Gig shots - Sucioperro - Could do with some tips for next time.

[stellarbeam]

So, last night I shot a band called Sucioperro at the Roadhouse in Manchester. The turn out in crowd numbers wasn't great, but this made it easier for me to move about to take photos.

The lead singer J.P. Reid has a side project called Marmaduke Duke with Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro, so if you think he looks familiar that's probably why.

Anyway, onto the photo stuff. I really struggled last night to get shots I was satisfied with. The venue is notoriously dark and the lighting worse than usual. (Lights were left on red...no flashing or changing or anything like that...at least not that I recall)

I use my lens on AF as my eyes simply aren't good enough to see what I'm doing with MF. A lot of struggling to focus, made harder by the lads black tops on a black background.

All these images were at f2.8 1/60 ISO1600 and using flash. I'd be so grateful if people could give me tips to improve for next time. The venue is simply too small to use a 50mm on a 400D Canon.

Oh yeah, almost forgot...Photos...

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

I'd love comments/constructive critisism on any of the above photos. A few more are on my Flickr.

P.S. The gig was great!!!

 

[david1701]

try a song or two with the nifty just shooting head and shoulders (I love close crops) but it won't af in the dark, on my 50d my 50mm f1.8 won't af in really low light

how were you flashing it? the lighting seems very even (as in where the flash would have fallen off theres a lot of ambient) , if it was on shoe or just one gun there might be room there to lose the flash and shoot without it for more atmosphere, just a thought I tend to shoot a mixture of flash and ambient (ie flash on or off) with two flash guns taped to the main speakers (I'm an audio tech too so get a bit more carte blanche)

 

[stellarbeam]

Thank you for the feedback

I had one flash, on camera, pointing directly ahead (99% of the time anyway) I had the output at -2 and set to 14mm (sorry I'm new to the flash and can't think of the right terms...I think a read of the manual is in order)

I usually prefer to shoot without flash, but this venue is so dark that it's near on impossible to get anything usable. Sadly my camera wont go higher than iso1600 and I find anything lower than a 1/60 shutter speed is blurry.

I'll make myself use the nifty next time...I'm always nervous about swapping lenses over at gig, I worry I'll drop them or something even though it's unlikely.

Any tips on flash settings?

 

[david1701]

I know the feeling on dark venues (hence why i went to a 50d.....5dmkII ....drool)

do you have a shoulder bag, if so do it over that so if you drop one it goes in the bag

It seems you move about a bit so this wont help too much but when I'm (or my flashes are) still I have been known to bounce off of shiny pipes or white bits of ceiling.

Again you move about too much for manual to be better than ttl

what about gelling the flash to get either funky effects or to match the stage lights a little better, hit up lee filters for a free sample pack big enough for a fashgun

 

[DropDead]

I never use flash

It's about using the lights in the background,

I always make sure that the "lightbulb" is in the picture as it gives off a stronger colour.
As you've displayed in image two. If that flash wasn't there it would have been an emense image!

Check my flickr for my results.
www.flickr.com/jake-lewis

Cheers

Jake

 

[david1701]

I prefer gig lights but theres an open mike I shoot every week that have one yellow light so I often play around with flash there as the lighting isn't that cool tbh

 

[stellarbeam]

Thank you for the tips. I'll have to try bouncing the flash off something. The ceiling and walls there are black but the pillars by the stage are shiny black so might do the trick. I'll get some gels as well and see what effects I can get.

Jake - I used to be a strictly no flash person...untill I encountered this venue. There were 2 proffesional photographers there this night and even they were using flash at all times. I feel most of the time that flash kills the atmosphere of the shot but sometimes sadly it's the only way to get the shot. I just need to learn the best ways to use it.

David - I soooooo want a 5DmkII. If it hadn't have been for the price increases I would have got one Hopefully in the next year or 2 I'll get one.

 

[david1701]

I just dream, I can buy one next year but I can't eat aswell must get some more work in

I use a shiny silver air con pipe 2+ft across at my open mike, but yeah ambient where possible

 

[Dino f]

If you must use flash (dont get used to it 99% of venues wont allow it) then i find shoot manual on your camera, then set the flash to a low setting,1/64th power on my canon flash, just to add a little pop to the subject, still allowing the stage lights to dominate. Check out these shots as an example, they were taken from midday to midnight. The latter ones using a flash.
Dean

 

[stellarbeam]

Dinof, Thank you for the tip, I'll try it out. I did set the power a little lower on my flash...I think, lol. I Must read the manual.

I know most venues don't allow flash and I really don't like using it. If I could have got useable images without it I would have done.

Camera was on fully manual. I left the same settings the whole time though as 1/60 is the lowest I feel I can go without blurryness and f2.8 is the widest my lens goes.

I'm hoping to get a photopass soon for a music event that covers various venues so that should give me lots of practice at shooting gigs with flash and no flash if I manage to get it.