What is your weakness?

[Compact Diss]

As a concert photographer I spend a lot of my time viewing other photographers photos, websites, blogs, and so on. I look to find images that are different, pics that instantly draw me in. The next time I photograph a show, I do this, I try to create something different, a photo that will catch someone, and make them say wow!, or what a great shot. I am hardly ever successful at it, but it is the journey of the live show that I enjoy, and I am out there for the love of this. I've chased the money, the mags, the prints, if it happens, it happens, but I am no longer losing sleep if it doesn't.

I have gone across my photos, and I know where I see my weakness, and it is in flash photography. When I first began shooting shows I was an absolute no-flash snob, and it hurt me. I chose to go the no-flash route, no matter the venue, or genre of music, and a lot of my pics are just hard to look at for me. So I decided to begin a topic/discussion and share with you what I know my weakness to be, and see if anyone wants to talk about what they see as theirs, and what you are doing about it.

I'm not saying my flash pics will improve, but I am very much aware of it, and I'm working on it, let's see what will come in the future..if I could go back I would have jumped into learning all aspects of live photography, not no flash/flash, but I would have taken the time to explore each one.

What is your weakness? and what are you doing about it?

[bacchanal]

Mainly the girls and the money.

Well, but there is also:

-I tend to shoot similar compositions a lot

I probably need to get out of town and shoot some different performers and different venues. There aren't too many indie-rock dives for me to choose from around here, and I have no desire to shoot the local rock music megaplex.

-My flash use isn't consistent enough, sometimes I do a better job than others

I'm working on my off camera flash skills (outside of concert photography) and am hoping that will translate into better flash use at shows. It seems like most of the venues that I shoot at there is either no stage lighting or the light is very poor (spots aimed at the performers mid section or something like that), so flash tends to be a big part of what I do unfortunately.

-I don't always catch peak action moments (partly due to my style of shooting and AF limitations)

I've also considered switching to a 1DIII from a 5DII. I often shoot center point AF with the assist beam and wide apertures, which leads to focus and recompose, which leads to missed peak action. I'm not sure if the 1DIII can AF in the venues that I typically shoot, but the outer points on the 5D definitely can not.

-I post too many photos online (not just the best ones)

I guess I'm more maintaining an archive of local music rather than creating an exquisite online portfolio, so this is something that I've basically just come to accept.

[Compact Diss]

Girls & Money, you are right on that one!

I guess we are the only ones who want to self critisize...

"I guess I'm more maintaining an archive of local music rather than creating an exquisite online portfolio, so this is something that I've basically just come to accept."

I agree with this 100%. I feel that what I am doing should really be considered documentary photography. I rarely get paid, I have tons of files from tons of different bands. In years to come I hope my kids will be able to do something with all of this.

You may post too many photos, I'm at the point where I really don't post any. I really need to work on my flash skills, because that is the main thing I see when I look at my latest local show work, bad images, uneducated use of flash...

I go to a show with certain flash settings in mind, what happens, I find something that is not so blown out, and is working, and I end up keeping it on those settings, and stop exploring. I get home, look around at the other photogs sites, and I'm back to where I started. One thing I know, the other main flash photographer in my area uses Nikon, it may explain a lot, also, I'm using the 430EX, I don't know if it really has the ability to capture concerts like higher end models do.

More shows to try this weekend...

[blackshadow]

Cocaine, booze and women - not necessarily in that order!

[narlus]

good thread idea...here are some random thoughts:

Saying no. I need to exercise a bit more self-control wrt to shooting shows, as most of the time they are unpaid assignments and I hit a lot last year (by my count, over 80). Still, 99% of the shows I go to are ones that I am legitimately interested in.

I would say i'd have to work on my flash technique as joe's mentioned, but I will add a caveat that most of the venues are pretty tough to work in. Black and/or high ceilings that make it impossible to bounce light, very little stage light to use as ambient fill, or venues which don't allow flash. Also there are obviously no photo pits in these places, so that adds to the challenge, esp for crowded shows. Probably the best venue to use fill is the Paradise, or maybe Great Scott. I don't typically do the stopped down/full power/shutter drag shots as that amount of light can get pretty annoying to the band fast. I really should start working w/ bands I know in setting up remote flashes...maybe that will be a goal for 2010.

I've likely fallen into some habits (either shooting preference, composition, etc) that I should shake up periodically.

The one conundrum that I constantly struggle with is the paradox of the best lighting/stage conditions are usually popular performers playing in very large venues, that I have little to no interest in. the small to mid-size clubs here in town (~2500 ppl or less) typically don't have a photo pit (House of Blues being about the sole exception) and the lighting is not on par w/ other venues I've seen (HoB excepted...talking about Middle East, Paradise, Wilbur, Harpers, etc). The other annoying thing is that venues rarely ever use chemical fog, which can really add to the texture and feeling of a photo. But maybe this is just me spitting out sour grapes.

I also approach what I do from a documentary perspective, with the goal being a representation of musicians I like, rather than shooting bands I could give a rat's ass about. This has served me well in that I rarely come across any onerous photo release waivers.

[germinal]

I have never been to a concert where flash was allowed.. it sounds as a contradiction really..

a little fill flash could help at some performances, but in general it doesn't even cross my mind to use a flash at a concert.

Just get some fast primes and you are good to go imo

[narlus]

germinal, have you never been in a situation where the performer is wearing a hat, or the stage lighting otherwise leaves dark hollows in their eye sockets? it's pretty common for me, and fill flash would help cure that. all fast primes would do would be to overexpose the rest of their face if you wanted to bring out detail in the shadows.

[Compact Diss]

I have never been to a concert where flash was allowed.. it sounds as a contradiction really..

a little fill flash could help at some performances, but in general it doesn't even cross my mind to use a flash at a concert.

Just get some fast primes and you are good to go imo

Of course it doesn't cross your mind, you just said that flash is not allowed at the concerts yout attend.

Like I said above, I wash a flash snob too, got me nowhere.

[90c4]

I need to work on my flash work too. I never bring it to shows even when it's allowed - I'm just not at all confident in my abilities with it.

A habit that I need to break though is trying to get the perfect crop through my viewfinder. If the final product is to be a different aspect ratio than 4X6, or even if it isn't and the final product is a gallery wrapped canvas, you stand to lose a lot of the important parts of the image. I was approached yesterday by a fan who wanted to purchase a specific shot gallery wrapped, but the artists' feet would have been cut off. Fortunately I had another shot which I hadn't deleted that was very similar yet more zoomed out, so I substituted that one. To me, that's the real benefit of 21MP images, the versatility it offers in aspect ratios.

[narlus]

Richard, that's an excellent point regarding shooting a bit looser than you might want to initially.

i had some fun using flash last week...a white ceiling helps immeasurably.

http://narlus.zenfolio.com/img/v5/p310332966-4.jpg

[bacchanal]

T-Model...sweet!

[Compact Diss]

that's great flash usage! and Rich, it's true for me too, zero confidence.