Seattle Metalfest 2007 - Overkill, Detruction and more

[Metalphotographer]

More metal!

Here are some photos from the 2007 edition of the Seattle Metalfest at The Showbox in Seattle on January 20th, 2007. Links to the full photo sets of all fest bands will follow. Please check them out when you have the time, feedback is always appreciated.

http://www.blizzardbeast.com/albums/overkillsmf07/overkillmf2006_56.jpg
1.
http://www.blizzardbeast.com/albums/overkillsmf07/overkillscmf2006_04.jpg
2.
http://www.blizzardbeast.com/albums/overkillsmf07/overkillmf2006_29.jpg
3.
Overkill (New Jersey)

http://www.blizzardbeast.com/albums/destructionsmf2007/destrucmf2006_30.jpg
4.

http://www.blizzardbeast.com/albums/destructionsmf2007/destrucmf2006_18.jpg
5.
Destruction (Germany)

http://www.blizzardbeast.com/albums/iesmf2007/intomf2006_25.jpg
6.
http://www.blizzardbeast.com/albums/iesmf2007/intomf2006_30.jpg
7.
http://www.blizzardbeast.com/albums/iesmf2007/intomf2006_08.jpg
8.
Into Eternity (Canada)

More Overkill photos:
http://www.mortado.com/gravemusic/live/070120smf/overkill.shtml
http://www.blizzardbeast.com/index.php?set_albumName=overkillsmf07&name=Gallery&include=view_album.php

More Destruction photos:
http://www.mortado.com/gravemusic/live/070120smf/destruction.shtml
http://www.blizzardbeast.com/index.php?set_albumName=destructionsmf2007&name=Gallery&include=view_album.php

God Forbid photos:
http://www.mortado.com/gravemusic/live/070120smf/godforbid.shtml
http://www.blizzardbeast.com/index.php?set_albumName=godforbodsmf2007&name=Gallery&include=view_album.php

More Into Eternity photos:
http://www.mortado.com/gravemusic/live/070120smf/intoeternity.shtml
http://www.blizzardbeast.com/index.php?set_albumName=iesmf2007&name=Gallery&include=view_album.php

Goatwhore photos:
http://www.mortado.com/gravemusic/live/070120smf/goatwhore.shtml
http://www.blizzardbeast.com/index.php?set_albumName=album92&name=Gallery&include=view_album.php

Arsis photos:
http://www.mortado.com/gravemusic/live/070120smf/arsis.shtml
http://www.blizzardbeast.com/index.php?set_albumName=arsissmf2007&name=Gallery&include=view_album.php

Mnemic photos:
http://www.mortado.com/gravemusic/live/070120smf/mnemic.shtml
http://www.blizzardbeast.com/index.php?set_albumName=mnemicsmf07&name=Gallery&include=view_album.php

The Human Abstract photos:
http://www.mortado.com/gravemusic/live/070120smf/habstract.shtml
http://www.blizzardbeast.com/index.php?set_albumName=hasmf2007&name=Gallery&include=view_album.php

Assorted fest pics:
http://www.mortado.com/gravemusic/live/070120smf/misc.shtml

[DwightMcCann]

I like #1 and #4, although four could use some lightening. I am curious as to why you shoot at such a low ISO ... 400 on several shots I looked at the EXIF and somewhat small aperatures. If you push your histogram to the right a bit more you would keep much more detail without losing anything even with mere jpegs (which is what I shoot.) You could then darken them down without getting mushy.

[Metalphotographer]

The small apertures are due to the fact that I can't buy any fast glass because my wife and I are trying to save up the bucks for a decent down payment on a house and they don't run cheap in Seattle. I also prefer shutter priority to manual or AV at this venue, it seems to work better for me with the constant fluctuations in lighting. The low ISO was kind of an experiment, at this particular venue I have had issues with a ton of noise even at 800. I was also probably enjoying the music too much for my own good which sometimes gets in the way of my shooting :)

[René Damkot]

'Nice' expression in #5.
Also some good mixes of flash and ambient.
Agree that some (about half) seem too dark though...

[Metalphotographer]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm working on using full manual mode more and will try working with higher ISOs to bring up the levels. Noise is a concern though as using NeatImage/Noise Ninja and such seems to cause a lot of detail loss, at least from my experience with the software. I'll experiment with some different settings and more full manual at my next scheduled shoot which is Unleashed (Sweden) Krisiun (Brazil) and Belphegor (Austria) on February 15th since there will be no 3 song restrictions at that show :)

One other thing as well, in your opinions should one strive to bring more light into shots than the eye can see during the performance? Something I have always tried to capture is for the shots to reflect what the eye actually sees, my opinion is that captures the actual mood of the performance.

[rab_cilbup]

Ah, Overkill, love 'em, "Taking Over" is still probably the best thrash / power metal album ever.

[René Damkot]

using NeatImage/Noise Ninja and such seems to cause a lot of detail loss,

Give Noiseware (http://www.imagenomic.com/) a try....
From my (brief) experience with the trial, I like it better then NI or NN.

One other thing as well, in your opinions should one strive to bring more light into shots than the eye can see during the performance? Something I have always tried to capture is for the shots to reflect what the eye actually sees, my opinion is that captures the actual mood of the performance.

Hmmm, the eye sees across a lot bigger range then the camera can capture.

IMO when someone is standing in a spotlight against a black BG, to my eye that looks 'awfully bright', even if exposure is only 1/30s; f/2 @ ISO 3200...

Take this (http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/061007Overload/source/rhd_20061007overl0170.htm) for example: Most of the light was coming from the projection, television sets and some 'xmas lights'...
I did lighten the audience somewhat (still underexposed), and darken the televisions, so the contrast would be a bit more 'like we see', but I tried to get exposure as good as possible in camera. (only so much you can do: 1/16s f/2.2 at ISO 3200)
I think in most situations there are highlights *somewhere* in the image. (in this case the televisions and projection, not the faces)

Usually I don't mind portions of the image to bleach out or get pitch black, as long as they are not portions I consider important...

Only if an image is very low in contrast, I tend to let the 'overall' luminoscity 'show' brightness. Even if a subject is lit by 1 candle, IMO the WB (warm) and contrast (high) do more to convey a feeling of 'darkness' then underexposing the whole image...


Curious what others have to say about the subject though...

A darker one from me: