concert photography

[violentlydave]

Share some live shots! My crap tends to be "Art" (hate that word), but
my guilty pleasure is shooting shows. Went out w/ the bag for the first
time in a while and shot Powerman5000 a few weeks ago at the State:

http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/powerman5000_statetheatre_stpete/IMG_8619s.jpg

http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/powerman5000_statetheatre_stpete/IMG_8816s.jpg

http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/powerman5000_statetheatre_stpete/IMG_8934s.jpg

http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/powerman5000_statetheatre_stpete/IMG_8879s.jpg

Always had trouble at the State due to all the reds front of house.

Anyone else like to shoot shows? Share!.. concert photos are fun to see.

dave

[midorigreen]

Really clean shots man. Do they give you trouble for bringing in any gear? I never tried at State, but Jannus always gives me crap.

Anyways, heres a few of my concert shots

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/3613/img41522bl5.jpg

http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/8357/img3069lg7.jpg

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/4738/img41592tw9.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/1039/img41502bw9.jpg

[Mars_302]

state theatre has a sign that says "no flash photography" thats it. I hate when hues are overly red from the lights. I usually switch to black and white mode unless its a band that brings their own lighting and uses something other than red.

http://ic3.deviantart.com/fs12/f/2006/330/2/d/Vocalist_of_Blood_by_Dawn_by_mars5l.jpg

http://www.eccentric-photography.com/gallery/d/23808-1/IMG_5391.jpg

http://www.eccentric-photography.com/gallery/d/24486-2/IMG_5890.jpg

some recent shots. ive been shooting concerts for over 3 years.

[KatieBang]

Really clean shots man. Do they give you trouble for bringing in any gear? I never tried at State, but Jannus always gives me crap.

Anyways, heres a few of my concert shots

[IG]http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/3613/img41522bl5.jpg[/IMG]

[IG]http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/8357/img3069lg7.jpg[/IMG]

[IG]http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/4738/img41592tw9.jpg[/IMG]

[IG]http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/1039/img41502bw9.jpg[/IMG]


Good lord, I :love: these! Amazing job.

[Bates]

My sister has some good ones she did of The Casualties. I'll try to post them since she doesn't ever post on the forums.

[evelmunkey]

Share some live shots! My crap tends to be "Art" (hate that word), but
my guilty pleasure is shooting shows. Went out w/ the bag for the first
time in a while and shot Powerman5000 a few weeks ago at the State:

http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/powerman5000_statetheatre_stpete/IMG_8619s.jpg

http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/powerman5000_statetheatre_stpete/IMG_8816s.jpg

http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/powerman5000_statetheatre_stpete/IMG_8934s.jpg

http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/powerman5000_statetheatre_stpete/IMG_8879s.jpg

Always had trouble at the State due to all the reds front of house.

Anyone else like to shoot shows? Share!.. concert photos are fun to see.

dave

Awesome shots!

[violentlydave]

Midori + Mars both, I tend to shy away from B+W for Concert shots.. I try
to capture "the moment" as exactly as possible. That said, it's probably
cause I don't produce as nice b+w shots as you guys! Midori, ESPECIALLY
love the last one.. the blur/overblow/b+w effect.. f'in awesome! Mars: The 2nd shot of the guitarist is gorgeous!!

Peeps, keep sharing.. and feel free to scream out any tips or cool tricks
you've found!

More random shots from me..

One of my few successes.. a shot from the show that ended up on an album.
Brian Vander Ark (the singer/songwriter from The Verve Pipe.. played the
bass played in "rock Star".. wrote "The Freshmen").. shot him at the Twilight
a few yrs ago, and ended up in his management's hands, and they used 'em
for his first live album. Here's what sat on the cd-tray:

http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/brianvanderark_twilight_ybor/IMG_4043s.jpg
(yeah more arty than normal, but they seemed to dig it).

a few local acts (same local benefit show that I shot, knew one of the
performers, sounded like fun)..

Lorna Bracewell:
http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/lornabracewell_prostar_stpete/IMG_8464s.jpg

Amy Steinberg:
http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/amysteinberg_prostar_stpete/jIMG_8093s.jpg

Venus Jones:
http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/venusjones_prostar_stpete/IMG_8183s.jpg


A few shots from Skippers:

Bob Schneider:
http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/bobschneider_skippers_tampa/IMG_3787s.jpg

Billy Harvey:
(opened for Bob Schneider solo, but liked the shots of him playing guitar for
him more):
http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/bobschneider_skippers_tampa/IMG_3776s.jpg

Another one that's a few yrs old.. Local H:
http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/localh_twilight_ybor/IMG_6088s.jpg


One that turned crappy (bad light, bad photographer) that I still love.. Todd
Snider at Skippers:
http://neverworld.com/~switzerd/pics/shows/toddsnider_skippers_tampa2/IMG_3112s.jpg


blah, enough crap from me for now!!


edit: the experience of posting these photos has definately made me realize I've gotten
clearer shots the longer /more I've done this.. one love to seeing progress, I guess!

[midorigreen]

Thanks Dave, you've got some nice work and I really like your style.

I tend to stay away from b/w's too but for some reason, the ones I posted looked alot better in b/w so they stuck.

I wish I did more concerts, ive only done a total of two so I dont have any real tips or pointers. My keeper rate is mediocre at best for these 2 shoots. Had maybe 15 keepers or so out of about 75 shots or so.

Both shows ive shot were both small venues, but since I guess State allows pro cameras, ill be bringing my camera there from now on and hopefully shoot more!

Anyways, heres a few more shots

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/9828/img41622od3.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/6214/img41512nb2.jpg

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/2515/img3060ul2.jpg

http://img334.imageshack.us/img334/9864/img3084wa1.jpg

http://img334.imageshack.us/img334/5342/img3141tq3.jpg

[Mars_302]

od love to do more color, but I just hate the red every fucking metal band uses. I have a shitload I will post more up when I get around to it.

what do you use anyway for your gun?

[violentlydave]

I can feel the pain on the reds. It's evil, fucking evil.. been trying to shoot
RAW more often as you can try to balance that out in the conversion a bit.
Still working on that..

As for what I shoot, guessing close to (or not as cool) as alot of folks here.
20d as main body, 300d as backup. Favorite lens is still the cheap-as-crap
50mkII. I mockingly call my concert shooting "Hit Parader" shots (anyone
remember that rag, and how you could buy 4x6's of your favorite celeb
from the back? I feel like those guys), so dropping to 1.8 or 2/f when you're
close enough really works (as I don't like to shoot flash at concerts).

Other favorite lens in the 85mm/1.8. Other lens only worth mentioning is
the nice, but rarely used 28-135mm IS.

After shooting the PM5k show, I think I'm talking myself into arranging
Santa to bring me a 28mm/1.8. I'm realizing for shows, I use all primes
these days.. might as well get another one that'll fill out my focal
range (28.. 50.. 85.. done!)


One tip to stress to people who shoot shows, always make sure you know
your surroundings. A few yrs ago shooting a show at the Masquerade,
I was the loving recipient of an attempted mugging. Some guy started
punching me in the back of the head while his girlfriend tried to steal my
camera. I managed to kick him, and hang onto the camera (by the fucking
tiny string on the lens cap, of all things!), so they managed to fail on
their attempts.. sadly, I couldn't shoot the rest of the show, and spent the
rest of the time in the bar in the back as I was seeing triple ......