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Anonymous
I just bought myself my first DSLR, a nikon d70 with some assorted lenses and jive. Im gona be heading to some concerts over the next couple of weeks and was wondering if any of you have had problems getting into clubs/venues with a camera, and how to avoid any unplesantries.

Pic unrelated, crappy and cliche'd. just filling a space.
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>> Vincent
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In Canada I never had a problem getting my D50 and a single lens (50mm f1.4, or 30mm f1.4, so not large lenses) into venues.
(no external flash or bulky bags)

HOWEVER, The bigger the venue the more likely there are going to be restrictions on what is allowed in. Ive seen bouncers kick out people with decent looking video recorders, then look the other way as I took a picture.

It depends on who is hosting the event of course, Its a good idea to call ahead to the club and ask if camera's are going to be allowed, and if possible get a name. It might not do you much good if the bouncer doesn't feel like letting you pass, but its better to throw names out there and try to save face if it comes to that.

Pic related

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>> thefamilyman !!rTVzm2BgTOa
>>99052
your firmware is greatly out of date
>> Anonymous
Clubs/raves prob wont giveyou too much hassle, besure to look like you know what your doing, the dj's and venues typically love this sort of thing because its free promotion, and you can certainly spin it like that. Your larger concerts/commercial events are prob going to require a press-pass, I have not dealt with this and am curious myself as to the tricks to obtain these.
>> Anonymous
what kind of concert is it? a local band gig, or something big? the only problem ive had yet was a big concert where the artists/managers disallowed "professional" photography AKA anyone with a camera bigger than a point and shoot. i didnt think about calling them beforehand and asking/trying to set something up, but i didnt think about bringing my camera anyway.
>> Anonymous
>>99076

Should you use wide primes only or are zooms and maybe flash possible?
>> Vincent
>>99078
No zooms, stick with lenses whose aperture opens to F2.0 or wider.
UNLESS you manage to get in an external flash, and a flash cord (And a good diffuser), Then I would say an F2.8 lens could be useable aswell

Most of the paid professionals I notice like to use very wide angle primes, sometimes fisheye's (14-28mm type wide) And use an external flash with a large diffuser, and go for pics of hotties in the crowd (Aswell as up close DJ shots)

They typically just burn in the background lighting with like a 1/10th of a second shutter speed, and use the flash to get sharp details in their subjects.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>99078
for me, i usually use a 50mm f/1.4 stopped down to f/2. theres been 1 time at an outdoor concert with pretty good lighting, so i used a zoom with a flash to give it a try at least once.

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>> Anonymous
>>99079

So a flash would be a good addition to bring in to add flexibility? Maybe a silly question, but would a flash be objectionable? I know they've got lights going on and off but I think some concerts they can be like that so I don't know about the clubs and things either.
>> Anonymous
>>99081

Did that combination work okay then?
>> Anonymous
Concerts in the Air Canada Center almost never allow cameras with detachable lenses
>> Half-Eye !Ir.x8Zkt3c
>>99088
yeah, because us camerafags tend to use our lenses as blunt objects - especially the sturdy L series...
>> Anonymous
>>99088

...that's an odd distinction and rule to make.
>> Anonymous
>>99083
depends on the venue and what you think. i dont use flash inside bars and stuff if im shooting a gig for my friend, but i would consider a flash at a concert. some venues dont allow certain things, so call ahead to make sure.

>>99084
i found the fill light to be a good compliment to the stage lighting. i just used the diffuser that came with the SB800 too, nothing after market and it worked perfect.
>> eku !8cibvLQ11s
I've gotten to gigs for free just by mailing the artists. I've also had the change to get the best possible place to watch and photograph the whole gig. Superb.

About flashes, I wouldn't use one in any situation. It just wrong in a gig photography. Plain wrong. (Except maybe with DJ's and stuff.)

Shoot RAW and push ISO to 1600.
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
>>99095
I've encountered that particular criteria before. It's basically just the easiest way to teach dumb security guards "This is a camera belonging to some random yahoo who just plans to take a few snapshots" vs. "This is a camera belonging to someone potentially planning to take pictures good enough to sell for profit."

The bit that amused/annoyed me the most about that ruling is that I wasn't allowed to bring in my ca. 1976 Minolta, but the same venue had had no problem with me bringing in my ca. 2004 Minolta... which would have let me record pretty high quality 800x600 video of the concert.
>> Anonymous
If you become an ordained minister, you're allowed to take pictures because you can obtain a press pass that way.

True story.
>> Anonymous
>>99151

Really? That's worth knowing. PRAISE JESUS! :P
>> Anonymous
>>99151
I'm a minister of pastafarianism. Does that count?
>> Anonymous
>>99154

It's not really a press pass but more of a "Let you take pictures so you can speak your mind" kind of thing.

It won't let you in Madison Square Garden or anything.
>> Anonymous
OP here, you guys think it would be a bad idea to try and sneak it in? or should I just be upfront about it?
>> Butterfly !xlgRMYva6s
If you sneak in you wont be able to use the flash (way to obvious) so make sure you have some f<2 lenses (and longish ones too). Phone up and ask before hand but dont mention your name untill they say yes ofc as its no loss if they say no.

Ofc its always worth trying!
>> Anonymous
>>99169

i'd be worried that bouncers or security might throw me and my camera out roughly if i was sneaking in
>> Sicko !L3HRY/miC.
     File :-(, x)
>>99168

Depends on the venue/security I'd say. I know at one venue where I had a photopass, they were pretty strict about it, I started taking some shots from the crowd after the first 3 songs and some security guy took me aside and explained they didn't let anyone take photos from the crowd/of the crowd because "Some people don't want their photo taken".

He let me off because I had a photopass and didn't know the exact restrictions.
>> Butterfly !xlgRMYva6s
I'm hoping to get a photopass for the chemical brothers gig tommorow btw :P

Im going for free already but I want a pass!
>> Sicko !L3HRY/miC.
>>99172

:-o How are you going for free already?
>> Butterfly !xlgRMYva6s
>>99173
everyone loves me, specifically i did photos for the soulwax record signing recently and as a thankyou emi are taking me to see chemical brothers <3

Im comin up!

Did i mention i got a photo published on friday as well :P
>> Anonymous
I'd avoid flashes for concert photography:

1) You're drawing attention to yourself making photographs, both with the flash light itself and the equipment
2) You're possibly annoying the performing artists by blinding them with your flash constantly (and the audience too)
3) You're screwing up the 'natural' lighting; HINT: there's a lot of effort put into the lighting of a gig, make use of the beautiful coloured lights, don't whiten it all out with your (probably ugly) flash

The only where I'd find it sensible to use flash is if you had a press pass and are allowed to come on stage and such. In this case you would also have discussed the amounts of photographs and flashes they're going to have to endure considering point 2.

I have never seen any (semi-)professionals at concerts making photos with flash. The only people who use it are plain audience using point 'n click cameras, because those people are clueless and their cameras aren't very light-sensitive.

Use big aperture lenses; probably fixed focals considering the aperture and size of the overall package. Don't put the strap around your neck, it makes you much easier to pick out in the audience. Don't bring your camera in an obvious photo bag.

Also personally I'm a bit annoyed by the clicking and zooming of SLRs at concerts during quiet parts. Consider this, but don't hesitate to make a beautiful picture when you get the opportunity :)
>> Anonymous
forgot a word:
>>99246
*The only where = The only SITUATION where
>> OPFOR !8vKpfCqy8A
>>99181
Do you have a link to the image?
>> Sicko !L3HRY/miC.
>>99246
>>HINT: there's a lot of effort put into the lighting of a gig

Yeah, by people who seem to hate photographers and love those red lights.
>> Anonymous
>>99259
if i see those fucking red lights one more time...
>> Butterfly !xlgRMYva6s
>>99248
Ill take a photograph of the article tommorow if i can.

I use flashes when Im doing gigs if im onstage (esp with my SLOOOW 11-18) but only in large arenas which have enough light to mask my flash (its for fill you muppets)

In bar or smaller clubs i wont use it because its fucking annoying and I hate people who do it.
>> Anonymous
>>99259
Yeah I guess that's true.

Also I'd like to nuance my statement that flash sucks a bit, I didn't fully read all the previous posts and I agree a mild fill flash *could* be helpful for professional concert photography. It's just that it totally goes against the smuggling-a-camera-into-the-crowd thing and the big chunk of all concert photos with flash have no atmosphere at all; just showing the performer as a sweaty and lame person as if standing in a well lit room rather than being cool on stage.
>> Anonymous
>>99263
if you have your flash set powerful enough to totally negate all the stage lighting youre doing it massively wrong. it should be fill like said earlier.

by the way, its not known if the camera has to be smuggled in or not, so we were more discussing shooting a concert in general it seems.
>> eku !8cibvLQ11s
>>99246

Q.F.T