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Live photo tips? Anonymous
Hay. Im shooting a live set for a magazine tomorrow (my first for a mag). Any one got any nice tips?

This photo is from my most recent live set but I'm not too fond of it as there is not enough expressions in the movement. It looks more like the model is sitting still in a studio than playing live. Slower shutter speed and back courtan flash sync might do the trick but Im not sure.

Post your tips, tricks and live photos.
>> Anonymous
- Don't use a flash => set iso to 1600 or so
- I usually shoot gigs with a 50mm f1.8, wide open, aperture priority and just focus on what's happening
- Get there early
- Don't just stand there while waiting for the set to begin, set up your camera and take test snaps
- Don't annoy the crowd or the band
>> Anonymous
>>33583

dont use a flash?????????? what?

seriously dont listen to this shit. unless ppl post examples of the results and how they did it trying to explain how to get an effect is almost useless.
>> Katsu
>>33594
I'm sure that>>33583has reasons not to use flash and hasn't elaborated on why. But it seems as if you don't agree with this and you haven't provided on reasons why not. I suggest you follow your own advice and post pictures using flash and go into detail about obtaining a certain effect. The OP already seems to have a good grasp on photography but I'm sure that he wouldn't want his thread filled with uncalled insults, only helpful advice.

Anyway, I think that flash probably might not be great when you have a lot of people there. At any given moment, someone could move into your line of sight and they get showered with flash and all of a sudden the random fan becomes the focus of the photo. It's like a finger in the way of the lens. Sometimes, flash can take away from the atmosphere of gig as well, revealing loose wires or cables running along the stage or just bringing attention things not taken notice of when at the actual performance.

I think the OP's picture is a fairly good example of how to use light (whether flash or not), but yes, the moment is a bit bland.
>> Anonymous
>>33598

you also have no idea what your talking about.

most gigs happen in the dark or with very subdued light. do you honestly think that simply
setting a digital camera to its highest iso it will work in this situation.

>>Sometimes, flash can take away from the atmosphere of gig as well, revealing loose wires or cables running along the stage

again? where are you guys getting this from.
>> Anonymous
>>33598

with the light at most gigs your only going to get a messy blur without a flash.

he said he wanted atmosphere and more expression. hes not going to get this standing far way from the stage like a pussy being scared of the band.

Oh god forbid some drunk teenager gets flashed. its a selective process once you have taken the photos. if you dont like it get rid of it.

>>33578
just go and shoot as much as you can. edit out the crap.
>> Photon
Use an external flash set to second curtain or slow, dont use the built-in one. Set your camera to TTL mode.
Large aperture 1.4 or 1.8.
Dont use slow shutter, unless your performer is not moving much.
Take loads of photos and shoot in raw!
>> Anonymous
>>33622

HE WANTS MOVEMENT AND EXPRESSION> THE ESSENCE OF THE GIG> HE DOESNT WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE ITS IN THE STUDIO.

now, knowing all this , why the hell are you so worried about wires?

i never said i would provide pictures. even if i did they would be useless as they would only be relevant to the lighting at that particular gig. read my post properly.
>> Anonymous
>>33623

finally, sense has arrived.

>>33578

question to the op, are you shooting film or digital? everyone has assumed that you are digi?
>> Teus !QbSstcPD6U
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google a bit, as usual, for info.

>>33583gave some important advice

you can either flash the scene, or use higher ISO and slower shutter speeds. it all depends on the available lighting.

when using natural light, you can't capture fast movements. if some things are blurry, it emphasizes the action and movement.

for flash: well... you need a decent flash. a dedicated one with a diffuser (and TTL for digital) will do the job. I would avoid popup flashes.

light: let's say you can shoot comfortable at ISO 1600, 1/30th shutter speed, with an f/ stop of 2.8.

ISO: you can push it to 3200. for film, use intented high-ISO film like TMAX 3200 or delta 3200

shutter speed: 1/30th is nice for me. if i really have to, i use 1/15th but some movement get quite blurry
>> Teus !QbSstcPD6U
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tri-x at ISO 1600, pushed 2 stops, so it's more contrasty.

its with a 50mm lens at f/2.8, using a shutter of 1/30th or 1/60th. in any case, cutting the edge to freeze the movement :)
>> op here Anonymous
hey, op here. thanks for the advice. im using digital and my flash is the canon 580ex. i also have a sto-fen omnibounce. I think ill use the flash if the lighting is bad, and maybe fill flash if the light is good/bright. what i meant with "more expression in movement" is that i want to capture all the energy coming from the stage, and it might be best to use a fairly slow shutter to get that. again thx for the tips, ill just have to experiment with flash/back curtain/bouncing angles/iso/aparture and shutter speeds. as im shooting digital there is no worry of taking to many photos.
>> Anonymous
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Here's one.

- No flash, iso 1600
- 50mm lens at f1.8

Ofcourse, there's little to no movement. If that's what you want this technique is propably not for you.

NO FLASH!?????OMGTEHBBQZ!!!!!!1
>> Anonymous
>>33673

yes but that situation allowed for you not to use a flash.

to outright say that a flash isn't needed is to judge the lighting in a situation that you have no knowledge of.

my point is that no matter what you guys tell him it will be quite useless as he doesn't know the lighting conditions till he is at the gig.

all he can do now is shoot the gig in whatever way he already knows. if he is doing this for someone else then its not the time for him to mess around.
>> Photon
Read up:

http://www.popphoto.com/howto/3463/secrets-of-killer-concert-photos-revealed.html
>> Anonymous
my tip.

take thousands of photos and choose the best ones.

its not a complicated process. edit out the crap and keep the shoots you want.

its why your camera will probably have auto bracketing and be able to take multiple frames a second.
>> Anonymous
>>33738
Thats the worst tip ever!
Instead of waiting for the right moment you just take som random pictures and hope that some of them turn out ok?

Shame on you digicam-retard, sair.
>> Anonymous
I'm in a band. Don't use flash.
>> Anonymous
>>33746
sometimes, there just isn't enough light, even with ISO 3200 (as far as most built-in light meters go) and a 50mm f/1.2 ... been there done that, you can't always take sharp photos, no matter how expensive your gear is
>> Anonymous
>>33743

at any point did i say take the photos at random? nope. you fail for not understanding the concept of editing or having to work for someone else.

have you ever done a photo shoot? if your working for someone else, even for free, then they rely on you. you don't take 30 pictures you feel are right and hope they will do.

what backwards, uneducated logic are you working by? take less photos and hope they come out ok?

maybe you just have a really weak eye for composition and what will make a good picture.you might need a lot of time to line up a shot. while your waiting for that right moment you may have missed 30 others.

lol and if you think the practice of taking hundreds if not thousands of photos is new because of digital then you know nothing.
>> Anonymous
>>33752
If the venue is good, and actually worth taking some pictures in, you'll get some good shots without flash. Seriously, i've been in a touring band, and i know what most bands would like to see from live photos.

But i understand what you're saying, if the lighting rig in the venue is poor.
>> Anonymous
>>33757

yeah, if its a local gig or something smaller then then your going to be stuck with really shitty lighting conditions.

just on a side note can someone post a photo that is taken on a dslr, no flash set to its highest iso and on its widest aperture please.also tell us the shutter speed.

im dieing to see the results at such settings.

and yeas ive seen>>33673. its too small to judge the quality for print media.
>> Photon
The stage will ALWAYS be illuminated to some point. There has to be light for people to see them or for the band themselves to see.

Besides, this post is way expired. No flame war now.
>> Anonymous
>>33578

hey op what happened. can we some of th pictures you took for the magazine?