First Performance Shot - Bash Away!

[taygull]

OK teachers get out your red ink!

I'd enjoy some feedback, I'm real new at this!

http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/2204/christian0ev.jpg

[RockSlut]

I'd say that images was a little underexposed for my taste. Also, I know how hard it is to catch when the performer is wearing a hat, but good eye contact is always important. Finally, I find your composition a little bottom heavy and it leaves me wondering what the performer is playing/doing.

What ISO setting were you using?

Keep up the practice. It looks like you've got the right equipment for it.

I'd love to see soem more from the shoot though!

[taygull]

I only took about 20 pics. I goofed and had a terrible ISO on the first 10 (rookie mistake). The hat was a killer, no chance of getting his eyes. This was taken at 1600 ISO I think. I did not have a monopod with me so I had to hand hold the shots. I'll go through a few more and post them.

What is the "secret" to getting them to be "less soft"? I used the 70-200, my other lenses are not in yet 24-70 and the 85. They will be here tomorrow.

[RockSlut]

Your first problem, in the published image in relation to softness is that the red lighting is the absolute bane of a rock'n'roll photographer's existence. Unfortunately it is used all too often, but it makes it very hard to get nice sharp images.

With your 20D you can go to ISO 3200, which is your friend in low light situations. Combined with a good and fast lens, such as your 85mm f/1.8 you should be able to get useable images in pretty ordinary conditions.

Also, be prepared to shoot more than 20 images when you are shooting bands. I will often shoot as many as 250 images in a 3 band lineup, and many photographers will shoot substantially more.

As for the monopod, I have one, but have never used it. The reality is that most concerts wont allow such a club-like implement to be brought into the venue, let alone the fact that live performances are not conditions conducive to their use.

I hope this helps some!

[Steve Parr]

The first issue I have is the composition. I'm assuming that's an American Flag behind the singer. If so, I can dig your wanting to get the Flag in there, but to do so at the expense of the subject (the singer) isn' the way to go.

Like RockSlut mentioned, red lights suck. On a special night, you might even get to deal with magenta. If red is the bane, magenta is the Kryptonite. But, in your image, the image probably only appears soft due to the lighting.

I also have a monopod, but I never take it inside a club or performance venue. The majority of the time, I wouldn't be allowed in with it (Re: the aforementioned "club-like implement) and, if I was allowed in, it would impede my mobility, especially in a small club.

I shoot a band regularly that always does a 45 minute set; that's it. I can shoot, easily, 200 shots in that 45 minutes. Remember, the more you shoot, the more "keepers" you're going to end up with.

The 20D with an f/2.8 lens should give you plenty of wiggle room on getting good shots at pretty fast shutter speeds. The nice thing about the 20D is that, even at an ISO of 3200, the images are still very usable...

Steve

[Exit]

If you have a red wash across the front of the stage you should dial in a =2/3 EV to prevent blowing highlights or if you're shooting in manual under expose 2/3's of a stop

[René Damkot]

I'm surprised nobody yet mentioned that red lights suck ;)
Seriously though; I do use a monopod, even at small clubs. Sure, you can't use it all the time, but it sure is noice to have when shooting a singer at 200 mm, 1/60s f/2.8;ISO 1600. Also with those kind of shots you tend to move less then when shooting with a 28mm.
Image is not underexposed I think, eny lighter and the res would have blown out big time. You could take a look here (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/restore-clipped.shtml)
Finaly, about the image; I don't mind the singer being 'low' in the image. In fact, I might have even put him a bit lower. I do think he's too much to the left however.

[taygull]

thanks for all the comments!!!!

I was trying to capture some of the american flag. This was not a "paid" performance but just a "test" at a local bar where we were told there would be an open mic. I actually brought my gear to get some shots of a musician I manage. It turned out the info was wrong so no open mic, my buddy and I did not sing and play. I asked the artist and manager (whom I somewhat know) if he would mind if I did some "testing" with my updated gear.

The cool thing is they have some pretty well know regional bands come through and I'm confident the venue will let me shoot as long as I get permission from the artist. What I would probably do is offer them a couple shots at no charge, once I get a hang of things I would then offer to do a shoot or they could purchase the additional shots.

Also, I was trying to capture the flag. I'm thinking I will be able to compose it better with the 24-70, I could get closer and lower to the subject thus getting a better view under his hat as well as the flag more in the background.

Thanks abunch!!!!!!!

[DwightMcCann]

Well, that's it ... everybody has weighed in now except Earplug and Eric on Taygull's image! That's about $1000 worth of feedback based on my dayrate. Since I would suggest using flash in this context I guess I will just keep my mouth shut. :-) Mostly I would suggest that you not try to "correct" everything at once and try to keep in mind that each shoot is different ... I have shot about 50 events at my primary venue and I still find each a different challenge. And while I shoot with the best equipment (a recent Popular Photography has an article on shooting Rock shows and the featured photographer uses identical gear to mine including tripod, body, CF cards, and lenses, except he has a couple of longer lenses than me) at the best venue for lighting there are always new and different issues and disagreements among the experts on some of the details ... I, like Rene, recommend a monopod but it certainly could be tough in many venues.

What I would like to see is more images posted for an event. Also it would be nice to have a little more narrative about the event and performer (if possible) and perhaps a variety of shots so we get a sense of the venue as a whole. But most of all, be sure you come back with your next event whether you think you did better or not ... we love to see everything and every performer out there. I also imagine that if you are managing a performer and he comes our way that we can work a deal! :-)

[Steve Parr]

What I would like to see is more images posted for an event.

Agreed. A single image makes it difficult to put the "totality" of a shoot into context...

Also it would be nice to have a little more narrative about the event and performer (if possible) and perhaps a variety of shots so we get a sense of the venue as a whole.

Yep. Again, it's nice to know the scenario behind a shot; tell a little bit about it...

But most of all, be sure you come back with your next event whether you think you did better or not ... we love to see everything and every performer out there.

Absolutely. The first band pictures I posted here were horrible. I should've been arrested. But I was able to pick up tips from folks like Dwight, and now I'm happy, generally speaking, with the quality of my shots...

I also imagine that if you are managing a performer and he comes our way that we can work a deal! :-)

Of course, we could always negotiate the transportation costs for the western-States contingent of photographers, right Dwight?

Steve

[DwightMcCann]

Whatever my spokesperson says! :-)

[taygull]

Well I would have posted more pics....but they sucked!:lol:

I really appreciate the feedback! I will be shooting some pics next week, mostly head shots of an artist band for the website. I'll post several of those and see what you guys think.

Where is the best place to see a "group of poses" for portrait/head shots? I'd love to get help with "ideas".

I also got the new gear in (24-70, 85 f/1.8, pistol grip, pod, and backpack) today, so I'm anxious to try it out!

[Steve Parr]

Well I would have posted more pics....but they sucked!


But we need to see how they suck so we can suggest ways to make them not suck...

Steve

[DwightMcCann]

Oh, hell, Steve, tell him the truth ... we want a good laugh! NO, NO, just kidding. We don't care if they suck, we always have something useful to say. And we need to see every angle of every band ... it gives us ideas and hard as it may be to believe, we really benefit from it, too.

[taygull]

I'll tell you, part of the struggle is grasping the whole resize and do some slight corrections. I just loaded elements 2.0 so I'm trying to figure out that. It just seems it is taking for ever to look at the pics and tinker with them.

If I only wanted to use Elements 2.0 and some other viewer what would you suggest?

Elements seem very slow if I had to go through a couple hundred shots? I like the way Microsoft Picture Editor is quick and easy but I think it was compressing my pictures when it would pull them off the card, making them softer than they really were.

I'd love to know the "easy" way to view the pics and then do some slight touch up, and then resize for web. I've always used Imageshack but it seems really slow as of late. What other hosting site do you guys suggest?

FYI, this was a one man show with no band.

[DwightMcCann]

I am among the huge unwashed minority and use Ulead's PhotoImpact for my processing. I think it is $89 full version. I have PS CS ... in fact I have the whole suite legitimately but until I am forced to convert I will continue to use PI!

[taygull]

Thanks, new thread with some of the other shots.

[Steve Parr]

I am among the huge unwashed minority and use Ulead's PhotoImpact for my processing. I think it is $89 full version. I have PS CS ... in fact I have the whole suite legitimately but until I am forced to convert I will continue to use PI!

I still have to look into that program. I'm using a Ulead product called iPhoto Plus. It came with the scanner I bought a looooong time ago. It doesn everything I need it to do, though, and it does it in a hurry...

Steve