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06/07/2010 05:44:46 PM · #1 |
I am totally new to photography. Got my first DSLR recently and have just played with the settings without knowing too much about what I am doing.
I have been trying to find the best settings for taking pictures at a gig. My friends are in a band and I find that the pictures are either dark/grainy or blurry...I think this is due to not using a tripod (as I don't own one) and also for not turning on the flash. The camera won't focus in dark rooms and the flash flickers which I find really distracting. Most of the gigs are in small dimly lit pubs.
I am not looking to take professional photos, but want to take better photos.
Any suggestions?
I have a very simple Canon D1000. Nothing too fancy.
I'm thankful for any suggestions! |
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06/07/2010 06:10:44 PM · #2 |
| Take your cam off auto and play with manual settings until you get a feel for what shutter and aperture settings do. Also ISO settings. You will need to manual focus too. Your cam/lens won't be able to focus fast enough to capture the moment.... and use a tripod and remote shutter release. Adjust focus by trial and error until you get it right then shoot away without moving tripod. I don't know about Canon, but Nikon has a cable remote release that works great.. I bet Canon does too. Good luck #13 |
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06/07/2010 06:18:59 PM · #3 |
The tripod wont help, the blur will be there either from camera movement or subject movement, so why bother.
You are going to be shooting at 1600 asa most of the time so noise will be there, either make it work for you, or use a cleaning filter to smooth out the noise.
You dont have any lenses listed under your profile, so Im guessing you are shooting with the kit lens, which makes this much harder. The 50 mm 1.8 is only 70 bucks. You will need to get close, but it sure is nice in the dark.
On the flash; don't use it. It wrecks the performance, and the images look like crap anyway. If you have to use the flash turn off preflash. Focus manually on a spot and wait for the pause. When the singer is gripping the mike on the in breath, when the guitarist is between strokes. And make sure to move around in a club, no one minds you blocking them for a shot or three, but if you camp blocking their view it pisses people off. Look at the view from the sides where the raking light is, and if you can shoot, with the flash, from behind the band getting the crowd. If there is a lighting board, ask they guy who is on it when you should shoot, what is best lit, sometimes he will goose the levels for you, just don't tell him to do it, let it be his idea.
edit, above advice assumed rock, if its a folk or jazz thing, tripods is very helpful.
Message edited by author 2010-06-07 18:20:41. |
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06/07/2010 06:40:48 PM · #4 |
I've found that what works for me is a combination of shooting in RAW with a very fast lens (f/1.8) at high ISOs (1600 usually, sometimes 3200).
I post process in photomatix to pseudo HDR the RAW, then I go into PS and use topaz de-noise 4 (killer.. Better than anything else I've used), and I finish it up with a touch of nik color efex..
Here's a shot done this way... The lighting was really bad here, and I was using different lenses, so not all were optimal shots..
 -- Done with the 28-135 IS @ f/3.5
 - Faster lens, taken @ 50mm f/2.0 Notice the higher quality.. |
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06/07/2010 06:50:15 PM · #5 |
I recently took some shots at a friend's gig in a dimly (but colorfully) lit pub; it was my first attempt at this sort of thing. As said by others, a tripod will not help with the musicians moving around. Using only available light, I had to shoot at 3200 ISO with apertures around f/2.0 - 2.8 to achieve shutter speeds around 1/60 - 1/80 sec, which in my situation was probably about the slowest shutter speed that would allow me to freeze the action well enough. I was right next to the stage using a 50 mm lens. Focusing can be tricky, others have given good tips on how to time things to maximize your chances of a clean shot. I second the motion on the 50 1.8 lens...
I would also add to not be afraid to do multiple, rapid-fire burst shooting as your camera will allow -- more photos to go through, but it will also increase your chances of getting an in-focus shot, since motion blur is a quasi-random event.
Also, if the stage lighting includes a predominance of red or magenta lights, I would advise setting your camera to tungsten white balance. This can make for some cool shots if you include part of the lit stage but also part of the pub lit with regular lighting, as this part will turn a nice blue. Also, with strong red or magenta lights, I would advise setting the Picture Style on Canon gear to Faithful; many of the other settings may result in your red channel getting clipped (lost detail) under these lighting conditions.
Topaz DeNoise is a great noise reduction program, and relatively inexpensive, too.
Good luck! |
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06/07/2010 07:01:10 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by jfritz27:
I would also add to not be afraid to do multiple, rapid-fire burst shooting as your camera will allow -- more photos to go through, but it will also increase your chances of getting an in-focus shot, since motion blur is a quasi-random event.
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Funny how some things become so ingrained you forget them. Any shot I take at a concert is a burst of 3. The squeeze of the trigger always buggers the first one, second and third have a chance to be vialble.
 And watch the mic stands and equipment lines, in the moment you often miss them and only see them when you are editing Doh!
Message edited by author 2010-06-07 19:02:24. |
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06/08/2010 02:52:57 PM · #7 |
:) Thank you everyone. I am delighted with the amount of advice I have received!
I only just bought my camera so buying a new lens or a tripod is out at the moment...but it is good to know what things to invest in.
Lots of information to take in here, will start to digest it slowly and hope for improved images.
I also don't use any programs other than Picasa to edit my photos either...so perhaps that would help...one step at a time.
Thanks again everyone!
Edit: Just had a thought, am I allowed to share my photos with you for advice? I have them saved elsewhere online...would I have to upload them to DP?
Message edited by author 2010-06-08 15:14:02. |
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06/08/2010 03:12:08 PM · #8 |
I suggest shooting in RAW, that gives you the most room to compensate for difficult conditions. A tripod is probably not going to be practical in such a location, but you can likely get away with a monopod. Some motion blur will be a natural aspect of your shots, but if you shoot enough, you'll have a fair amount of keepers.
These were shot with the 18-55 kit lens at a fairly wide aperture, ISO 1600 and using a monopod. 3/4 of the shots were throwaways, but I got some like these that I am very happy with. Hoping to do better at this years event.
  
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06/08/2010 03:57:50 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by bubbles13:
Edit: Just had a thought, am I allowed to share my photos with you for advice? I have them saved elsewhere online...would I have to upload them to DP? |
Sure edit them how you like then save as you would for a challenge, then upload them to your portfolio, or your workshop if you want them private, then link them into a thread using the thumbnail button. Try not to paste in the full size image in a thread. |
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06/08/2010 04:05:59 PM · #10 |
I shot this with my 70-300 Sigma
I manually adjusted the exposure to get this. I don't have the EXIF handy as I am at work but I don't think I needed to boost the ISO too much. Maybe 400 or so?
I think if you were to go with spot metering on the face of the person you were shooting you would be alright. The bright lights and dark backgrounds will play havoc with your metering so if you go with spot metering on what is important (i.e the face) your exposure should be good.
Message edited by author 2010-06-08 16:06:40. |
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06/08/2010 04:06:32 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by BrennanOB:
Sure edit them how you like then save as you would for a challenge, then upload them to your portfolio, or your workshop if you want them private, then link them into a thread using the thumbnail button. Try not to paste in the full size image in a thread. |
The OP does not have a paid account with a portfolio.
You can link to images elsewhere, though it is considered polite to not post full sized images in the forum threads. For instance, the thumbnails I have posted in my response earlier link to image pages on Flickr. |
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06/08/2010 04:45:42 PM · #12 |
Using the on board flash isn't a bad thing if done correctly - as long as you are shooting in manual mode - don`t fret too much about cranking up the ISO, that can be cleaned up afterwards, or even left in - grain isnt a bad thing in gig photography. But if you expose correctly for the scene - then the on-bard flash will should be enough to just light the subjects without making it look too snapshotty. When shooting weddings and the venue has dark walls I generally use direct flash for the first dance etc. High ISO, low shutter speed and fast lens lets the ambient light bleed into the shot - the flash then freezes the main subject in place.
Using flash in P mode or Auto mode though will leave you with flat images with brightly lit subjects against dark backgrounds... AVOID! |
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06/09/2010 02:58:20 PM · #13 |
Thanks everyone,
This is the first lot I took...in a almost nightclub setting...they turned out better than my second lot which I haven't looked at yet.
I think by the comments I have a lot to learn about flashes as well as everything else.
//picasaweb.google.co.uk/mynameiskirst/Badbadmen
Sorry I couldn't figure out how to post up the thumbnails...wouldn't work properly for me. |
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06/09/2010 03:50:53 PM · #14 |
Fixed link
Message edited by author 2010-06-09 15:51:05. |
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06/09/2010 03:52:09 PM · #15 |
Those look as good as you could possibly expect given your equipment...
Very nice, very nice indeed! |
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06/09/2010 04:38:03 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by Simms:
Using the on board flash isn't a bad thing if done correctly - as long as you are shooting in manual mode - don`t fret too much about cranking up the ISO, that can be cleaned up afterwards, or even left in - grain isnt a bad thing in gig photography. But if you expose correctly for the scene - then the on-bard flash will should be enough to just light the subjects without making it look too snapshotty. |
The best I've done like this was three years ago -- handheld, on-board fill-flash on a camera notable for poor high-ISO performance ... :-(
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06/11/2010 01:21:17 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by coryboehne:
Fixed link |
Thanks for fixing that...makes so much more sense!! Next to work out how to copy the thumbnails from an outside website.
Thanks again for all the advice. |
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06/16/2010 01:29:26 PM · #18 |
I actually wrote a bigass blog post about concert photography, it may help you out:
//www.tezmphoto.com/blog/?p=26
there's a little about equipment in there, and a lot more on camera settings that I personally like to use in concert/gig situations. It also depends how close you can get too that might determine your lens choice, and of course your shooting style.
//www.tezmphoto.com/blog/?p=149 |
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06/25/2010 12:32:59 PM · #19 |
 
A couple pictures taken at the recent Famous Daves Blues Festival in Minneapolis. Cranking up the iso and doing a 2-3 picture burst is what worked best for me. Used the 70-200 2.8L from canon at f3.5. In retrospect I should have probably brought that down to 2.8 and gotten a faster shutter speed. Probably would have resulted in more keepers.
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