Battle of The Bands

[gewolke]

Hi -

My son's band played a local battle of the bands last weekend. It was in a HS gym. I wasn't able to get very close either, maybe 25 yards away, so I used my sigma 70-300. All were taken at ISO 800. Comments are always welcome!!

1) My son playing bass:

http://www.pbase.com/gewolke/image/77494994.jpg

2) Ben playing drums:

http://www.pbase.com/gewolke/image/77494970.jpg

3) Another Adam, Ben, and Corey (guitar)

http://www.pbase.com/gewolke/image/77494992.jpg


4) The guys:

http://www.pbase.com/gewolke/image/77495000.jpg

[tipsy]

not bad snaps.

some of them are a bit OoF and have blown highlights but aside from that- not too bad atall.

x

[gewolke]

not bad snaps.

some of them are a bit OoF and have blown highlights but aside from that- not too bad atall.

x

I had an aweful hard time with the highlights. I shot all these in manual mode, and with the changing lights, that was a challenge. Any suggestions?

[tipsy]

If you shoot in TV set to an appropriate shutter speed for the bands movement, then spot metre (or partial if the 350 doesnt have spot) off the performers skin or light colour clothing (such as the guy's white outfit)

Then use your * button to lock the exposure and recompose accordingly.

That way the skin tones arent blown which is the most frustrating part about a lot of photos. theres nothing worse than a photo that could be great if it werent for a blown skin tone.

x

[gewolke]

If you shoot in TV set to an appropriate shutter speed for the bands movement, then spot metre (or partial if the 350 doesnt have spot) off the performers skin or light colour clothing (such as the guy's white outfit)

Then use your * button to lock the exposure and recompose accordingly.

That way the skin tones arent blown which is the most frustrating part about a lot of photos. theres nothing worse than a photo that could be great if it werent for a blown skin tone.

x

Thanks very much for the suggestion. I was definately using matrix metering. I'll try TV and exposure lock next time.

Cheers!

[tipsy]

glad i can be of help.

Let us know how it goes.

x

[René Damkot]

Second the comments.

Think a bit different on the other points:

On the metering: If lighting changes very fast, spot metering won't do any good if you need to lock exposure and recompose: Light will be different before you recomposed.
So you'd need to either shoot wider (to get the metering off the part you want) and crop later, or use Evaluative metering (with EC as needed).
Be aware Evaluative locks exposure with AF when you are using One Shot.

On a side note: I fail to see the reasons to use Tv: If there is much light the camera will stop down the aperture (so you could have used a faster shutterspeed). If there is not enough light, the camera will underexpose (unless you've set safety shift, which will let the camera lower the shutterspeed).
In both cases Av or P (with program shift) would have given the same possibilities with an advantage. Just MHO. I never use Tv. In fact, I've disabled it thru a PFn ;)

[johneric8]

use custom funtions that allow you to lock exposure with the shutter button before recomposing.. You will lock focus quickly with back button then, push shutter halfway to lock meter on face then recompose within a millasecond and compress shutter! wham, your a pro!

[tipsy]

Second the comments.

Think a bit different on the other points:

On the metering: If lighting changes very fast, spot metering won't do any good if you need to lock exposure and recompose: Light will be different before you recomposed.
So you'd need to either shoot wider (to get the metering off the part you want) and crop later, or use Evaluative metering (with EC as needed).
Be aware Evaluative locks exposure with AF when you are using One Shot.

On a side note: I fail to see the reasons to use Tv: If there is much light the camera will stop down the aperture (so you could have used a faster shutterspeed). If there is not enough light, the camera will underexpose (unless you've set safety shift, which will let the camera lower the shutterspeed).
In both cases Av or P (with program shift) would have given the same possibilities with an advantage. Just MHO. I never use Tv. In fact, I've disabled it thru a PFn ;)

Each to his own...

x