Concert photography
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The document discusses techniques for concert photography. It provides tips for both novice and experienced concert photographers, including understanding equipment, gaining access to venues and bands, techniques for shooting during concerts, and ways to get photographs published or sold after a concert. The key aspects are knowing your camera gear, scouting the venue beforehand, anticipating moments to capture during performances, and selecting a small number of high-quality photographs to share after the event. Audience questions further explore topics like reading lenses, approaching publications, dealing with noise, and post-processing techniques.
Concert photography
- 1. DEVELOPING POTENTIAL IN YOUNG PEOPLE CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHY: Date: 23/01/2011 Venue: The India Habitat Centre Key points of discussion: How do you start out? Technique: 1. Need specific techniques for concert photography 2. Entry level is the DSR Camera 3. Kit lenses 4. The key is that you need to know your gear well 5. To be able to change settings on your camera, while being aware simultaneously of whats happening. 6. Practice helps you prepare for the bigger gigs/concerts and become better 7. Be aware of the limitations, the nois 8. 1/15 cant capture motion that easy 9. Absorb the scene before you begin shooting. Slow the process and take your time 10. Quality over quantity, fewer frames work better 11. To capture the essence, its important to observe the performance of the bands and their stage presence 12. Make the composition first and then use your gear 13. Get to the venue early, check out the setting 14. You have to know the music youre shooting, so that you can anticipate the moments, for example, the guitar solo 15. Lighting extremely integral 16. What distinguishes a good photographer from a bad photographer is the selection process. 17. Every performance requires a different technique with respect to rock music, dance, jazz performance 18. Who are you shooting for, is important to keep in mind 19. Carry ear plugs 20. The usability of flash; Need to know when to use the flash and when not. Getting down to the basics: How do I gain Access? Its easy to get access to bands and pubs, difficult to get bigger bands and photography rights can be an issue sometime. Journalists get easier access. Organizers will sometimes give photographers access to shoot the performances Shooting for a sponsor can ensure band access. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ N-204 Greater Kailash, Part 1, New Delhi 110048. T.: +91.11.46792243 E.: theypfoundation@gmail.com. W.: www.theypfoundation.org A Registered Charitable Trust
- 2. 2 DEVELOPING POTENTIAL IN YOUNG PEOPLE BEFORE the Gig: 1. Understanding the camera 2. Understanding the lighting- patterns + Waiting for the light + Metering + adjusting settings + RED light 3. Aperture priority/Shutter Priority or Manual? Focus modes? Pre focusing/focus locking/ 4. Have a look around. Wait for a couple of songs so you understand the band, the lighting etc better. This is if youre shooting small local gigs 5. Dont forget the drummer, Know who you are shooting, research about the band, knowing the music, Getting to the venue early, knowing the musicians+ music. Anticipating- Solos, Jumpsetc. 6. TIMING DURING the Gig: 7. Horrible front light, and be nice sidelight if youre shooting from the side, and wait for the artist to turn towards you, or it can be a proper backlight if you end up behind the artist-Change your position and the relative position to the light to see where the light is looking the best. 8. Avoiding Microphones/Stands etc- Composition. (Maybe get some stock shots in, or get some photographs with the headstock to give to guitar companies etc) 9. Working the venueAngles + perspectives + crowd shots 10. Using flash? Mixing ambient and flash light- 11. Etiquette- Not spoiling the show for the fans, not blocking the video crew, not coming too close to the performer, Small footprint, Camera bag can hurt/distract people, move away if youve made your shot, changing lenses on stage or in front of the performer, checking your LCD, 12. Jazz or classical gig Vs Rock gigMovement, sound, position, when to shoot when not to shoot, anticipating etc 13. Holding camera correctly for minimum blur 14. Paying attention to the background 15. FULL band shots 16. When to press the shutter- in the moment shots. Not the usual poses, something personal, something different. 1) ISO? 2) At f1.8 youll be able to shoot at faster shutter speeds because the camera is letting more light into the lens. But therell also be a smaller area thats in focus so you have to be very exact with your focus point. 3) Checking focus etc 4) EAR PLUGS- Important. AFTER the Gig: 1. Photo Pass Do you need one? How do you get one? : Building Connections- Emails- Photos in exchange for access- Being associated with a publication. What you are offering the band: Social Media/Shooting for the venue? Importance of building a varied portfolio. Different approaches to shooting- Editorial+for the musicians+ for the Publicist + for your self How to get published? Where to get published? Knowing your market? Who buys concert photographs? Documentation? 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ N-204 Greater Kailash, New Delhi 110048. T.: +91.11.46792243 E.: theypfoundation@gmail.com. W.: www.theypfoundation.org A Registered Charitable Trust
- 3. 3 DEVELOPING POTENTIAL IN YOUNG PEOPLE 1) Editing- Making TIGHT edits, getting it down to say 12-20 photographs from a full night of shooting bands. 2) Editing differently for Magazines/publicists/ bands 3) Image archiving 4) Photoshop Vs. Aperture/Light room 5) Black and white conversion etc. 6) Down to the best 3. If youre going to show other people your photos dont show them everything, just the very best. Theyll assume all your shots are that good. 7) Spend time shooting small gigs/local gigs to perfect technique before you reach out for those press passes and larger gigs. 8) f you spot a particularly bright spotlight behind a performer move around till its directly behind the subject. Itll give them a warm halo of light. 9) Upping the contrast/blacksExposurevignettes Color cast How to get your images PUBLISHED/SOLD etc: 1. Emailing magazines 2. Regularly updated archives 3. Sources: Liveshots, NH7/Indiecision, Indianrockmp3-email. 4. Mail music journalists/photo editors with links to your work- but do not spam. You need to know who uses pictures of the local scene, and get in touch with those people. But before that making sure your images are of the top quality is important, because theyre busy, and do not usually end up looking at the same portfolios over and over again. 5. Selling prints through the bands fanbase? 6. Roycin--- Calendars 7. Shiv- Prints/ Signed prints 8. Vijay Kate- Shooting for the sponsorBut need to get the branding in. Whose copyright is it anyway? 1. Does the copyrighting with the photographer? Theres a legal aspect and ethical aspect. The rights lie with the creator, unless the photographer chooses to sign it off. Need to take permission from the band youre shooting; ethical issue Flicker: Non commercial use is allowed, as long as the credit is given If credit is not given, theres no point in giving your photograph to any newspaper. The organizer cannot give out photographs without the photographers permission. How do we ensure that the pictures are not misused? PDF is a better format to send the photographs in. Watermark your photographs So, will I make Money? Its tough to get money out here. Bands find it difficult to make enough money to pay photographers Ideas on how to get income; Customized calendar of the band/ Prints/ Signed prints/Shooting for the sponsor: Including their branding./ Merchandise with the bands signature. 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ N-204 Greater Kailash, New Delhi 110048. T.: +91.11.46792243 E.: theypfoundation@gmail.com. W.: www.theypfoundation.org A Registered Charitable Trust
- 4. 4 DEVELOPING POTENTIAL IN YOUNG PEOPLE AUDIENCE INTERACTION Questions: Q1: How do you read a lens, specifically F 28 (Aperture) If you dont understand a certain thing, Google it Q2: When you want to publish your photographs, how do you approach the media? Select the best 5 frames out of the 300 frames you shoot in night. Research on the magazine where you want to publish, to see their work Send a tight set of 5 8 pictures to the media. Spread out and find out the target magazines that are looking to publish. If youre assigned to a shoot, get a brief on what the editor wants and follow the deliverables. Q3: Is noise a problem? Theres no problem, the moment is more important than the noise. Q4: Most of the pictures are zoomed in, and focused. Why? The distance from the stage could be a reason. But there are no such hard facts, wide angle is also used Q5: Do you shoot at 2.8? If the lighting is good, I reduce the aperture (5.6) I like wide angle shots. If youre shooting a band, Id want the whole band. The band also likes full shots. Q6: What is the process followed for post processing? Using Photoshop is tedious, just fine tune your photographs and use original picture as much as possible Q7: Personal inspiration? Face book, where one can get in touch with other photographers, get a good critique and craft your style Q8: Careers in Concert Photography Can be difficult for school children because they arent allowed inside bars and pubs. Other venues can be explored Rules are meant to be broken, if school kids can get inside they should! 4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ N-204 Greater Kailash, New Delhi 110048. T.: +91.11.46792243 E.: theypfoundation@gmail.com. W.: www.theypfoundation.org A Registered Charitable Trust
- 5. 5 DEVELOPING POTENTIAL IN YOUNG PEOPLE 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ N-204 Greater Kailash, New Delhi 110048. T.: +91.11.46792243 E.: theypfoundation@gmail.com. W.: www.theypfoundation.org A Registered Charitable Trust