Concert Photograthy HELP!!

LensOfLondon

LensOfLondon

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Stacie
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Hi,

I am wondering if anyone can help me!

I am going to do some photography at a concert and I have seen on many tips that people suggest a 50mm f1.8 lens as it has a big aperture and the light is very restricted at these events. Also to enable you to use a faster shutter speed.

Does anyone recommend this lens? Can you still zoom with this lens?

I am very new to photography and would really appriciate any help.

Thanks

Stacie
 
50mm lens is what i use for 99% of my concert stuff so yes

either a 1.4 or a 1.8

its a prime lens thats one focal length so you cant zoom

just move in or back of as best you can
 
I think you'll find it to be a 50mm prime lens i.e fixed focal length.
Mick
 
Yeah a 50 1.4 / 1.8 is one of the 'concert' lenses so yeah go for it and no you can't zoom with it.
 
The link does not work :(

So being unable to zoom is not a bad thing I am guessing??

Thanks
 
50mm 1.8 is a great lens and one i still use for concerts.
Being able to zoom is a good advantage if its restricted space but not a must have.
Just make sure you vary your positions when you shoot and to vary the type of shot you go for.
 
Well I should have enough space, Ive not been to the venue but will have a press pass and be infront of the crowd!

I think I will make a purchase then!
 
wehter you need zoom, or lack of zoom depends on how close you can get at a gig.
i do a fair few small venues where a 50mm is actualy too long.i can get almost up the noses of the performers.
its a great lens for the money ***.
i have a sigma ex dg17-50.
its 2.8, not 1.8 so higher ISO is often called for, but for me the extra width is needed.
having said that, my 50mm is always handy.
and i still want a 1.4
have a looky at my myspace or facebook for ideas.
 
inaneredstripe said:
wehter you need zoom, or lack of zoom depends on how close you can get at a gig.
i do a fair few small venues where a 50mm is actualy too long.i can get almost up the noses of the performers.
its a great lens for the money ***.
i have a sigma ex dg17-50.
its 2.8, not 1.8 so higher ISO is often called for, but for me the extra width is needed.
having said that, my 50mm is always handy.
and i still want a 1.4
have a looky at my myspace or facebook for ideas.
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This is excellent advice and the only lens I would also recommend is the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8. As has already been said, 50mm can be too narrow in the pit. Whilst prime lenses are always sharper than zooms, the zoom gives you a bit more flexibility.

As long as you keep your ISO high enough to keep a decent shutter speed for hand holding the camera, you will be fine. Forget about noise....;)

DONT FORGET EAR DEFENDERS!!!!!! Being right up front in the pit can be truly deafening, especially if you use speakers to lean against.

Have fun!
 
LOL I normally que silly hours to be at the front at gigs so it will be good to actually be infront of everyone else for a change!

Ill check out the fb and myspace page cheers :)
 
I'm also doing a gig on Monday (or Tuesday), I'll be taking 17-40, 24-70 and 70-200, between 2 bodies. I'll just crank up the ISO and shoot around f4 on the wider angle glass and f2.8-3.5 on the longer lens. Once inside I'll decide which short lens is best.
 
OK, I only have one body at the mo! So I have to try and get it right with just the one! I done one gig before in a bar and I was'nt very happy with the pics! But better luck next time ay!
 
LensOfLondon said:
I am going to do some photography at a concert
Click to expand...


Stacie what concert will you be at?

I use a Sigma 18-50mm 2.8 on most of my gigs, its an affordable lens and can be got cheap on ebay if your lucky.
Best bet is like what i and others have said though. The 50mm 1.8. Take your kit lens if you have nothing else as if lighting is really good you may be able to use that?!
 
It 'Example' at Norwich Waterfront. The gig is Monday so I dont really have time to do ebay, I can get a Sont 50mm f1.8 from jessops for £135.

:)
 
Hey Natjag, I was just looking at your website, I see you photographed Lily Allen ay Heaven - I'm a massive Lily Allen fan! Maybe one day Ill get to photograph her!
 
LensOfLondon said:
It 'Example' at Norwich Waterfront. The gig is Monday so I dont really have time to do ebay, I can get a Sont 50mm f1.8 from jessops for £135.

:)
Click to expand...

Ah you have a sony camera then? Shame canon 50mm 1.8 costs about £80 from Jessops. Its worth buying still though!

What other lenses do you have?
 
Yea I have a Sony A200. Ive got a Tamron 18-200 and 70-300 lens
 
Well from the research ive just done in five mins shows me that the lighting for his gigs looks decent. Id take your 18-200 along to the gig and bump up your iso and shutter speed no less then 1/125 and you should get some good images. Obviously if you can get the 50mm then it would make things easier.
 
Im gonna get the 50mm, but think ill have to stick to one as I wont really have time to change them.

Thanks for you help its much appreciated.

What gigs have you done before?
 
Hi,
I shoot at the Waterfront all the time, its a great and intimate venue! The lighting can be variable so the fastest lens you can use the better. The link should have worked, do a search on doctor_199 he did a really good tutorial on gig photography.

Dunc
 
LensOfLondon said:
What gigs have you done before?
Click to expand...

Ive been doing gigs at Colchester Arts Centre since the start of the year and had done some other venues before. Ive photographed Faithless (lighting was awful) The Automatic, Bowling For Soup, Young Guns. To name a few and am waiting on confirmation for Juliette Lewis, Klaxons, 36 Crazy Fists and several well known festivals.

Im not assigned to any publication at the moment but god does it help you get the big shows!
 
LensOfLondon said:
OK, I only have one body at the mo! So I have to try and get it right with just the one! I done one gig before in a bar and I was'nt very happy with the pics! But better luck next time ay!
Click to expand...
This is probably the best way to learn. If your good a self critique, then you'll be able to know what not and what to do next time. I have two bodies as I'll have to get a range of shots. I could easily shoot on one. I saw an article on a canon magazine on a music tog that just had a 350D and standard cheap kit lens, She was getting better pictures than the guys with top of the range gear. I spoke to her once and she just said she works with what she has, not what she doesn't have. That included her equipment and what is infront of the lens.

LensOfLondon said:
Hey Natjag, I was just looking at your website, I see you photographed Lily Allen ay Heaven - I'm a massive Lily Allen fan! Maybe one day Ill get to photograph her!
Click to expand...
From what I hear Lily Allen has quit the music business. I never thought I'd be shooting her (or many of the small amount of live gigs I've done) a few years back. I was just lucky I guess. There are far better photographers and music photographers out there. Sadly many just don't get the right breaks.
 
natjag said:
This is probably the best way to learn. If your good a self critique, then you'll be able to know what not and what to do next time. I have two bodies as I'll have to get a range of shots. I could easily shoot on one. I saw an article on a canon magazine on a music tog that just had a 350D and standard cheap kit lens, She was getting better pictures than the guys with top of the range gear. I spoke to her once and she just said she works with what she has, not what she doesn't have. That included her equipment and what is infront of the lens.


From what I hear Lily Allen has quit the music business. I never thought I'd be shooting her (or many of the small amount of live gigs I've done) a few years back. I was just lucky I guess. There are far better photographers and music photographers out there. Sadly many just don't get the right breaks.
Click to expand...

I can't see her staying away from music for too long. I know her manager through the guy who I am photographing on Monday and he said she will get bored and be back before we know it! So who knows.

I actually have one of the pics from the g-a-y night signed by her :)

You seem quite lucky then!
 
LensOfLondon said:
I can't see her staying away from music for too long. I know her manager through the guy who I am photographing on Monday and he said she will get bored and be back before we know it! So who knows.

I actually have one of the pics from the g-a-y night signed by her :)

You seem quite lucky then!
Click to expand...

I hope she carries on. I spent more time watching her than taking photos.

I'll let you know after Monday/Tuesday how lucky I am or not after the gig I'm supposed to be doing.
Good luck with yours.
 
natjag said:
I hope she carries on. I spent more time watching her than taking photos.

I'll let you know after Monday/Tuesday how lucky I am or not after the gig I'm supposed to be doing.
Good luck with yours.
Click to expand...

Cool, who you photographing you never said....
 
Muss said:
Ive been doing gigs at Colchester Arts Centre since the start of the year and had done some other venues before. Ive photographed Faithless (lighting was awful) The Automatic, Bowling For Soup, Young Guns. To name a few and am waiting on confirmation for Juliette Lewis, Klaxons, 36 Crazy Fists and several well known festivals.

Im not assigned to any publication at the moment but god does it help you get the big shows!
Click to expand...

Sorry but I havn't heard of any one of them


Realspeed
 
realspeed said:
Sorry but I havn't heard of any one of them
Click to expand...

Mainly all rock orientated. But seriously... you havent heard of Faithless? :thinking:

All the ones listed are well established in their genre and for me being a fan of their genre it was soo cool to photograph them :thumbs:
 
i only ever use one body
unless its a really well lit hall even f2.8 can be useless
ive shot in o2 academys where it was to dark, let alone small local venues

i would only use a 70-200 zoom at a festival

my lens of choice on full frame are 50mm 1.4,85mm 1.4 and 35mm f2

my advice would be use one body leave the 50mm on and concentrate on getting good photos.

i was at iggy and the stooges out of 20 odd photographers i think 2 maybe 3 had any clue as to what to do.
it looked like a show and tell with people waveing massive zooms around. when you could stand next to the stage it was pointless.
 
Hi,
Yes agree with straycat. You normally only get the first three songs to shoot so you don't have much time to mess around changing cameras and lenses. At the Waterfront there is a small pit next to the stage, the stage is quite low, maybe 2 ft or so. All of which means you are very close!
A 50mm lens on a crop body means that you will need to shoot in landscape mode because in portrait you will not get a guitarist and his instrument in shot. Unless that is, you are a bit further to the side.
I shoot all my gigs with one camera and one lens and one battery! I don't have to worry about changing anything just my position and this is key to good shots with a fixed focal length lens. I use a 35mm 1.4L which I shoot in TV mode normally around 1/200, the camera sorts apeture for me with ISO on 3200. But I often find when I go back through shots I am down to 1/60 and 1.4! This means that a 2.8 will often not get you the good shot unfortunately.

Heres one from the Temper Trap gig at the UEA a couple of days ago.

IMG_1380131_edited-1.jpg


Cheers,

Dunc
 
iso 4000 [i dont like to normally go over 3200]

i needed speed as this lot didnt stop moveing but couldnt get it

not really sharp enough

1/100s f1.6

so if i had a f2.8 zoom on i would of had anything.



JC7_4159.gif





1/320,f1.4,iso 4000


JC7_4082.gif
 
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