first time shooting a band (Gyroscope), help me!

[BJWOK]

Hi folks,

Ok, this was the first time shooting a band and i did my research here before the night and sussed out i should be using a low shutter speed (around 1/60) plus a high ISO on AV mode. I fooled with settings around this mark although i was pretty disappointed in my results.

There was plenty of good lighting, but everything i got is soft and slightly blurred or way too grainy.

The obvious conclusion is the up the shutter speed and lower the ISO, but forgive my newness I am not so sure how to do this in AV mode.

I also shot a bunch on M and had slightly better results.

These two are probably the best of the bunch (more on request) however I would like to get much better results next time. Any criticism and thoughts would be highly appreciated!

[BJWOK]

the venue was the gov (for those in adelaide)

[Banno]

Greatest local venue ever! although you hardly ever see it with a fence installed..? oh well the scope are getting bigger all the time.

I'm far from experienced in this area but i would guess you were using evaluative metering or something like that? looks like the shots are exposed for the crowd more than Daniel, especially in the first one... Try using spot metering and meter off his face next time. as for the focus or rather the softness it's prob got more to do with the shutter speed i think as there is sharpness in each pic, just not where you want it, Maybe something to do with your focus mode? Did you select your focus point> or did you let the camera pick?

Sorry if I'm asking you stupid questions from your end, just trying to understand a little more that all.

And I'll add that the Gov is officially the worst place to try shoot a gig unless it's a chilled roots show or you have a 70-200 2.8 or the like. As it is really hard to get a nice spot to shoot from without being in the crowd on the little ledge to the left of stage, and then you are shooting down... So considering that I think you did pretty well.

Chuck some more up to see :)

[BJWOK]

thanks for the tips banno. yeah that fence is a bit um. i've seen a few bands there and the fence hasn't been there before? but then again it was needed the other night! plenty of crowd surfing going on! but then again there was no fence for ween? i don't get it.

as far as spot metering goes, i will need to learn more about this myself as i am not 100% sure on how this even works!

i swapped from auto focus to manual on certain shots (manual when the light was really low, auto in good light) but i think my problem was that by its very nature gig lighting is inconsistent so manual the whole way might have been better...

nah your questions are not stupid at all, i am completely new to this whole thing and the only way to learn is to ask and answer questions!

i am shooting dexter jones on the 31st may at the grace emily, i think i will be upping the shutter speed, manual focus and hopefully i will have learnt more about spot metering by then!

here's a couple more:

[BJWOK]

this is in the pit area after he was mobbed by the crowd. notice the mic stand came down with him? he played and sang the rest of the song facing the side of the stage! lol

[Banno]

Love the last one! Great shot, its a shame about the security to your left tho, bloody bloke spoiled a great shot!!

Just checked out your site and you have some really nice shots from around town, cant stand your gallery tilt thing tho, drove me nuts!!

[BJWOK]

yeah that was the roadie, and due to really tight spacing i couldn't move to the side to get him out of view! arghhh!!!

yeah that tilt thing novelty has worn off for me too. although i like how the images zoom in and you can flip them over for details, then click for larger. do you know of a similar one without the tilting thing? i'd like to change it - it's not very professional i think.

[BJWOK]

yeah that was the roadie, and due to really tight spacing i couldn't move to the side to get him out of view! arghhh!!!

yeah that tilt thing novelty has worn off for me too. although i like how the images zoom in and you can flip them over for details, then click for larger. do you know of a similar one without the tilting thing? i'd like to change it - it's not very professional i think.

[René Damkot]

I see no exif in the images which makes comments a bit less specific.

Okay: 1/60; ISO 1600; wide open was obviously a starting point. (With the shutterspeed on the slow side IMO).
Most local clubs have way less lighting thhen you had.

First two images are overexposed. Blur is caused by subject motion in #1.
Use a faster shutterspeed. But more important: Don't listen to me, listen to what the camera meter is telling you ;) (and learn how and when the camera can be wrong)

Second are better exposure wise. Still too bright, but better.

WB seems off on most. I'd suggest using Tungsten for starters, adjust a bit as needed in PP (shoot Raw)

Last is a nice capture.