need some tips on shooting bands

[MRCPix]

I know there are people in this forum who shoot bands so would you mind sharing some tips that will help?

I know it is low light so fast glass and high ISO but other than that what do I need to expect?

thanks in advance

[kenw]

fast+high, yes.

see what it takes to get the shutter above 1/125. if you can't get 1/125, try for shots where the movements are small or slow. Depending on the band this may be difficult. i use Tv to keep that shutter and let the Av fall where it may.

Personally I use a 50/1.8 and a 20/1.8, and they almost always go to 1.8. It doesn't make for the sharpest results, but it doesn't work for me otherwise. And I'm shooting in some pretty awful venues as far as light goes.....

This was 800 ISO, Tv at 1/90s, 1.8. cropped and greyscaled

[MRCPix]

I was thinking about getting either a 50 1.8 or the 85 1.8 for this type of shooting.
thanks for the sample

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Mike it also depends on the BAND/Musician! You will get the best pics from the band that you know or when you can talk to them before the shoot if they are a touring or out of town band (I am not talking about Big National Acts since the better ones know what the photographers want/need to get that shot).

Find out when that lead singer will get into a spotlight and hold his pose for just a bit longer that added light and that 1/2 second hold can make a shot work that otherwise won't. There are too many singers of new bands who have no idea how to work a spot on them because they probably have never done that in a small club and if you have a larger club that does have some good spots find a good spot to set up to take full advantage of them!

Now if you are shooting a C+W or Folk act the people on stage will not be as animated as say if you are shooting a MetalCore or Punk Act and trying to get those guys is REALLY HARD and you will have a lot of throw aways or you have to revert to FLASH to capture the shots.

Biggest thing is just get out there and do the learning curve bit.

[venchka]

Originally Posted by DEMDeepEllumMusic

...

Biggest thing is just get out there and do the learning curve bit.

On the evening in question: New lens. New film. First time with a band. ISO 320 by the way. Shutter priority, 1/60 sec. F-stop somewhere between 1:1.4 and 1:2.8 is my best guess. This is half the negative. The close up is 1/4 of the negative. Both from a minilab 1700x1110 scan.

Craig, keyboards, Spiffingtons.

[kenw]

1/60s??? was he alive???

[venchka]

Grinning. I'll ask.

[MRCPix]

is there anyone I can go shoot with some time just to get an evaluation of what I have and what I need?

[venchka]

Originally Posted by mikeN80

is there anyone I can go shoot with some time just to get an evaluation of what I have and what I need?

Where's Benbrook?

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Really a keyboard player who sings is about the easiest to shoot since he will be up onto his mic and keyboard players overall not as animated as say a Lead Guitar or Drummer would be. For some reason I have found that Bass Players are not as animated as Guitar Players while drummers many times don't move their heads around too much because all of the rest of them is moving like a whirling dervish on speed.

While Lead Singers can eithe be stuck in one spot on stage or over every square inch of the stage so knowing the band in advance will give you a good idea on how animated each member is.

A recent thing with Metal bands are the group jumps where almost the whole band will do a unison jump into the air-I've even seen drummers come out from behind their kits to join in on a jump.

[riteflyt]

Mike most of the local bands will let you shoot them, I suggest Firewater, or just about anywhere in deep ellum, you can shoot up a storm.

Good luck!

[venchka]

OK, so I guess Benbrook is in the DFW area. Sorry, I'm in Houston. Paul hit the Spiffingtons on the head: basically static. Good musicians. Not given to gyrations. I guess I was lucky.

[chloew]

I've seen (and done) three types of band images, which each have their different approach.

1. No flash - ambient light ony
2. Balance of flash and ambient light
3. Mostly flash light

I prefer #1 and #2 which both try to get the feel of the stage without overpowering the scene with flash. In #2 I try to use much of the (hopefully colorful) stage lighting and supplment with flash to freeze the motion. In this type of shooting I typically use 1/15s, f/4.0 at ISO 400. Changing the exposure time affects how much background motion blur you get. Changing the F stop and ISO settings affects the amount of exposure from ambient light. If you have FEC (flash exposure compensation) on your camera or flash (or use a manual flash mode) you can affect the amount of flash relative to the ambient light.

1/60s f/2.8 ISO 100


I also use my 50mm f/1.8 a lot without flash and try for exposures of 1/60s or shorter. I don't shot punk bands.

1/125s f/2.0 ISO 1600

[merock]

I use flash, but slow the shutter way down to like 1/2 sec or so to create ambiance and give a little bit of movement. I guess it really depends on the style of the band and what they are looking for. I don't think this image would work well for a blues band, but it works for a rock band.

Probably around 1/2sec f/4

[AndrewCCM]

Other than what has been mentioned. Don't be afraid to use flash.. Just turn it WAY DOWN. I shoot a lot with a 50 F1.4 and sometimes some slower shutter speeds. The key is to predict movement as mentioned. A puff of flash can help freeze the motion but allow you to get the ambient light that you desire. I detest blasted flash look pretty much anytime..but with live concerts it's worse. Flash can be difficult if not possible when heavy smoke/fog is involved.

Also, look for the light...shoot the action as it moves into the light and don't waste your time shooting in the darker areas if possible.

I am going to include several images from the past few years. Some of the older ones were shot with Nikon D70.. So you can get decent images without super high ISO performance. You just have to experiment. Don't get stuck with one particular setting unless it is really working. Play around and learn what works and what doesn't.

Good luck!