Ashfall - Gig Photography

Blackvault · 25 Apr 2010 at 20:39

Hello.

Went and photographed a mate's band playing a gig in a Belfast (Northern Ireland/UK) bar yesterday. It's only the fourth time I've done gig photography and I'm pleased with the results. Below is a selection of the images from the night. The light was the worst I've experienced so far while photographing mates gigs and it is reflected in the images.

EXIF 1D MKII,30D, 24-70 L , 18-55 kit lens (non IS)
ISO is mostly 3200 within this sample, with a handful being 1600
Aperture was mainly 2.8
Shutter speed range from 1/4 - 1/250 the majority of the shoot where between 1/30 - 1/100

Processing done in LR, using a custom made process. Some images have a cross process effect. Little noise reduction and a sharpen.

Gallery

Would anyone have any suggestions that I could take to my next gig. Also I might be in the market for new gear so if anyone have any suggestions please shout out.

Comments and Criticisms welcome.

Blackvault · 26 Apr 2010 at 18:48

82 views and not a single comment

Blackvault

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 26 Apr 2010 at 19:21

I really like 1 and 2. Don't so much like 3 as there isn't much captured.
Very much like the crop/color saturation spot in 2 and I really like the mellowness about the first.

Blackvault · 26 Apr 2010 at 19:25

Fstop11 said:
I really like 1 and 2. Don't so much like 3 as there isn't much captured.
Very much like the crop/color saturation spot in 2 and I really like the mellowness about the first.

Hi Jonathan

I assume your referring to the three samples I posted? Any comments about the rest in the gallery?

Blackvault

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 26 Apr 2010 at 19:35

Hello Peter.
Dang sorry I missed the gallery.
Ok, I have had a poke through that gallery twice now.

In some ways I have covered the same sorta gig conditions you have with quite limited lighting. I love the closer crops you have used and let the guitar over expose. They work really nicely. Theres a couple of quite heavy contrast black n whites which I think work really nice too.

Although there are positives and negatives to using flash in gigs I do think a few of these could have worked better with some low speed sync flash. I see in one you have used ( I got a shot like that somewhere too )
I think using some more flash would produce much better results.

Theres a good half I really like and the others are ok to me but then I am just one mans opinion.

I haven't got time to give more on these as you caught me on my way out the door.
Have you been doing gigs for long?

Blackvault · 26 Apr 2010 at 19:50

Fstop11 said:
Hello Peter.
Dang sorry I missed the gallery.
Ok, I have had a poke through that gallery twice now.

In some ways I have covered the same sorta gig conditions you have with quite limited lighting. I love the closer crops you have used and let the guitar over expose. They work really nicely. Theres a couple of quite heavy contrast black n whites which I think work really nice too.

Although there are positives and negatives to using flash in gigs I do think a few of these could have worked better with some low speed sync flash. I see in one you have used ( I got a shot like that somewhere too )
I think using some more flash would produce much better results.

Theres a good half I really like and the others are ok to me but then I am just one mans opinion.

I haven't got time to give more on these as you caught me on my way out the door.
Have you been doing gigs for long?

Hey thanks for the more in-depth reply. In general I do like the tight crops myself and feel they work. As for the flash, I did use some however even with -3 stops on the flash it was lighting up the whole room and made it look more like a snap shot. I really appreciate you taking the time out to comment.

I haven't taken many gigs, I think this is my third or something and they have all been for mates. So they are loving the pictures because I'm their mate rather than being critical.

Blackvault

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 26 Apr 2010 at 23:25

Not a problem sorry I didnt see the gallery in your first question.
In regards to the flash that is because you are using the flash automatically in ETTL mode.
-3 stops of flash isn't the lowest power it works on.

Have a google around for slow speed sync flash.
Really you want to capture a little motion in gig photography otherwise candids with not a lot going on with them or the scene can appear mostly bland.

http://photo.net/learn/concerts/mirarchi/concer_4.htm