DVD Talk Forum - Music Photography

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re: Music Photography - Post Here

Hey, great thread. I have a 7D with a 70-200 2.8 and the 17-55 2.8, all of which I'd love to use at a concert. No press pass, though, so I've been forced to use P&S. I've used an S5, an S90, and am now using an SX230 IS.

The S5 was horrible with high ISOs. The S90 is better, but basically useless for lack of zoom unless I am in the first couple of rows. The SX230 is an okay compromise for zoom and less noisy at higher ISO, but with the small max aperture, it's hard to get sharp shots.

So, I guess I'd like to know how much post processing you do. Do you shoot in raw? Any tips or post processing tricks you care to pass on?

Oh, also, what white balance setting do you use?

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. By the way the poster "Chrisedge" in this thread is super talented at audio recording concerts. Chris, you don't know me, but thanks for sharing your tapes. Can't tell you how much I've enjoyed them.

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Quote:

Originally Posted by cck (Post 11006462)

Most smaller venues will allow you in with your gear. IDK what you listen to but try out some smaller bands if you want to shoot.

I won'[t say my photos are straight out of camera. Anyone who says that is either lying or a middle of the road music photographer.

I shoot RAW. Tungsten White Balance. Manual exposure. All of my post work is done in Lightroom.

Import
Flag the ones I like
Correct white balance - i shoot tungsten because it is closest to what is used in venues. still needs correcting.
Crop
Adjust contrast, pop the vibrancy, black levels, fill light, curves, noise reduction
export

that's my workflow.

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Great photos! Thanks for sharing!

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoSpacey (Post 10990171)

Its a good photo. I might just boost the contrast a bit. Be careful of the crop at the legs. It looks like you cropped Dave at his ankles. Go a little higher and a little tighter to the left to get him out of the center of the frame. Nit-picks, but good photo.

Thanks. The nit-picking is appreciated. :) Any of the photos in my Flickr haven't had any color correction or cropping. They are just as when I shot them, although I keep some that are color corrected on my laptop. Cropping is something I have some problems with. I just don't know where to do it. I keep second-guessing myself. The ideal thing would probably be to give them to someone I trust and ask that person to do the cropping. Ha, ha.

I'm enjoying seeing all the photos. I keep thinking about posting more on here, but I don't want to get too out of hand and annoy everyone. Plus, I don't go to too many shows, so there would be quite a few of the same bands/people.

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Quote:

Originally Posted by cck (Post 11006462)

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. By the way the poster "Chrisedge" in this thread is super talented at audio recording concerts. Chris, you don't know me, but thanks for sharing your tapes. Can't tell you how much I've enjoyed them.

Thanks for the complement. Just did the Foo Fighters Audio and Video and will be posting this weekend probably. By far my best video work and the audio isn't too shabby either :)

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisedge (Post 11007540)

Thanks for the complement. Just did the Foo Fighters Audio and Video and will be posting this weekend probably. By far my best video work and the audio isn't too shabby either :)

Checked out the Muse video. That opening might be one of my favorite openings ever. I covered that tour and when they told us we could only shoot from the soundboard I didnt know what to expect. If I did acid, that opening with the figures on the stairs falling off when they reached the top would have made my face melt.

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Some recent stuff...

1. RIP Hubert Sumlin. The legendary Blues guitarist of Howlin' Wolf died this weekend at 80. One of his last, if not absolute last, public performances was with Elvis Costello in Hubert's home area in NJ back in October. Here is the 2 of them backstage after the show.
full set: http://irocktheshot.com/2011/10/phot...eatre-10-6-11/
http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s11/v28/p407635804-4.jpg

2 Chris Cornell - I have a couple of photos licensed for his new Songbook release and had the chancew to shoot his at Carnegie Hall and the Count Basie theatre in NJ. Lighting is boring but here is TWO from the Count Basie...
full set: http://irocktheshot.com/2011/12/phot.../#.Tt0Yo7JCq0s
http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s11/v34/p1053578085-4.jpg

3
http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s11/v35/p933769946-4.jpg

4 Judas Priest
full set: http://irocktheshot.com/2011/11/juda...t-izod-center/
http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s11/v32/p408450031-4.jpg

5 Lykke Li
full set: http://irocktheshot.com/2011/11/phot...lmont-theatre/
http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s11/v35/p230784364-4.jpg

6 Goo Goo Dolls
full set: http://irocktheshot.com/2011/11/phot...lmont-theatre/
http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s11/v27/p792999478-4.jpg

7 Fitz & The Tantrums
full set: http://irocktheshot.com/2011/11/phot.../#.Tt0ZWbJCq0s
http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s11/v36/p350700071-4.jpg

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Bruce Springsteen joined one of my favorite bands, The Gaslight Anthem, onstage at their show at Convention Hall in Asbury Park in December.

full set: http://irocktheshot.com/2011/12/phot...hall-12-09-11/

http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s2/v1/p60639489-4.jpg

Snoop Dogg at Terminal 5
full set: http://irocktheshot.com/2011/12/phot...nal-5-12-5-11/

http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s11/v29/p973671910-4.jpg

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Fantastic shots SoSpacey, especially love this last one of Snoop!

I have started dabbling in taking concert shots for one of the bands I manage using a Canon t2i and a 50mm 1.8 lens, but am still having problems getting over the lack of light. Some of the smaller NYC venues are absurdly dim (like Rockwood), any pointers?

Some photos that I shot from a show at Union Hall and Rockwood are here - any critiques would be much appreciated!

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoSpacey (Post 11063214)

http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s2/v1/p60639489-4.jpg]

:up: Great shot. I love the contrast of colors.

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Quote:

Originally Posted by naseeb (Post 11063824)

Thanks!

The 50 1.8 sounds good in theory and produces decent shots around f2.2 and above with good light. The problem with that lens is the focus. Its terrible at focusing in low light. Never locks the target.

Do you have a flash? Use it, but turn off the flash firing. In your camera setting you can use the flash's focus assist beam without the flash firing. It will help locking in focus on your subjects much better, especially with the nifty 50.

Tamron makes a 17-50 2.8 for around $400. Used they are around $300. Its a great concert lens on your T2i. Do not get the IS/VR model as it is not as good as the non-IS.

Checking out your photos. I dont want to go into too much detail on here but you do a good job capturing moments. Thats the important part. A lot of guys make mistakes by capturing in between moments.

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Love the Chris Cornell shot.

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Hey Spacey, great work... half the battle is showing up and sometimes making due with what you have produce some of the most amazing photos. That being said I'm just curious, when you get clearance to shoot, say for example the Van Halen show, this is usually well in advance... do they tell you then that you're relegated to the soundboard, or do you literally find out at the time of the event? And with time permitting, knowing you are shooting from the soundboard is lens rental for a 400 telephoto out of the question. I would assume you don't really want to incur the added cost/baggage unless you were shooting a major act like U2 or Madonna where the likelihood of making money to cover the added cost would be greater.

Again, just curious... shooting acts/sports is something that I've always wanted to do, although I won't so I'll live vicariously through you.

Keep up the great work!

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Your photos are really, really nice. I know most of the time it's not the camera that makes the photo, it's the photographer but I can say that concert (and sports) photography are the exception to the rule.

I usually hope that the event is well-lit, or that there are moments with bright lights. Then, you hope that they last long enough for your P&S to be aware of what's going on. :lol:

Every once in a while I get lucky:

<img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/13334_169447783060_501693060_2913974_6509201_n.jpg">

(That's not even with a G6... which stopped working adequately a few years back. This is an older Lumix).

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoSpacey (Post 11066608)

Thanks!
Tamron makes a 17-50 2.8 for around $400. Used they are around $300. Its a great concert lens on your T2i. Do not get the IS/VR model as it is not as good as the non-IS.

I have the IS version of this lens. I've gotten some great general shots with it on my 60D, but the AF is a little slow compared to the much more expensive Canon version. Does turning off the IS help image quality or is the non-IS version inherently better?

Any thoughts on the Tamron 70-200 2.8? I've heard the AF is terrible on it.

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Corvin (Post 11137334)

Love the Chris Cornell shot.

Thanks Michael.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hal9000 (Post 11138437)

Thanks Hal. Well, the problem is that usually you don't get your confirmation until a day or two before the show. Canon will actually lend me a lens through the CPS program but I need to give them notice. Adorama has a great rental department with curb side pick-up but I opted to not rent for this show. The 300 2.8 is $50/day and the 400 2.8 is $90/day. If I wasn't actually going to the show I might have picked one up but I did not want to walk around MSG with a 27" lens. I hate sound board shoots but I had to shoot VH if I had the chance.

My next sound board shoot might be Bruce. Still trying to figure out what to do there. I wish they would confirm me ahead of time so I could plan properly.

If you have a chance to shoot live music, do it. Its a great rush. Even if you want to just try and get your feet wet shooting a show. If you are going to see a smaller act and have a ticket you may be able to swing a photo pass. Bands dont usually care much unless they have to give a media ticket with it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bus (Post 11139153)

Your photos are really, really nice. I know most of the time it's not the camera that makes the photo, it's the photographer but I can say that concert (and sports) photography are the exception to the rule.

I usually hope that the event is well-lit, or that there are moments with bright lights. Then, you hope that they last long enough for your P&S to be aware of what's going on. :lol:

Every once in a while I get lucky:

(That's not even with a G6... which stopped working adequately a few years back. This is an older Lumix).

Thanks Bus. And you are definitely partially correct. For concert shooting you almost need fast lenses and cameras with good high ISO. And those are very expensive. Its actually why I stopped shooting concerts back in 2001. I just didnt have the money for the proper equipment.

Now don't get me wrong. You can buy a T2i and Canon 50 1.8 ($100) and do pretty well at a concert. But to do this for a living you need to be prepared for everything. And relying on one camera and a single, fixed length lens isn't the best way to do it.

Small venues and even now a days you can pull it off with a good point and shoot like the G or S series. Again, they arent the fastest in terms of focusing, but as a fan who wants some good shots they do very well.

Now don't get me wrong. Even with good equipment, a crappy photographer will produce mostly crappy photos, but they might get lucky on one or 2. Music photography is all about understanding music and the bands. If you can do that and you can anticipate when something is going to happen, your photos are much better. The least I press the shutter is usually mid-verse. Nothing much happens. I'm looking for action and emotion. So thats usually during some type of bridge/transition/build-up/etc. Knowing the band is great. But just understanding how a song is constructed is a help, even if you never heard the band before.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason (Post 11139300)

All I know is the non-IS version of that lens is sharper. I owned both the 17-50 and 28-75 versions of the Tamron. They both served me well. Auto-focus was a little slow but not terrible. The problems I had were focusing in low-light with both lenses. Mine would hunt a lot and I missed photos because of it.

If you use a camera like the 7D or upcoming 5DIII that has a built in auto focus assist lamp, or you use a flash on camera (flash off, auto focus assist on), or you buy a trigger for off camera flash with an auto focus assist built in, your focusing will greatly improve with the Tamrons. Back-button focusing is also important.

If you are looking to grab a 70-200, avoid the Tamron and look at one of the Sigmas. The earlier models were garbage but the newer ones are much better.

Even the Canon 70-200 2.8 (non-IS) can be had for a pretty darn good price now.

Also, please post some of your own stuff! I'd like to see others photos. Doesn't matter if they are from the pit or from the crowd....taken with pro grea or a point and shoot! Post away....

re: Music Photography - Post Here

Its been a while since I posted in this thread. TBH, I was hoping some others might join in before I post again.

Anyway, I am now contributing to Rolling Stone on-line so I will start with some of those.

1 - Popped my cherry with Red Hot Chili Peppers. This is the photo and the link to the review. It was the night MCA died. They chose a very editorial photo to run with it. I'll include 2 more that are better.

Link: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/ne...ewark-20120505

http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s1/v48/p751126166-4.jpg

2 - Chili Peppers
http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s3/v38/p818405832-4.jpg

3-
http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s1/v46/p630905081-4.jpg

Full set: http://irocktheshot.com/2012/05/phot...ential-center/

4 - My second came a few nights later at Florence and the Machine at Radio City to run with their review
http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s2/v50/p482870357-4.jpg

Link: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/ne...-hall-20120509

Full set: http://irocktheshot.com/2012/05/phot...ty-music-hall/

Daughtry was one of my favorite shoots this year. Great band to shoot.

5
http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s3/v25/p68728780-4.jpg

6
http://www.joepapeo.com/img/s3/v44/p46706973-4.jpg