Low Light, Hight ISO. My first and possibly last gig!

Mr Jones · 13 Mar 2010 at 00:27

As titled, a friend of my girlfriend was playing earlier this evening at my local Indie lounge (The Lamp) along with a handful of other line ups. I thought I'd give a try at shooting them when they're on stage, I've got to start some where, why not shoot someone I know...

Their band is called Brilliant Mind and the stage they performed on was lit up by 1 red and 1 green spot light. That was it! It was literally no other source of light and I didn't want to ruin the atmosphere by popping flashes through out their show, so I had to bite the bullet and stick it on ISO3200, on my Olympus E620. I swapped between using my 12-60mm SWD and a hired 50-200mm SWD (for 1 week of fun since I can't afford it yet). I also had to switch between AF and MF due to the lack of light, so some focus were hit and miss

Anyway...

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

7)

8)

9)

10)

11)

12)

13)

C&C would be most welcome! Anyone with experience in gig shooting, some advise would be handy for if I ever, ever! get the chance to shoot a gig again.

Raymond Lin · 13 Mar 2010 at 00:47

Without going Full Frame and sub 2.0 Glass...you have to be REALLY imaginative.

Always keep shutter speed high enough so you freeze motion. People move, especially when they are on stage

If you can't use flash, use the IR assist to nail the focus.

Manual focus if you have to.

If absolutely have to use flash, which I would avoid due to it killing the atmosphere, bounce it.

Spot metering, nail the exposure in the expression, the face. Concentrate on that rather than the scene.

Mr Jones · 13 Mar 2010 at 00:54

Cheers Raymond, I'll keep them in mind~

I did work between spot metering (with A priority) and fully manual, since the lighting is pretty constant, just depending on where the subject is. I really wanted to bounce the flash but the ceiling is really low and no walls available due to the speakers blocking my left and right. A flash would have totally killed the mood - I did a test shot before the gig start.

I now know the maximum limit my kit can go without the flash, very challenging trying to juggle everything just to get that right shot. On the same note, how would one go about using the flash IR assistant to shoot without flash? I did think of that but at that event, I didn't really think it was possible to turn off the flash yet use the IR?

Raymond Lin · 13 Mar 2010 at 01:03

With the Canon's you can, its one of the custom functions on the flash, no idea about other systems I am sorry.

tbs · 13 Mar 2010 at 02:27

Dont like the color grading youve done to it. I think if you was to edit them make them black and white film like since you have the grain from the high ISO use that to your advantage. And because its mostly pictures of the band having them B&W will give it a more atmospheric tone to it.

7, 11, and 13 are the weakest shots of the lot, because the look of the subjects.

Mr Jones · 13 Mar 2010 at 07:35

Cheers for the input tbs; I went for this colour grading for 2 reason,
1) This is the original shot, it's seriously just RED.

2) I personally this feels better than the typical B&W that everyone goes for. Perhaps to to everyone's taste but I' personally like it more

That said, some of the shots do suit a more contrasty B&W...

Mr Jones · 13 Mar 2010 at 08:06

Here's another selection, but done in the more typical B&W:

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

g)

And here's a couple of shot of another Band before I headed off - Can't remember who they are but do sound like they've listed to one too many Arctic Monkeys tracks. Good but not original enough IMO.

h)

i)

tbs · 13 Mar 2010 at 13:58

I think I just dont like the guy in photo a. His hair and looks just really irks me, so do most people that look like that.

C and D is a tad over exposed and you lose the detail of his shirt and skin. If you was aiming for the film look of black and white, you should make the black a bit faded ie like powdered/washed out black then tone down on the exposure and brightness a bit so it levels out.

Side5wipe · 13 Mar 2010 at 14:45

I think you could have dropped the ISO to 800-1600. And normally you are not allowed to use flash, but if its a local band just ask them if they dont mind a flash going off if you really need it.

I like 1 and 12

Raymond Lin · 13 Mar 2010 at 14:51

Shot H is what I am talking about when i said get the face exposed correctly and forget the scene. Spot meter the face and leave the background dark. It's a gig, people know its dark so don't worry about the scene as you are never going to get it all exposed correctly without movement with the kit limitation.

By all means get a couple of wide shots to show the stage, but I would take more shots like H than wider shots where inevitably you will need higher ISO or longer exposure.

m3csl2004 · 13 Mar 2010 at 14:55

I know what you mean about lamp - having played and taken photos there. 2 maybe 3 coloured spot lights is all you get.

Sesh is better.

I like 11 and 12 - the grain looks sort of film like, adds a bit of atmosphere.

Mr Jones · 13 Mar 2010 at 22:44

Cheers for the comments dudes~
And m3csl2004, is Sesh a place then? I'm looking for other places as my mate's thinking of gigging somewhere or open mic in Hull.

Raymond Lin said:
Shot H is what I am talking about when i said get the face exposed correctly and forget the scene. Spot meter the face and leave the background dark. It's a gig, people know its dark so don't worry about the scene as you are never going to get it all exposed correctly without movement with the kit limitation.

By all means get a couple of wide shots to show the stage, but I would take more shots like H than wider shots where inevitably you will need higher ISO or longer exposure.

Raymond, after looking through my shots and looking at shot h, I understand what you mean by just metering the shot and not the scene. I'll be doing another dark shoot - Hull University Cultural Night, with stage lights, constantly changing, so I'll see what the rented 50-200mm can do then

m3csl2004 · 14 Mar 2010 at 15:29

Sesh is the name of a amateur band night at a pub called Linnet & Lark, on tuesdays - it get's pretty busy and most local bands have played there.

Theres also places like Ringside, Sharkeys and The New Adelphi Club on various nights depending on the style of music. Reminds me I need a band haha.

Mr Jones · 14 Mar 2010 at 15:30

m3csl2004 said:
Sesh is the name of a amateur band night at a pub called Linnet & Lark, on tuesdays - it get's pretty busy and most local bands have played there.

Theres also places like Ringside, Sharkeys and The New Adelphi Club on various nights depending on the style of music. Reminds me I need a band haha.

Cool~
I've not been to Ringside and Sharkeys, should be going to The New Adelphi soon, since it's only across my street

m3csl2004 · 14 Mar 2010 at 15:41

Don't wear anything nice

it's also pretty dark for photography (just spotlights again) - and you won't be able to hear anything during or after.

MarkECP · 14 Mar 2010 at 23:07

I actually like the shots you posted here. The graininess actually gives it a very 1970s documentary feel - kind of like some of the old Joy Division stuff. The thing with noise is, that to the photographer its a ******* pain - but to the normal Joe Public viewer, they dont really `see it` the same way that we would. Seriously, I have binned so many shots that I thought were too grainy only to have the other half talk me out of dropping them as she doesn`t notice the noise issues.

It is hard to see past the noise sometimes, but we also sometimes have to step back and try to view our images with `uneducated` eyes (although that sounds ******* pretentious as hell).

I preferred them in straight B&W, the bright red coloured one did NOTHING for that shot.

sketch145 · 14 Mar 2010 at 23:32

MarkECP said:
the bright red coloured one did NOTHING for that shot.

I think that was the original shot. Red lighting is a real pain to photograph.

Stupot_ · 15 Mar 2010 at 00:04

I like them, and the processing.

Don't think some people are quite appreciating how dark it was..! I think you made the best of the kit you had, don't give up!

Mr Jones · 15 Mar 2010 at 01:51

I don't often link to Facebook but I really can't be darned to upload individuals from my set of 150 - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=155927&id=517664518&l=1ca4de4447

Those were shot earlier today with my E620, 50-200mm and the 12-60mm+Flashgun. Only cropped, WB adjustments and some sharpening on exporting. Too tired to edit any more photos after a WHOLE day of shoot, from Football at girlfriend's brother to an International Student Cultural Show.

And thanks guys for the pep talk, I did try using Raymond's pointers and it did helped a lot, but it's also helped that I was shooting outdoors and when indoors, there were quite enough stage lights for me to shoot comfortably in the ISO1000 to ISO1600 when using a 400mm equiv. range! I am in love with that lens!!!