Photographier des musiciens

zabo · 04-23-2011, 02:30 PM

Bonjour,
Je suis nouvelle sur ce forum fort intéressant.
J'ai un K200D avec un objectif 18-250.
Mon mari est musicien, il rentre en studio et il aimerait que je prenne le groupe en photo.
Pourriez-vous me dire comment le régler pour que les baguettes du batteur ne soient pas floues, idem pour les mains du guitariste, bassiste et pianiste ?
Merci beaucoup !

hcc · 04-23-2011, 03:46 PM

You want to take a photo with dim lighting, high shutter speed (to get the sticks and fingers), with a DA18-250mm. No way - Surtout ne pas essayer, ca ne marchera pas.

You need to consider alternatives:
- use your flash, or
- ask the musicians to be still when you shoot with the camera on a tripod and slow shutter speed, or
- bump the ISO to 32000 + high ISO correction set to strong.

None of the above are perfect, and a better lighting would definitely help.

Personally, I would recommend to use a faster lens. (I have the DA18-250mm and I can speak of experience. An excellent lens, but its weakness is the low-light conditions). You would be best to consider a fast prime lens. Like a 31mm f1.8 or better a 50 mm f1.4. A fast lens has a large aperture (low f) allowing more light onto the sensor and faster shutter speed. Hence, you would be able to achieve what you want without flash.

Hope that the comment will help.... Bonne chance

**Ash** · 04-23-2011, 03:52 PM

If I understand the translation correctly, you want images with no motion blur. There are only a couple of options for you - increase your ISO and/or increase the size of your aperture number (to f/4 or f/5.6) to help increase the shutter speed. You may be limited with both your K20D (ISO 1600 and above can produce noisy images) and your lens (it does not have a large maximum aperture of f/2.8 or less). Nevertheless, give it a try and if it is just not fast enough for you, you may need to upgrade your lens or your camera (or both!).

All the best for that.

MDegri · 04-23-2011, 04:28 PM

Another option is to ask the person in charge of lighting for a bit more light for the photos. Not always achievable though.

DaveHolmes · 04-23-2011, 04:36 PM

Recording/Rehearsal Studios (which in my experience tend to be windowless boxes with power sockets) and Gig Venues pretty much always have crappy light...

To freeze motion you need to get as fast a shutter speed as possible...

Like Ash says: open your aperture as much as you can depending on required depth of field and raise the ISO to get a quick shutter speed...

Noise (on the image... Not in the room) may be an issue... Consider converting to B&W in post production... B&W images of musicians in studio settings generally make them look hard-working and 'cool' anyway... :-)

If you have a hot-shoe flash (speedlight/flashgun) you may (depending on the room) be able to bounce light off the ceiling or a wall and get a faster shutter speed with out raising the ISO too high...

If you don't have a speedlight/flashgun then try using the on-board flash on the K200D... BUT DO SOMETHING TO SOFTEN ITS LIGHT! (Tissue paper and an elastic band is cheapest thing I can think of!)

Good luck to you and welcome to the forum :-)

PGillin · 04-23-2011, 05:23 PM

It's all about ISO and aperture.

I made the attached exposure with a Rikenon 55mm f 1.4 and 400 speed film pushed to 1600. My shutter speed was either 1/30 or 1/60, I can't recall.

If you're shooting during a performance, PLEASE, PLEASE, DO NOT use a flash. You'll blind the audience, performers (my friend, a bassist, HATES flash) and other photographers.

You really don't need above ISO 1600 if you have an aperture of 1.8 or so, I was shooting in nearly the dark, with just the illumination from a track of small LED lights, and I managed to get the proper exposure on FILM. Just pick up a decent F 1.7 or 1.4 lens (Pentax, Ricoh, Chinon, they'll all work), crank up the ISO and turn on Image Stabilization. You'll be fine.

gp1806 · 04-23-2011, 08:53 PM

There is a photographer/musician that posts here and on the Pentax forum at DP Review. His name is Marc Sabatella. I hope I spelled that right. He gets great shots with a K200D, sharp and clean. Look for his posts, I remember that he has explained how he does it. I don't think your 18-250mm lens will work well for this type of shooting, too slow. Marc seems to use f/2.8 prime lenses.

zabo · 04-24-2011, 11:09 AM

Merci pour vos réponses et tous vos conseils !
Je mettrai les photos bientôt si elles ne sont pas trop râtées !!!

slip · 04-24-2011, 06:29 PM

I think that since the lighting is likely going to be different types and colors, that black and white will likely turn out best, like the examples that were given.
when ever a shot isn't to her liking, my wife turns them into greyscale in photoshop and it seems to make the shot more acceptable under bad lighting conditions.

looking forward to seeing some examples

cheers and good luck

sterretje · 04-24-2011, 10:20 PM

Marc wrote a few articles in his blog

Marc Sabatella: Concert Photography - Equipment
Marc Sabatella: Concert Photography - Technique
Marc Sabatella: Concert Photography - Post-Processing

Hope it helps

04-23-2011, 02:30 PM	#1
zabo New Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Bordeaux Posts: 4	[langtitle=fr]Photographier des musiciens[/langtitle] Bonjour, Je suis nouvelle sur ce forum fort intéressant. J'ai un K200D avec un objectif 18-250. Mon mari est musicien, il rentre en studio et il aimerait que je prenne le groupe en photo. Pourriez-vous me dire comment le régler pour que les baguettes du batteur ne soient pas floues, idem pour les mains du guitariste, bassiste et pianiste ? Merci beaucoup !

04-23-2011, 04:36 PM	#5
DaveHolmes Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,501	Recording/Rehearsal Studios (which in my experience tend to be windowless boxes with power sockets) and Gig Venues pretty much always have crappy light... To freeze motion you need to get as fast a shutter speed as possible... Like Ash says: open your aperture as much as you can depending on required depth of field and raise the ISO to get a quick shutter speed... Noise (on the image... Not in the room) may be an issue... Consider converting to B&W in post production... B&W images of musicians in studio settings generally make them look hard-working and 'cool' anyway... :-) If you have a hot-shoe flash (speedlight/flashgun) you may (depending on the room) be able to bounce light off the ceiling or a wall and get a faster shutter speed with out raising the ISO too high... If you don't have a speedlight/flashgun then try using the on-board flash on the K200D... BUT DO SOMETHING TO SOFTEN ITS LIGHT! (Tissue paper and an elastic band is cheapest thing I can think of!) Good luck to you and welcome to the forum :-) Last edited by DaveHolmes; 04-23-2011 at 04:42 PM. Reason: Extras

04-23-2011, 05:23 PM	#6
PGillin Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Southern Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 343	It's all about ISO and aperture. I made the attached exposure with a Rikenon 55mm f 1.4 and 400 speed film pushed to 1600. My shutter speed was either 1/30 or 1/60, I can't recall. If you're shooting during a performance, PLEASE, PLEASE, DO NOT use a flash. You'll blind the audience, performers (my friend, a bassist, HATES flash) and other photographers. You really don't need above ISO 1600 if you have an aperture of 1.8 or so, I was shooting in nearly the dark, with just the illumination from a track of small LED lights, and I managed to get the proper exposure on FILM. Just pick up a decent F 1.7 or 1.4 lens (Pentax, Ricoh, Chinon, they'll all work), crank up the ISO and turn on Image Stabilization. You'll be fine. Attached Images

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04-23-2011, 03:46 PM	#2
hcc Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,005	You want to take a photo with dim lighting, high shutter speed (to get the sticks and fingers), with a DA18-250mm. No way - Surtout ne pas essayer, ca ne marchera pas. You need to consider alternatives: - use your flash, or - ask the musicians to be still when you shoot with the camera on a tripod and slow shutter speed, or - bump the ISO to 32000 + high ISO correction set to strong. None of the above are perfect, and a better lighting would definitely help. Personally, I would recommend to use a faster lens. (I have the DA18-250mm and I can speak of experience. An excellent lens, but its weakness is the low-light conditions). You would be best to consider a fast prime lens. Like a 31mm f1.8 or better a 50 mm f1.4. A fast lens has a large aperture (low f) allowing more light onto the sensor and faster shutter speed. Hence, you would be able to achieve what you want without flash. Hope that the comment will help.... Bonne chance

04-23-2011, 03:52 PM	#3
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	If I understand the translation correctly, you want images with no motion blur. There are only a couple of options for you - increase your ISO and/or increase the size of your aperture number (to f/4 or f/5.6) to help increase the shutter speed. You may be limited with both your K20D (ISO 1600 and above can produce noisy images) and your lens (it does not have a large maximum aperture of f/2.8 or less). Nevertheless, give it a try and if it is just not fast enough for you, you may need to upgrade your lens or your camera (or both!). All the best for that.

04-23-2011, 04:28 PM	#4
MDegri New Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 19	Another option is to ask the person in charge of lighting for a bit more light for the photos. Not always achievable though.

04-23-2011, 08:53 PM	#7
gp1806 Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chicago suburbs Photos: Albums Posts: 848	There is a photographer/musician that posts here and on the Pentax forum at DP Review. His name is Marc Sabatella. I hope I spelled that right. He gets great shots with a K200D, sharp and clean. Look for his posts, I remember that he has explained how he does it. I don't think your 18-250mm lens will work well for this type of shooting, too slow. Marc seems to use f/2.8 prime lenses.

04-24-2011, 11:09 AM	#8
zabo New Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Bordeaux Posts: 4 Original Poster	Merci pour vos réponses et tous vos conseils ! Je mettrai les photos bientôt si elles ne sont pas trop râtées !!!

04-24-2011, 06:29 PM	#9
slip Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 2 hours north of toronto ontario canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,535	I think that since the lighting is likely going to be different types and colors, that black and white will likely turn out best, like the examples that were given. when ever a shot isn't to her liking, my wife turns them into greyscale in photoshop and it seems to make the shot more acceptable under bad lighting conditions. looking forward to seeing some examples cheers and good luck

04-24-2011, 10:20 PM	#10
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	Marc wrote a few articles in his blog Marc Sabatella: Concert Photography - Equipment Marc Sabatella: Concert Photography - Technique Marc Sabatella: Concert Photography - Post-Processing Hope it helps