Concert pics

[bikerider]

I went to a gig last night at a country hall, the music was fantastic and there was about 100 people there, a very intimate gig. This is also my first attempt at shooting a performance without flash and I used my 50mm 1.4 exclusively. There were moments I really wanted my wide angle, but it was at home and it's only f4.......I need more lenses lol.....and more practice. Anyway please c&c.
Roger.

[bikerider]

two more for now.....

[symes]

I am just curious why you didn't use the 50mm? could you not get close enough?

I like your selection up here...try running them through noise ninja or Neatimage...

Isn't concert photography difficult...I really enjoy it but it is a lot more challenging than other types...

Cheers,

[bikerider]

I am just curious why you didn't use the 50mm? could you not get close enough?

I like your selection up here...try running them through noise ninja or Neatimage...

Isn't concert photography difficult...I really enjoy it but it is a lot more challenging than other types...

Cheers,

Erm as I said in my post, I used my 50mm exclusively, I just felt like shooting some wide shots as well but f4 is too slow. I haven't got a noise reduction programme, maybe I should investigate.....here's a couple more pics anyway.
Roger.

[René Damkot]

Some very nice pictures, specially if it's your first try...
I think I like the last two best. First one is nice, but could be cropped closer. 2&4 are nice, but 'suffer' from the background, 3 is understandable beacause of the tattoo, but not a very nice angle.
Was this girl playing so bad she had to be armed on stage? :lol:

[symes]

Roger,

that was an oversight on my part sorry...tired eyes maybe...

Sorry...

hahaha

Cheers,

[subtle_spectre]

What ISO, or did I miss it? Did you use AWB or any custom? Here is a thread about Noise apps: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=109443&highlight=community+noise+ware

[RockSlut]

Roger, that's the Red Hot Poker Dots! They absolutely rock! There is nothing like a woman on slap-bass. You've done really well despite the difficult conditions.

I find that the images appear a little dark and I think you probably had a little faster shutterspeed than necessary. I noticed that all of your posted images completely stop the motion of the performers. IMHO I like a little movement which shows the action and gives some extra feel. I find when I'm shooting with my 50mm f/1.8 I can shoot at around 1/50 or 1/60 and still get an image that doesn't suffer from camera shake. You'll find that such speeds also allow to capture just enough motion to give the extra feeling.

To demonstrated the effect I mean, I have linked a photo of Lil'O'Dette the Red Hot Poker Dots here (http://www.rocksluts.net.au/bands/2005/03mar05/rhpd/IMG_1195_e.jpg).

I hope this helps.

[rklepper]

Very nice shots. There must have been different lights on the second one of the drummer. That one is nice and looks sharper than the others.

Thanks for sharing.

[DwightMcCann]

Wowwee! Lil'O'Dette is a show in herself! I think they are very good shots. I haven't anything good out of my 50mm f1.4 or 85mm f1.2L yet ... I don't think these lenses are easy to work with but once you get the feel they apparently can produce amazing images. Love that ink!

[bikerider]

Ren'e, I did think about a closer crop but there was always some part of someone else in the crop so I felt that was the best balance as bringing the crop right in on her right side would have made the crop very slim......

Symes, no worries mate lol been there at times.....

Suble_spectre my iso were both 800 and 1600, I was getting shutter speeds of 125 sec at 1600, white balance was on auto for adjustment in conversion.

Hey Angus, yep' the RHPD were awesome, I think I liked them better than The Remains. I also think you're right about shutter speed, I had my camera on aperture priority, next time it will be shutter priority. Ha ha that shot on the link I have one just like it lol, see attached.

Thanks Doc, yes the lighting was all over the place, one huge red spot at the front and the white light on the drummer etc etc lol.......

Dwight, thanks for the positive comment mate but they pale by comparison with yours, I reckon' I'll get better though as I enjoyed myself and you are right Lil O'Dette really puts on a great show.
Roger.

[bikerider]

a couple more for good measure........

[DwightMcCann]

I'm not sure why this is such a hard thing for folks to realize ... my pictures are so good because I have GREAT lighting and the best equipment. I'm not particularly artistic, am certainly not a graphic artist, have no formal photographic education, most often don't see what is there to be seen and besides, I'm old. The one thing I do seem to have real talent with is shooting what I think of as "Candid People", which is what Live Entertainment happens to be about to a significant extent. If you look at my images, they are much more likely than anyone else's to be about faces ... I watch faces ... I shoot faces ... I am not intimidated by faces ... I tend to shoot with bigger lenses than anyone else in our group, too. But, I could not do any of this without the really great lighting at the casino. As I so often say, just go look on my website under the Maverick Saloon Project and you will see that my work in that area pales compared to these images.

[Samiad]

The one thing I can say is that some of your photos are very fast shutter speeds....some are 1/400 at f/1.4 at ISO1600 <- that probably isn't the best use of light, especially as the 50mm wide open is pretty soft. I think f/2.0 might have been the best compromise.

(obviously some shots are 1/60th at f/1.4, not a lot could be done there!)

[u2wedge]

I'm not sure why this is such a hard thing for folks to realize ... my pictures are so good because I have GREAT lighting and the best equipment. I'm not particularly artistic, am certainly not a graphic artist, have no formal photographic education, most often don't see what is there to be seen and besides, I'm old. The one thing I do seem to have real talent with is shooting what I think of as "Candid People", which is what Live Entertainment happens to be about to a significant extent. If you look at my images, they are much more likely than anyone else's to be about faces ... I watch faces ... I shoot faces ... I am not intimidated by faces ... I tend to shoot with bigger lenses than anyone else in our group, too. But, I could not do any of this without the really great lighting at the casino. As I so often say, just go look on my website under the Maverick Saloon Project and you will see that my work in that area pales compared to these images.

modest, too! ;)

Dwight, what settings do you recommend for rock shows? I'm going to be front row at U2 in a couple weeks and will be breaking in my new a620 p&s. Would love to share my pics w/ the group.

[nevermindthat]

I like the fact that a chick bass player ... playing an upright bass ... has so many tatoos and piercings, yet plays in a country band ...... That's just awesome. Sweet shots BTW, when I get a few minutes to resize them I am going to post some shots I took of a metal band called The Five L's in Greensboro, NC last weekend.

[elTwitcho]

Man, what a difference it makes to photograph interesting subjects like this. Great shots

[bikerider]

I like the fact that a chick bass player ... playing an upright bass ... has so many tatoos and piercings, yet plays in a country band ...... That's just awesome. Sweet shots BTW, when I get a few minutes to resize them I am going to post some shots I took of a metal band called The Five L's in Greensboro, NC last weekend.

Yeah' she's one cool lady.....both of the bands have struggled with the country music scene here, because of their less than traditional approach.....thanks for the compliment and I look forward to oyur post.

Hi Richard, thanks for the comment mate!
Roger.

[DwightMcCann]

U2, sorry to take so long ... but I don't even know what a Powershot is and that's what you have listed as your equipment. :-) So, ISO 1600, f2.8 or faster and then chimp and check the shutterspeed and adjust as you go. Take your widest wide angle and your longest long angle ... I usually have six or seven lenses and may use them all!

[u2wedge]

U2, sorry to take so long ... but I don't even know what a Powershot is and that's what you have listed as your equipment. :-) So, ISO 1600, f2.8 or faster and then chimp and check the shutterspeed and adjust as you go. Take your widest wide angle and your longest long angle ... I usually have six or seven lenses and may use them all!

Well, it's a quasiprosumer point and shoot and I will be in the crowd at this show and close to the stage, therefore DSLR is a no-no. I have a max ISO of 400 and can accommodate f2.8. I know that good photos are acheiveable within this range as I have some excellent shots of prior shows with inferior equipment. I upgraded to this camera so I could try and improve and still get it in the venue (no press pass unfortunately), and not be anchored by my equipment to the point where I can't enjoy the show.

I'm trying to outdo a colleague of mine and I have to beat his photos which are taken with a Sony... you can view them here http://www.flickr.com/photos/bonobaltimore/sets/978336/ U2 has a huge light show, so I'm pretty sure I'll get the shots I need with IS0<400.

I'll post my results if possible.

[DwightMcCann]

Aha, I understand ... I think the club photographers might offer better information than me.