Help with live band shots.

[skraw]

[QUOTE Prediction: In a very few years we will have sensors capable of excellent quality at ISO 12800 and we will laugh about the troubles we had back in '07.[/QUOTE]

Good point...

[Walkabout]

Wondering why people are asking you if you are so "terrible at it..."

Speedlight is not the answer. Good dslr and good glass (lens) is. i shot performance imagery for years using film (T-Max 3200 for B&W, fuji 800 asa for colour) now use a digital body (Nikon D300 or D700) with asa set at around 1250, use an 80-200mm f2.8 lens...which allows for full body or face close-ups. Depth of field is critical at 2.8 ap, so you must be sure to place the focal point on the artists face and NOT the microphone! Shutter speed should never fall below 1/125, or perhaps 1/250 or better in your case with shakey hands. Movement is inevitable during a performance, shutter speed is critical. Blurred images are second rate, even when blur is intentional, an in focus area usually enhances the image. Telling people you were "going for the blurred look' usually does not make your image any less amateurish (in most cases, of course, there are always exceptions, sometimes the effect can be dramatic or artistic, but be real, most blurred images are just bad photographs.)

I'm always being asked to take photos of live band shows. I'm terrible at it. I don't want to use the on camera flash because it makes the photos look terrible. And handheld in lowlight is just impossible, because of all of the movement of both myself and my shakey hands as well as the band members.

Would a speedlight solve all of my problems? I've never even used one but I will eventually invest in one, but does it even make the lighting look subtle enough so that you can see stage lights and such as well? Rather than blown out white faces? I know I can change the exposure on the flash, but even so, I've never had success!

(I decline paying jobs all the time because I have no clue how to do this!)

[Walkabout]

Problem with any kind of flash in performance imagery is that it usually kills the nuances of the stage lighting. Also, many venues don't allow flash. People recommend good equipment because it makes a difference in professional imagery. Big glass, 2.8 lenses capture better quality images, professional imagery requires professional gear. Sure you can get great images with less than stellar gear, but if you want consistant images in demanding aspects of photography, such as sports, wildlife, performance, all with high technical requirements and hurdles...you need top notch gear. It's still the photographer taking the image, but with better tools. I'm sure Segovia could make beautiful music with a cheap knock off brand guitar, but certainly creates exceptionally better sounds with a finely crafted instrument...and it's still the same "player" on both.

lol everyone is always so quick to go out and buy expensive equipment :-P

using the built in flash doesn't necessarily make the pictures look bad... if u know how to use it. I've use my built in flash several times when i shoot bands and stuff... but since i use film, i just get high speed film lol but anyway what i do, i am under expose a few stops... this turns the flash into nothing more than a fill flash... therefore there will be no hot spots and the light becomes very soft on your subject... don't really have to worry about what lens you are using because flash will freeze everything... the only downfall is the red eye... which the speedlight will fix but since the bands that i shoot for loves b&w pictures i never have to worry about red eye ^_^ lol

[Z-Eyes]

I have shot my friends bands (Big Sky and Overtone Orchestra) in a few different venues, and the on-cam flash works in a few cases, as long as you put some diffuser on it (I just put a little piece of a white napkin in front of the flashcell) and it helps ...I would suggest to get very high up (maybe in a balcony/mezzanine) and stage lights will be of less concern, and use a tri or mono pod , you can get some very interesting shots using rear-curtain sync flash, and no-flash can yield some very cool effects w/ slowed shutter speeds!

[Walkabout]

Stage lights are a plus, not a concern, I believe. They add drama, colour and vibrancy to a live performance.

[Walkabout]

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[Walkabout]

one of the benefits of an 80-200 2.8 lens is you can pull back and get a full body shot, or zoom all the way in and catch a facial expression...good range, and when you have 3 songs to get a range of imagery in some cases, you don't have time to change lenses, or even switch cameras. I would regularly get off a minimum of 7 to 9 36 exposure rolls during my first three song limit in front of the stage at arena or larger venue national act shows.

[Walkabout]

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[Fibonacci]

If you are getting paid by the band you may be able to persuade them to allow you to shoot during warm up. I know it's not the same but you will gain two things: 1) you will learn how the place is to be lit and where the best places to shoot are, and 2) the lighting guys will often do what you suggest as they are often setting up lights at the same time. Oh, and with the pressure off, the band members will often ham things up for you. It doesn't always work, the big acts usually can't be bothered, but when it does you can get some amazing shots.