[Hali]

Hey guys, I would really appreciate some tips with concert photos.

I go to a lot of gigs, as a music student plenty of my friends are in bands as well as myself and so I end up being the unofficial photographer. However, I never feel my pictures are quite there, especially in the really dark venues who can't afford proper colourful lighting.

I'm thinking what's letting me down is composition/lighting but I'm not sure how to improve it (external flash? Faster lens?).

Here are what I think are some of my best:













In a bigger, well lit venue with a more popular band I try to go for more colourful photos like the one below (although that particular one was spoiled by a keyboard that's in the way and some bad aiming on my part) but this is often just immpossible.




Sorry for the masses of pictures but I just wanted to give you an idea of the scope of the photos I've taken of live bands. This is an area I've been trying to get into for the best part of a year but I am still struggling.

Oh and I should point out that all these pictures are straight out of my K200D and taken with the kit lens.

This isn't the kind of situation where critique will help you much I don't think. You'll be better off discussing the actual technique(s) involved in General Photography. There's a thread going at the moment that you could join in on https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/general-photography-techniques-styles/849...rt-my-k-x.html

If you search back through General Talk you'll probably find some old ones as well.

[Ash]

Agree with Gary...
Keep working at your technique and realise that some lenses just aren't cut out for such low-light shooting. The kit lens has done OK but not stellar here.

[esman7]

Yeah, an extra stop or two afforded through a faster lens could help.

Regardless of the photos, looks like the concert should have been a killer time!

[dragonfly]

Always shoot raw and adjust temperature and tint later to get natural looking skin tones from your subjects.