[eddie1960]

first shot it looks like the shutter speed was a little slow, and focus needs a bit of work. that being said it has potential. but for low key concert stuff i think you'd be better off with b/w it's more dramatic
Red lights are incredibly common in venues and they always expose poorly (they work great as b/w though with a little post)

the problem with using the eyedropper to adjust WB via a shirt or whatever is you also lose the mood the lighting created. I usually just set wb to tungsten (unless they have the dreaded LED lights)

while shooting at 1.4 is possible you will get better keeper rates by moving to f2.0-2.8 and bumping iso up. it's easier to fix noise than missed focus. if lighting is really bad (and you are shooting a sensor limited in it's low light capacity) then move to B/W and go artsy

If you're going to try to throw in flash shots put an orange gel on your flash (colour correction gel to tungsten) and pull the flash power back using it as a fill flash, you'll maintain the mood of the stage light that way

As pointed out you really shot at too low an iso. anything less than 1600-3200 in porrly lit clubs will be a problem (the number one reason i want a k5 to replace my k7 is the low light for concert shooting)

[Wired]

I love your first shot of the bassist. It brings that mystery right away. Not seeing his face adds to that. Almost like shooting a blues guitar player in his element.

Would have been cooler to get very minimal facial detail. But a great shot in my opinion.


When I do concert photos I'm usually in full manual including focus. I'll usually try and shoot wide open and in raw format so I can correct white balance in post. A puffer on your flash and it set lower intensity would help...but as a musician myself I know how annoying it can be to have flashes going off.

I usually get better results with a hot shoe flash with a diffuser and angle it about 40 degrees to get some room bounce.

Concerts are tricky but fun and I think your on the right track. I haven't done one in a couple of years myself...

Catch the emotion in the player. That's the big thing. Some creative perspective will help too.... like shooting low along the surface of the instrument up at the player.

Have fun!

[joe.penn]

As noted, concerts are tricky (really really tricky) - where else will you be asked to shoot photographs of moving people in very low poor lighting that changes at the blink of an eye. I love shooting low light concerts, really makes you put on the thinking cap and get technical. Here are a couple of old ones from me, nothing to brag about but shows what you can get when working with the available light and higher ISO's.

Kx, 1250-ISO, 55mm


K5, 2500-ISO, DA 35mm 2.4 @ 3.2


Kx, 3200-ISO, Samyang 85mm 1.4 @ 1.8

[Wired]

higher ISO is not always needed... that one was @ 400

It does have some motion, but I really like the motion I captured.


iso 800


Exif is not intact, but I think 800

I rarely go higher than 800... even with the K5. But I guess I could if I needed too.

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure all of the above were K20D aside from #1 which was K100D

It just comes down to the right tool for the right job.

[stephography]

I'm drawn to the first photo (the one with the cellist/bassist)... Looks like you had a great idea for a shot but the focal point wasn't quite perfect (unless you were purposely focusing on the bridge of the upright bass/cello). I would've focused more on the player's right hand picking. Otherwise I really like the colors and the ominous look you gave the player .

[rzarector]

Thanks everyone for the notes! Having the K200d max out at 1600 was def a hurdle when shooting concerts, no doubt about it. I was always afraid to shoot at 1600 with all the noise but recently spent a few days learning Lightroom's NR and got better at smoothing it out.

I just recently got a K-01 on order and arrives shortly. I know the VF is an issue to most but I found seeing the frame worked really well for me. As well that focus peak is just incredible. I wish I had the $ for a K5 (not the ii) but I just don't. The Adorama deal for a yellow K-01 body for 250 was a steal. Took it to a few more shows and got some snazzy shots. rented it for a week from borrow lenses for 46 bucks and after 3 days I was sold. powerful little guy.

I know I need to shoot in manual mode more, but for some reason with my 200d I get the focus waaaay off. Its looks great in my shot, my 200d registers focus with my little red dot but the shot are not in focus. Really mind boggling.

I never thought to stop down to 2, even with a prime at 1.4 makes a lot of sense and as of recently just learned of that method. For some reason I thought I was stuck at 1.4. 'slaps forehead'

I am in the market for the 40mm pancake that comes with the K-01 usually. Having that slim camera for walk arounds is a thing I am very much looking forward to. and I love the HD video on the K-01 I rented. So awesome.

[rzarector]

[Kerrowdown]

Concert Noob! Be Gentle...

Ha, we take no prisoners here, this is the big bad critique thread your in now.

Welcome to my world, it's not the easiest of subject matter to photograph, this concert lark.

Probably just as well, as then everyone would be doing it and I'd be out of a job.

These are good for one starting out on this route, just keep working away and the results will get better and better with both experience and practice over time.

Best couple of tips I can offer are;

Really know your equipment, so operating it becomes second nature even in the dark.

Use manual focus, autofocus has an alarming way of giving you razor sharp microphones, not the faces behind them.

[joe.penn]

Use manual focus, autofocus has an alarming way of giving you razor sharp microphones, not the faces behind them.

Haha, isn't that the truth - and, for some reason when the sharp microphones pop up in the picture it really makes you say "d@mn, I didn't know this lens was that sharp!".

------

My advice - learn to gel (if you can use a flashgun). Blotchy skin tones and the purple shadow on the singers pants is the effects of color balancing under tungsten, you can fix tungsten white balance issues [where you have not gel'd with a flashgun] in post only to a certain degree, the problem is mixing of the different color lights which can not be fixed in post 100% without gel'ing the scene - CTO gel's [and a firm solid knowledge of flash usage] solves this problem.

The first and last shots are best. Exposure and focus is stronger as well as the composition. The trio is a decent composition, obviously fighting with the lighting, but try moving some colour and temperature sliders in post-processing.Did you try converting to black and white? That might be a solution to simply focussing on exposure values and not the whacky colour. They could be pretty nice in BW.

[rzarector]

Haha, isn't that the truth - and, for some reason when the sharp microphones pop up in the picture it really makes you say "d@mn, I didn't know this lens was that sharp!".

------

My advice - learn to gel (if you can use a flashgun). Blotchy skin tones and the purple shadow on the singers pants is the effects of color balancing under tungsten, you can fix tungsten white balance issues [where you have not gel'd with a flashgun] in post only to a certain degree, the problem is mixing of the different color lights which can not be fixed in post 100% without gel'ing the scene - CTO gel's [and a firm solid knowledge of flash usage] solves this problem.

OH boy did I laugh at that mic reference. SOOOOO many of my shots have that. haha

[rzarector]

any recommendations on a good wide angle concert ready lens for my K-01? not sure how low I need to go 10mm? 20mm? I need a fast lens for sure for concert stuff. Any help is appreciated.

[rzarector]

Looking at this lens too for a replacement for my kit, and wide/zoomable lens for concerts. quick enough. not too expensive. What do you think?

Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 Di II LD Aspherical

[joe.penn]

17-50's are a great choice for concerts. As for the Tammy 17-50, I would personally choose the Sigma FLD 17-50 which is the sharpest of the 17-50's on the market.

[rzarector]

17-50's are a great choice for concerts. As for the Tammy 17-50, I would personally choose the Sigma FLD 17-50 which is the sharpest of the 17-50's on the market.

If I only had 500 lying around...