[ZoeB]

So i'm applying for a volunteer position as a photographer at rock music festival in the mountains this summer. Part of the work is documenting hikes and events during the daytime, but a big part is obviously concert photography, which i really want to get into, but don't have much experience with from before. So, two questions:

first, the organisers suggest including a small portfolio of previous work, but I've never really done this before. What should I include? Based on what I have, mostly candids of my friends out hiking and skiing and stuff, as well as some of my nature stuff seems to make sense. How many images should i include?

Second, I'd love some tips for concert photography. I'm gonna try to see if I can find some gigs around time before the summer to practice

[Kerrowdown]

Only use your best images, few excellent rather than more "also rans".

Use as closely related subject wise, to what they are looking for, good luck.

[Miguel]

the organisers suggest including a small portfolio of previous work, but I've never really done this before.

Ten to twenty images max. Have non-close friends give you feedback about what constitutes your best work.
Make sure your best shots of your friends hiking show smiling people experiencing an awesome place. Stay away from dated, gimmicky techniques like the red jackets in a B&W photo.
I'd quickly hit up all the live music venues in your community and start shooting, but do it thoughtfully. You'll need to communicate with the site manager and the performer's manager/agent or the performer(s) themselves--ahead of time. There are plenty of online resources on shooting concerts out there, my advice to you is learn lighting including flash.

M

[ZoeB]

Ten to twenty images max. Have non-close friends give you feedback about what constitutes your best work.
Make sure your best shots of your friends hiking show smiling people experiencing an awesome place. Stay away from dated, gimmicky techniques like the red jackets in a B&W photo.
I'd quickly hit up all the live music venues in your community and start shooting, but do it thoughtfully. You'll need to communicate with the site manager and the performer's manager/agent or the performer(s) themselves--ahead of time. There are plenty of online resources on shooting concerts out there, my advice to you is learn lighting including flash.

M

I may post some candidates on the forums for feedback I used to work at a local bar and concert venue as a bouncer and security guard, so i may hit up some of my friends of mine in PR to see if I can join in on a few concerts.

[Edgar_in_Indy]

A lot of churches, especially the so-called "mega-churches", have stage setups with concert lighting, so that might be a possibility. I don't imagine most pastures would have a problem with you taking pictures, as long as you ask before the service.

EDIT: I just noticed you're in Norway, so I don't know if the church situation is similar there or not.

Anyway, here's some pictures I took at a church last summer when I was visiting for my nephew's baptism. If I wanted to, I could have gotten a lot more pictures, and from different angles, but I just wanted to shoot a few for the scrapbook. So if there's similar setups near you, they would probably work great for your purposes. BTW, shooting photos at a well-lit concert is a lot of fun, since it's easy to get great-looking pictures (assuming the lighting is good).

[ZoeB]

Hehe, our churches don't really get that... big.

As for the lighting situation, it's an outside festival in the middle of the summer in norway, so I'll almost exclusively have daylight, if not direct sunlight conditions.

[Edgar_in_Indy]

Hehe, our churches don't really get that... big.

The church I went to would not be considered big compared to a lot of others. But yeah, I think that almost everything is bigger over here.

[ZoeB]

Yeah, I'll say. Not that I've never played a concert in a church, though. Last one was in our local superstar:



(not my photo)

[PeaceFroggy]

About the concerts: shoot, shoot and shoot even more concerts
Try to shoot some daylight concerts at events like parades, Christmas markets,... And try to find some nicely lit venue's where you can photograph gig's. Use photo's of these in your portfolio for the concert part of it.
Also try to shoot a lot of gig's in small bars with barely any lightning, without flash, for experience In most of the smaller bars here you don't have to ask permission and most bands are happy someone is taking some photos.
If you don't do so already, learn to focus manually and how to use a flash
And turn off the in-body shake reduction, at least I tend to get more photos that are sharp that way.

If still possible, try to get some shots of the landscape and smiling people hiking or skiing you consider portfolio material. Some candids might be good enough to get used, but in my opinion some extra effort and self-critisism always pays off

Use around 10-20 photos for your portfolio and let some non-photographing friends go through your photos to help you choose.

Good luck

So i'm applying for a volunteer position as a photographer at rock music festival in the mountains this summer.

Why are you willing to work for free? Is this a festival for charity?

[ZoeB]

Why are you willing to work for free? Is this a festival for charity?

I've always been the type of person who enjoys volunteering-- it's a great work environment and always a really fun experience. That work at a bar I mentioned? That was also a volunteer position. I had to give it up, because it's too much to combine with studies, a part-time paid job, (at the time) a boyfriend as being able to see my friends outside of the workplace and do things like hike and ski. That having been said, I learned a lot, met some awesome people (including my ex-boyfriend, who used to be a sound&light technician), and have some really great stories and experiences.

As for the festival, it's one of the most popular music festivals in norway-- the tickets this year sold out in 10 seconds flat. So the obvious way to get to go is by working. Honestly, I may have still chosen to work anyway, even if i could have gotten tickets. It's unfailingly awesome.

[clackers]

first, the organisers suggest including a small portfolio of previous work, but I've never really done this before. What should I include? Based on what I have, mostly candids of my friends out hiking and skiing and stuff, as well as some of my nature stuff seems to make sense.

No, they should be about the job you're applying for, Zoe - the other applicants will do this!

Best to shoot three performances in your town this week and get, say, ten keepers to present.

Best of luck! :-)

[ZoeB]

Hm. There's going to be a christmas market in Trondheim with a bunch of concerts when I go back to my parent's place for christmas-- triple purpose: learning my way around the new camera, learning my way around concert photography, maaaybe getting some shots for my portfolio

[zombieCat]

So i'm applying for a volunteer position as a photographer at rock music festival in the mountains this summer. Part of the work is documenting hikes and events during the daytime, but a big part is obviously concert photography, which i really want to get into, but don't have much experience with from before. So, two questions:

first, the organisers suggest including a small portfolio of previous work, but I've never really done this before. What should I include? Based on what I have, mostly candids of my friends out hiking and skiing and stuff, as well as some of my nature stuff seems to make sense. How many images should i include?

Second, I'd love some tips for concert photography. I'm gonna try to see if I can find some gigs around time before the summer to practice

I've done a fair amount of concert photography. I go with a fast prime (50mm f/1.7). Using my K20D, ISO 1600 has more noise than I like. With my K50, ISO 3200 is better than the K20D at 1600. My lens is manual focus, which I think works to my benefit, as the low-light auto focus isn't very good on either camera. I have a Katz-Eye split focus screen on both cameras, which helps. A few things to keep in mind: you'll probably burn through an inordinate number of out-of-focus photos (or you will miss a lot of opportunities if trying manual focus). Embrace the noise--the environment requires high ISO, so noise is integral to the environment--that's OK. And if you want consistent exposure across a frame, you will go crazy. Relax and embrace the lighting variances across the stage and use them to your creative advantage. Good luck, and please post some results!

EDIT: I NEVER use flash at concerts. For my taste, ambient light more captures the drama of the moment.

[ZoeB]

I've done a fair amount of concert photography. I go with a fast prime (50mm f/1.7). Using my K20D, ISO 1600 has more noise than I like. With my K50, ISO 3200 is better than the K20D at 1600. My lens is manual focus, which I think works to my benefit, as the low-light auto focus isn't very good on either camera. I have a Katz-Eye split focus screen on both cameras, which helps. A few things to keep in mind: you'll probably burn through an inordinate number of out-of-focus photos (or you will miss a lot of opportunities if trying manual focus). Embrace the noise--the environment requires high ISO, so noise is integral to the environment--that's OK. And if you want consistent exposure across a frame, you will go crazy. Relax and embrace the lighting variances across the stage and use them to your creative advantage. Good luck, and please post some results!

EDIT: I NEVER use flash at concerts. For my taste, ambient light more captures the drama of the moment.

Hehe, manual focus is a total non-issue, my go-to lens is an SMC Pentax-M 50mm f1.4. Embracing the noise is gonna take practice, though. I've been shooting on a CCD sensor in the world of CMOS for five years, so i get oddly self-conscious about noise :P