Counting Crows @ The O2 Dublin 08-05-09

As a hobbyist this was my first time ever taking a camera to a gig. I had been doing a bit of reading through various threads on the forum looking for tips. I have to admit that I didn't understand many of the comments at the time but they make a lot of sense now, specifically with regard to lighting, exposure etc. I was about 2 rows from the from in the standing area......I have done only a small bit of PP in PSP X2 Ultimate and have only included the last shot for a bit of fun,.....and yes he did change shirts during the gig

I'm reasonably please but C&C would be welcome!

What ISO were you shooting?

I love Counting Crows....I'm waiting for them to come out with something nearly as good as Recovering the Satellites....

Had to go all the way to iso 1600 unfortunately to give me any chance.....lots of noise as a result.

Lots of noise you say? Where? I don't see anything


First shot: ISO 1600, F5.6, 1/250. Second: same, but 1/320. Third: same, but 1/100. That's a *lot* of light for most PA settings. Even the last one. You could easily have been able to shoot at ISO 800 on this shots (okay, last one would have been a bit tougher), and when you buy yourself a nice F2.8 zoomy you've got like *no* reason to complain about the lighting at all. Dude, I don't even see the noise, but then again: I really think you couldn't have wished for better/more lighting.

For most of us ISO 1600, F2.8, 1/100 is "wow I've got enough light to work with and not get too much movement in my shots". I think most of us will more than once have thought things like "damn even F1.4 isn't enough right now" or "it sucks my camera doesn't go any further than ISO 3200 (or even 1600)"...

On the shots...

First is nice, but seems to be a bit OOF, and I'm not really into the "looking straight into the camera"-shots.
Second is really nice. Well done. I think I would have cropped/framed it somewhat other though, I don't like his arms ATM. If I shot this one, I'd crop it to a square I guess.
Third: really nice timing, but I really hate the arm being chopped off the way it is here.

Well done for a first time though!

Thanks for the feedback Nouks.

I probably should have explained myself a bit better in the first post. The noise I was referring to, was prior to doing a bit of PP to remove it and also some brightening/sharpening​.

I agree I do need to think a bit more about the cropping of shots after the fact, I appreciate that it makes a huge difference.

Thanks again though.

Don_Foleone wrote in post #7897494
The noise I was referring to, was prior to doing a bit of PP to remove it

I'd like to see the shots without NR. I think there's a bit too much of it here...

I too like #2.

i like 1 and 2 shots. second even better.

Many thanks for the feedback.

@ Rene; this is a conversion of the raw file for photo number 2. When I brightened it, that's when I got the noise. Maybe I went too far, not sure.

yeah 1/320 was a little too optimistic for a good exposure..

but you did ok for a first time gig shoot

Thanks Bob, it was a bit crazy with the lighting; lots of flashing spotlights and sudden changes so I have lots of over-exposed ones too.

There's always next time LOL

Don_Foleone wrote in post #7914125
it was a bit crazy with the lighting; lots of flashing spotlights and sudden changes so I have lots of over-exposed ones too.

sounds like your average gig then

Don_Foleone wrote in post #7914125
There's always next time LOL

indeed, you can only learn by attending more

Still not seeing any noise :P