Photographing Concert: I'm photographing a concert inside of an arena in 2 weeks. This is my first time having this opportunity. I practiced about 3 weeks ago at another concert but...

suzieyque

I'm photographing a concert inside of an arena in 2 weeks. This is my first time having this opportunity. I practiced about 3 weeks ago at another concert but ended up with pictures that had a lot of "noise" in it. I got some pretty decent pictures but I want to get GREAT pictures. What kind of settings should I use?? I have shutter speed jacked up to catch the bands moving around without it coming out like a big blur.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!

suzieyque

Oh wanted to add that I can't get too awfully close, but I do have a longer lens that I'm going to use.

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

suzieyque wrote:

Oh wanted to add that I can't get too awfully close, but I do have a longer lens that I'm going to use.

Don't know your distance nor your equipment but at times you'll be shooting at uneven lighting. Any idea of your shooting distance.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

I'm not the pro at shooting bands but I have shot bands in concert settings with stages lights and such and it's hard...the lighting is never spectacular, and the camera will make a mess of things if you don't second guess it.

Since you already have a "data base" from which to derive knowledge, use what you've already shot as a base.

What ISO did you shoot before when they came out grainy? You could probably go down one stop....maybe...gotta check your other settings too.

Did you "underexpose" and try to bring the images up in PP? That's also a recipe for noise generation.

how about showing a pic you already took (post original) and give the settings and we can help?

And also post your lenses/equipment also.

Tea8 Loc: Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain.

I have a bridge camera and one of the places I first used it was at a Taylor Swift concert. The lighting was pretty good on stage and my ISO(Which was set automatically by the camera that night) was 800 on most pictures. I had the camera set to shutter priority that night and because the lighting was good I had it set usually between 1/125 and 1/320. That did really well for me to stop action. Some of the 1/125 shots are blurred a little by action, but I liked the movement I was getting. There was little to no noise in all of my shots from that concert.

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

I can't offer an real settings, due to quality of the light is unknown.
Will you be taking shot of indivdual players, or the band as a whole?
Will you be to the side, increasing the depth of focus to include the whole band?

I take images (for fun) at a show whose cast plays rock n roll and does comedy.
Here is a link to a recent post that includes things I consider.
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-25202-1.html

Hope this helpful!
Also, can you post some of your previous results? I'd like to see them!!!!
Thanks!
Pat

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

suzieyque wrote:

I'm photographing a concert inside of an arena in 2 weeks. This is my first time having this opportunity. I practiced about 3 weeks ago at another concert but ended up with pictures that had a lot of "noise" in it. I got some pretty decent pictures but I want to get GREAT pictures. What kind of settings should I use?? I have shutter speed jacked up to catch the bands moving around without it coming out like a big blur.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!

These were done with my D70s, SB600 flash and a 55-200is lens

I was about 110' away from the stage

suzieyque

I'm using a Canon Rebel T3 with a 55-250 lens. I was about 125' from the stage.

I'm attaching some pics from a Winter Jam concert.

Skillet Fireworks on stage
Skillet Fireworks on stage...

One of the band members from Sanctus Real

Lead singer for Skillet
Lead singer for Skillet...

suzieyque

Dang I keep forgetting to put info in my message.

Shutter speed was 1/250 which seemed to work pretty good at capturing the band members / singers. ISO was at 1600.. that was the lowest I could have it at without the pics being seriously dark.

I have an external flash (I'm not sure what the name / model number is off the top of my head).

The pictures posted have not been post processed at all. And I committed the cardinal sin.. I didn't shoot in Raw. I shot in Jpeg only because I had an 8 gb memory card and the Raw took up too much space. I have since gotten several 16 gb memory cards so I can shoot in Raw.

hlmichel Loc: New Hope, Minnesota

The second two images are very nice. You can see a bit of grain, but to me it doesn't hurt them at all.

Would be nice to see the full size images.

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

ring wrote:

quote=suzieyque I'm photographing a concert insid... (show quote)

hey did you sneak that camera and flash in to the show and does James Taylor know???

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

suzieyque wrote:

Dang I keep forgetting to put info in my message. ... (show quote)

I think that having the bit of grain that you do have doesn't detract fromt he shots...we "expect" concerts to be a bit grainy in our minds....it's normal where we wouldn't accept in in other places.

It appears that you have a good handle on how to accomplish it...I'd do what you are doing right now...

EXCEPT

you MIGHT want to do one thing.

Rent a piece of fast glass for that weekend...

you can rent a telephoto 2.8 L lens for 40.00 or so and you could drop your ISO or up your shutter speed considerably (ISO 800) and get sharper shots too boot!...it's a good alternative to your kit lens.

OR just buy a faster piece of glass and use this event as an excuse :)

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

suzieyque wrote:

I'm using a Canon Rebel T3 with a 55-250 lens. I was about 125' from the stage.

I'm attaching some pics from a Winter Jam concert.

hey susie q nothing wrong with these.....and a side question - whats the problem with having a little blur - hey maybe you could use blur creatively? Just a thought.

Oh enjoy the show try to not to get too wasted.

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

suzieyque wrote:

Dang I keep forgetting to put info in my message. ... (show quote)

AND shoot in JPG for speed for convenience and because if you also forget extra batteries you won't be able to leave and get them.

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

#1. Turned down the lights for the fireworks...Not good for a band, shot.

#2. Way Cool!! May, consider not cutting off end of guitar. What you did here works for me!

#3. Without blowing out white jacket, that's probably it, unless you are very good with image adjustments. I'm not...

As far as I'm concerned, you didn't sin. I don't know "RAW". I love them Jpegs, though.

Thanks for posting images!!!
Pat

Edit:
I think you are already, on the right track!!!!