Tips! I will say though (depending on band energy, lighting, etc) I've had pretty good experience using 1/125 shutter speed to freeze movement. There are times where it isn't enough, but more often than not it will stop most movement, and it helps keep my ISO lower!
Great video with a ton of helpful information. I have two tips to add: When shooting concerts, be aware of any lasers which are being used in the stage lighting. If a laser beam happens to hit the sensor of your camera, it cause irreparable damage. In most cases the cost of replacing the sensor with be more than that of replacing the whole camera! If you do get a chance to shoot from on stage, try taking a position behind the band (or DJ), then hold the camera as high as you can and shoot downward, capturing the band and the crowd. If you have a screen that flips, turn it so that it is facing down so that you can preview the shot. Cheers!
Amazing! Finally someone who posts about concert photography :). I've been shooting concerts for seven years (or eight?), and I've been waiting for so long for one of the youtubers I follow to make a video like this :). I've shot bands like Linkin Park, Slipknot, Volbeat, Biffy Clyro, Sabaton and more! Also a few of the bands you just showed (but back than my photos sucked too hard to talk about, haha).
Firstly that Squarespace bit parodying Next was genius!! So funny :) Awesome video, I'm a concert photographer but always good to review the basics just in case, especially when it's an entertaining video like this :)
Thank you. The "photo pass" info is really helpful. I shot a medium band at a small venue a few months ago. I couldn't see if the photos I was taking were coming out alright so I eventually put the camera in automatic for a few "sure shots".
On the back of Tip 3. shooting around the venue also depends on the restrictions of the venue and what the band set. You can shoot from a balcony for one band but the next time they may not allow it. Check with security around venue restrictions for the night. Also don't be afraid to jump in the pit with a fisheye and get some insane crowd shots. Above all else, respect the rules, you do not want to get on the bad side of venue staff or security or it may cause problems down the line for you
Taking my camera to a show tonight for the first time in years. I've seen almost all of the bands in the video multiple times, good taste! Great video!
I totally see you all with those Max Bemis Say Anything shots. Thanks for all the pointers, looking back at those Girl Talk concert photos I took in college in Auto and shaking my head vigorously. Wish I'd had you guys back then.
I would love a little more in depth tutorial on some situations and how to fix them with concept photography. It’s pretty much my main theme. Thank you 💕💕💕💕💕
I like to shoot to the rhythm of the kick drum, because most of the times light changes to its rhythm. Also, I’ll try to anticipate around half a second before the downbeat because some times lights go out or strobe when the downbeat kicks in.
so, recently I got to shoot for the first time on a small closed venue for a band, I have a 6D Mark II and used a Tamron 28-75 f2.8 lens... I know it's not the best equipment but it's what I currently have and literally everything got arranged unexpectedly the same day the illumination wasn't great and didn't wanted to use flash(because it was the first time I was doing this, didn't feel confident about it and overextended the allowed shooting time for like 10 minutes), I shot many of the photos mostly with 6400 ISO, the largest aperture possible and tried to keep the shutter speed above 1/100, and although the band did like the photos I nailed, I'm open to suggestions to improve since a lot feel noisy and it was really hard to focus the band members with the constant movement and low illumination anyway, great video!
Thank you for this! I am shooting my first concert ever this weekend and now I feel a little more confident that I won't totally blow it haha. I am super new to photography so It will be a huge learning experience for me
we have other low light and night photography tutorials if you’re into that sort of thing. just search “mango street low light” and “mango street astrophotography” 🤝
I prefer shooting concerts with a vario lens and I can say this is a better situation for 99% of the cases because you can experiment and try different compositions. The musicians can move around the scene and you can "follow" then with a zoom. I can deal with higher ISO, but I can't with a bad composition. Prime lenses will work in a small venue where you can stay and photograph the whole concert and have time to experiment. For a big gig at a stadium with 50 other photographers in the pit and only 3 songs time going with just a prime lens will be very limiting. I can go with a prime lens on the body if I have a zoom on the other. Tele zoom and wide prime angle will be a perfect case scenario for me.
i do music photography for about 3 years now. and i just wanted to get some inspiration here. it's sooo funny, that you literally shoot every single favorite bands of mine haha. Unfortunately emo/pop punk bands do not play this much in europe :(. But wow, NICE work guys!
This seems to be aimed at people who want to become theatre or stadium band photographers and have lots of money to blow on gear. But you have to crawl before you can walk. Start by photographing at your local pub and build a folio. Some tips: Tip 1: No! _Don’t_ stress about gear. Just take whatever you have and start shooting. Yes it’s better if you can shoot both wide and telephoto shots but don’t assume you need to get a bag full of expensive Canon L series lenses to make this work. You don’t. Tip 2: If you can arrange it, get the lighting people to put up white light for a few seconds before it starts and get a proper white balance instead of trying to guess what it was later. You can batch process your pics in ACR or Lightroom. Tip 3: Shoot in both raw and jpeg until you’ve worked out what you prefer. Tip 4: Practice. Go to small gigs at pubs and ask the management if they mind. Talk to the band too. They’d probably be grateful. Tip 5: Look at the work of band photographers you like and take some inspiration from them. Look at composition and expressions. Identify what you like and what you don’t. Tip 6: No! _Don’t_ stress about ISO. Not if you’re just starting out, anyway. Auto ISO is really good. It’s much better than people think and you can program your camera to a maximum ISO. You can worry about manual ISO later. Even then, there are new noise reduction apps like DSO and Topaz that absolutely crush digital noise. They’re not perfect but they’re a big help. Tip 7: Don’t piss off other patrons. Move around. If you’re close to the stage, try to stay low so people can see. If you’re at the back, a high shot can look great. Tip 8: The most important thing is the face. Focus on the face, unless you’re experimenting. Tip 9: Alcohol and gear don’t mix. Try to keep your camera away from beer, spirits and anything else, including fluffy ducks. Tip: 10: Shooting at maximum aperture reduces your hit rate. If you’re worried about the background, then move to a better angle. Even if you can keep your shutter speed up (say, 1/200 th), shooting at f/1.4 leaves precious little room for error, even with modern eye AF. I would rather have a shot that’s a bit noisy than one that missed focus. Tip 11: Always know where _all_ of your gear is. Either take minimal kit or negotiate with the venue for a secure place to put it. Band photography is easy, as long as you can learn to self-critique your work. Facial expressions and movement make or break a shot. You can’t fudge that but you can fix almost everything else. Think of Henri Cartier-Bresson, who talked about ‘the moment’. That’s what you’re aiming for. And if you don’t like some aspects, you can fix things like framing and exposure in post. Don’t bother with tripods or monopods. They only get in the way and most places won’t allow them. Learn how to hold your camera steady. You can always lean against a post or on the edge of the stage. I haven’t shot a band since my film days but I’ve shot things (professionally) that are easy and things that are hard. Bands are easy. Most of these people are, to some degree, exhibitionists and you will get action shots that work. With IS lenses and IBIS in most bodies, it’s a lot easier than it ever was before.
I remember watching this video when I was actually getting into concert photography... over a year later I can confidently say it's my full time job :)
wow, congrats!
thats so awesome
Got any tips?
@@kyleefaith9714 one of the best tips one of my friends (pro photographer) gave me: shoot shoot shoot & keep on shooting :)
lmao that you cassidy haha
As a concert photographer I just wanted to say you guys nailed it!!
new pin who dis
@@MangoStreet ♥♥♥
Would you recommend 24-70 2.8 lens for this type of work?
@ I know you didn't ask me, but yes, I recommend it. I (and a ton of other concert photographers) use it. I've been using it for years and do NOT want to throw it away.
@ Yes! My favorite concert lenses are 16-35mm f/2.8 and 24-70mm f/2.8!
You guys should start another channel, Mango Street Ads, where you just make ads for stuff. It seems like every page on TH-cam is sponsored by Squarespace, but you guys consistently make the best ads for it. To the point where I don't feel that it detracts from the video and is legitimately interesting in its own right.
Also, your concert photography is dope.
Zach Hanford this 👆🏽
As a concert photographer id say you nailed it. The only two tips I'd add are
1. Be extremely familiar with all your equipment. You have to work fast and in the dark for the most part.
2. Get in with your local music scenes! That's how I got started, get to know your local bands! Live music production is a small world.
This is the first time I’ve watched a video in less than an hour after they dropped it and I’m just commenting to cement my place in history
Congrats
Seriously the only TH-cam channel where I look forward to the ads 😆. You guys are the best.
I'm a concert photographer and I approve these tips. Also, concert is one of the few genres of photography that noise can actually be beneficial so dont be afraid of High ISOs.
I see a LOT of frequent changes on the camera settings. Is it best to shoot in auto or manual?
@@ianpollard184 manual. Auto will give you way too low shutter sheeps and some random apertures. It doesnt know what the hell you're shooting or the situation. I shoot SS 1/250 F2.8 (the wider the better) and ride the ISO up and down if lights change.
@@NunoGomes_ would you recommend shutter priority or apeture priority mode over manual?
@@xMiiDNiTe I'm drunk right nos, but the One were you set the Shutter because the camera most likely Will Open up your aperture up and bump your iso up. But if you can just put your aperture Open to the max, Shutter to 1/200 at least and manage uso accordigly
@@NunoGomes_ thank u fren. hope u had a good night!
I just did one or two concert photography gigs so far but those are really awesome tips to help me get further with that, thank you!
I'm going to a concert tonight and this pops up. Wow
here's a thought: put the camera down and actually enjoy the music
@@jessicaoledan4422 it’s a job..
More than one year ago I asked in the Mango Street Lab forum about tips for taking photos at concerts. The confidence and tips that I got from you really helped me and encouraged me to take even more photos, and during a year-long creative rut, shooting at concerts is the thing that kept me close to photography even during times when I was less motivated and more uninspired.
This has helped me not only getting better at this type of photography but working with big local bands that now trust me to take their pictures at every concert they give, creative connections with other creative people and, as a musician, meeting lots of cool people to collaborate with.
I wanted to thank you in general for your hole channel, the cool cinematography, the great educational educational content you create and your sense of humor, you are doing a beautiful thing, and for inspiring me to try new techniques and learn new things.
You are the best
thank GOD you uploaded this I have my first gig shoot on Saturday!
I just recently shot my first gig and felt the pains you guys addressed 😅. Did not know about the Servo AF option, neat! That would be a really useful video: an in depth guide of camera settings you often use. I feel like I don't use the full capacity of my camera yet because I just don't know those settings and what they do... What I still struggle a lot with is nightlife photography, if you could share any info on that, that would help out a lot... Keep up the great work you guys!
You guys literally covered everything a photographer needs to shoot a big concert, i used your tips, got some bangers and the client is very happy, much love ❤
Came for the low light tips, was fascinated with the photo pass tips. Thank you guys!
This video was perfect for me at the perfect timing because I’ll be shooting my first photo pass concert next week!! Hopefully I can apply these tips during the show and edit the pictures well! Thank you!!!
I'm a full time music photographer and i'm so happy this genre is getting more love.
Thanks for the video. Ages ago in an era of completely different technology I shot Alice Cooper, Deep Purple and others. This week I'm shooting Nightwish on tour and the equipment I have now is so incredible compared to 1980s that I'm definitely pumped. Appreciate the tips.
This is absolutely everything an aspiring live photographer needs to know in a nutshell, well done y'all. Such dope bands too!
Fast shutter speed and having the camera on burst has been a life saver! I can scroll through 5-8 shots of a particular moment and pick the best comp/lighting/facial expression. When people and lighting is moving so much I can't do without it.
The bands you were shooting make me emo heart so happy! Getting to shoot at concerts, particularly if I'm seeing my favourite bands, is honestly the best!!
I honestly couldn't believe the first video to do with gig photography i clicked on had American Football, You Blew It! Tiny Moving Parts and Into It. Over It. in one video wtf
This info is gold, appreciate it BIG time. Been aiming to get into concert photography and I feel well equipped for thet technical side of things... now just need to find a concert!
I've been shooting concerts for 7 years now and people have asked for tips a lot. Next time, I'm going to show them this video! Awesome.
this is the best concert photography 101 on youtube, much love
I’ve waited for this topic for the longest time!! I’m so happy you guys decided to do it!
hope it helps!
Thanks for getting me hooked on American Football
Absolutely loved this video! I've done a few club nights for various underground events. One of the things I would add is to embrace the darkness; and I don't mean worship the devil, but if that's what you're into, I'm not judging.I mean that there will be a lot of contrast between the bright and dark parts, and it's perfectly fine to have areas completely dark, as long as the subject is lit enough (pun intended). This helps with not having to use high ISO since it doesn't matter too much if the background is under exposed/black, if the performer/subject is perfectly exposed.
I just replayed Carlton snoring and Rachel's reaction like five times. ❤😂
Best video ever this is exactly what i was looking for!!!
Great Tips! I will say though (depending on band energy, lighting, etc) I've had pretty good experience using 1/125 shutter speed to freeze movement. There are times where it isn't enough, but more often than not it will stop most movement, and it helps keep my ISO lower!
Great video with a ton of helpful information. I have two tips to add:
When shooting concerts, be aware of any lasers which are being used in the stage lighting. If a laser beam happens to hit the sensor of your camera, it cause irreparable damage. In most cases the cost of replacing the sensor with be more than that of replacing the whole camera!
If you do get a chance to shoot from on stage, try taking a position behind the band (or DJ), then hold the camera as high as you can and shoot downward, capturing the band and the crowd. If you have a screen that flips, turn it so that it is facing down so that you can preview the shot.
Cheers!
solid tips! thanks, tony.
That American Football photo is AMAZING! The flares and the vibe it puts off are so interesting!
Love the ingenious insert of Next to talk about your sponsor. I love your content, guys.
I CRACKED UP at the squeaking stool of lens hahah Thank you guys!
When they add to heart such perfect videos?
Thumbs up isn't enough.
i wish i saw this last week! i didn't know about AF servo until now...that is a lifesaver. thanks for making this vid! love y'all's channel so much :)
Got the best photo for my first concert thank to this video!
So quick and easy to understand.
Amazing! Finally someone who posts about concert photography :). I've been shooting concerts for seven years (or eight?), and I've been waiting for so long for one of the youtubers I follow to make a video like this :). I've shot bands like Linkin Park, Slipknot, Volbeat, Biffy Clyro, Sabaton and more! Also a few of the bands you just showed (but back than my photos sucked too hard to talk about, haha).
LP/MS is dope to shoot, indeed
i was literally looking up "concert photography tips" online yesterday and then this dropped. my fbi agent is really looking out for me.
probably the best concert tute I've seen - thx
Loved the tips! Thanks a lot! Maybe you can make one about event videography, even though you focus more on photo ☺️
This is dope! Really great tips thanks! 🙏🏽
your music taste is amazing anyhow. love the tips too. as a music photographer you guys really nailed it.
Good tips. And yes, drummers are tough to get. Now, I just can't wait to get back to doing this!
🥺
Came for the tutorial, stayed for the squarespace ad. Another great one guys!
damn that mango street notif hits different when ur sick in bed LMAO
i was sick all weekend, too! drink your fluids 🤝
This is by far the best ad of squarespace that you have ever done, it made me laugh a lot, you guys are great!
Firstly that Squarespace bit parodying Next was genius!! So funny :) Awesome video, I'm a concert photographer but always good to review the basics just in case, especially when it's an entertaining video like this :)
Nice photos, nice bands and nice tips.
2nd favorite photography channel!? Outrageous!
You guys are my favorite photography channel!
Thank you. The "photo pass" info is really helpful. I shot a medium band at a small venue a few months ago. I couldn't see if the photos I was taking were coming out alright so I eventually put the camera in automatic for a few "sure shots".
Every shots is really good 😍
Thanks for the tips will try them out
I really like your commercial for Square Space.
This video is amazing an absolute life saver!! I sent it to almost everyone I know... 😂😂❤️
You guys are becoming my favourite photography channel to watch! Love ya'll! :)
Best tutorial in low light .
Say Anything, The Wonder Years, and Chvrches...you two are my peoples...
On the back of Tip 3. shooting around the venue also depends on the restrictions of the venue and what the band set. You can shoot from a balcony for one band but the next time they may not allow it. Check with security around venue restrictions for the night. Also don't be afraid to jump in the pit with a fisheye and get some insane crowd shots.
Above all else, respect the rules, you do not want to get on the bad side of venue staff or security or it may cause problems down the line for you
So much valuable information with practical session , in such as engaging way ❤️🎉 Thanks a lot ❤️❤️
Love the Mondo Cozmo footage in there - if I saw what I think I saw! LOL
Guys . your tips videos are just simple and to the point ❤
Best concert photography video out there. Thank you for finally creating this!
i love you guys so much. thank you for being my second favorite photography channel
Taking my camera to a show tonight for the first time in years. I've seen almost all of the bands in the video multiple times, good taste! Great video!
Love this. Thanks
That was the best sponsored ad I've ever seen in my life lmao. Brought me back to the trashy good ol' days
I´ll go to a concert this Sunday. I needed this video so much!
I wish this was around when I started shooting. This was great info
Great video and info thanks!
I totally see you all with those Max Bemis Say Anything shots. Thanks for all the pointers, looking back at those Girl Talk concert photos I took in college in Auto and shaking my head vigorously. Wish I'd had you guys back then.
All of those bands are sick
Finally! A tutorial I've been waiting for! 😄🤩
I would love a little more in depth tutorial on some situations and how to fix them with concept photography. It’s pretty much my main theme. Thank you 💕💕💕💕💕
I like to shoot to the rhythm of the kick drum, because most of the times light changes to its rhythm. Also, I’ll try to anticipate around half a second before the downbeat because some times lights go out or strobe when the downbeat kicks in.
so, recently I got to shoot for the first time on a small closed venue for a band, I have a 6D Mark II and used a Tamron 28-75 f2.8 lens... I know it's not the best equipment but it's what I currently have and literally everything got arranged unexpectedly the same day
the illumination wasn't great and didn't wanted to use flash(because it was the first time I was doing this, didn't feel confident about it and overextended the allowed shooting time for like 10 minutes), I shot many of the photos mostly with 6400 ISO, the largest aperture possible and tried to keep the shutter speed above 1/100, and although the band did like the photos I nailed, I'm open to suggestions to improve since a lot feel noisy and it was really hard to focus the band members with the constant movement and low illumination
anyway, great video!
Thank you for this! I am shooting my first concert ever this weekend and now I feel a little more confident that I won't totally blow it haha. I am super new to photography so It will be a huge learning experience for me
Amazing video! Thank you so much for the helpful advice!
I really needed this, thank you guys.
THANK YOU! Photographing my first concert this week, so excited because I love the artist but nervous!
I’m going to try to take a few live concerts this week in Appleton, Wisconsin. Mile Music Festival.
Yeah finally some low night photography tutorial! Thanks
we have other low light and night photography tutorials if you’re into that sort of thing. just search “mango street low light” and “mango street astrophotography” 🤝
Thank you!!! This tips is really help me for my first photo stage 😅💕💕
im literally trying to shoot motion city this fall this really helps
I prefer shooting concerts with a vario lens and I can say this is a better situation for 99% of the cases because you can experiment and try different compositions. The musicians can move around the scene and you can "follow" then with a zoom. I can deal with higher ISO, but I can't with a bad composition.
Prime lenses will work in a small venue where you can stay and photograph the whole concert and have time to experiment. For a big gig at a stadium with 50 other photographers in the pit and only 3 songs time going with just a prime lens will be very limiting. I can go with a prime lens on the body if I have a zoom on the other. Tele zoom and wide prime angle will be a perfect case scenario for me.
very cute and creative advertising! love the tips on concert photography, needed it. much love 🙏🏻🖤
this next Ad is so nice hahah
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I'm shooting a night time Christmas parade tonight for a friend. I'm more confident now. :)
Great video thank you, Subscribed!
this is so useful thank you!! I’ve been a sports photographer forever but I kinda want to try something new✨
Very well explained!! Thank you
i do music photography for about 3 years now. and i just wanted to get some inspiration here. it's sooo funny, that you literally shoot every single favorite bands of mine haha. Unfortunately emo/pop punk bands do not play this much in europe :(. But wow, NICE work guys!
Your ads are always the best!
First off killer photos, and tips. Second you guys have amazing music taste
You guys featured so many of my favorite bands in this, I'm jealous! Awesome video.
This ad is too good hahaha I’m dying
Excellent thank you
This seems to be aimed at people who want to become theatre or stadium band photographers and have lots of money to blow on gear. But you have to crawl before you can walk. Start by photographing at your local pub and build a folio. Some tips:
Tip 1: No! _Don’t_ stress about gear. Just take whatever you have and start shooting. Yes it’s better if you can shoot both wide and telephoto shots but don’t assume you need to get a bag full of expensive Canon L series lenses to make this work. You don’t.
Tip 2: If you can arrange it, get the lighting people to put up white light for a few seconds before it starts and get a proper white balance instead of trying to guess what it was later. You can batch process your pics in ACR or Lightroom.
Tip 3: Shoot in both raw and jpeg until you’ve worked out what you prefer.
Tip 4: Practice. Go to small gigs at pubs and ask the management if they mind. Talk to the band too. They’d probably be grateful.
Tip 5: Look at the work of band photographers you like and take some inspiration from them. Look at composition and expressions. Identify what you like and what you don’t.
Tip 6: No! _Don’t_ stress about ISO. Not if you’re just starting out, anyway. Auto ISO is really good. It’s much better than people think and you can program your camera to a maximum ISO. You can worry about manual ISO later. Even then, there are new noise reduction apps like DSO and Topaz that absolutely crush digital noise. They’re not perfect but they’re a big help.
Tip 7: Don’t piss off other patrons. Move around. If you’re close to the stage, try to stay low so people can see. If you’re at the back, a high shot can look great.
Tip 8: The most important thing is the face. Focus on the face, unless you’re experimenting.
Tip 9: Alcohol and gear don’t mix. Try to keep your camera away from beer, spirits and anything else, including fluffy ducks.
Tip: 10: Shooting at maximum aperture reduces your hit rate. If you’re worried about the background, then move to a better angle. Even if you can keep your shutter speed up (say, 1/200 th), shooting at f/1.4 leaves precious little room for error, even with modern eye AF. I would rather have a shot that’s a bit noisy than one that missed focus.
Tip 11: Always know where _all_ of your gear is. Either take minimal kit or negotiate with the venue for a secure place to put it.
Band photography is easy, as long as you can learn to self-critique your work. Facial expressions and movement make or break a shot. You can’t fudge that but you can fix almost everything else. Think of Henri Cartier-Bresson, who talked about ‘the moment’. That’s what you’re aiming for. And if you don’t like some aspects, you can fix things like framing and exposure in post. Don’t bother with tripods or monopods. They only get in the way and most places won’t allow them. Learn how to hold your camera steady. You can always lean against a post or on the edge of the stage.
I haven’t shot a band since my film days but I’ve shot things (professionally) that are easy and things that are hard. Bands are easy. Most of these people are, to some degree, exhibitionists and you will get action shots that work. With IS lenses and IBIS in most bodies, it’s a lot easier than it ever was before.
Great Rex’s and..... Best square space add I have seen. 😂
As always really good video, i love the attention to details like masking the gmail window that appears on your back.