Equipment for Indoor Band Shoot

A friend of mine has asked me to photograph his band when they play at local

indoor restaurants and bars.

 

Understanding I will be taking these photos in conditions that are inside

establishments and mostly at night, what equipment would allow me to get the

best possible shots? I own a D70s, 18-70mm kit lens, 50mm/1.8, 18-200mm (on the

way).

 

Thanks for your recommendations!

Maybe the Sigma 28mm f1.8, 20mm 1.8, or for more money the Nikon 28mm f1.4, 85mm f1.4 or f1.8. Have fun.

If the bar/band will let you and if you have about $300 and 3 days to spare, order yourself an SB800 hotshoe flash from B&H Photo (type in the code psmar in the search bar for discount). My advice would be to set your camera to manual and the flash to TTL mode. Crank the flash up to about +2 and bounce the light off the celing. Use your 18-70mm kit lens and shoot at about 1/200 @ f/8 with ISO ~400. Increase or decrease the flash output for proper exposure. Your pictures wont come out looking like "what you really saw that night" but at least they will be properly exposed, sharp, and low ISO.

just use the 50. crank up the iso. have fun.

I do this kind of shooting a lot. A fast lens is almost always a necessity, as the clubs are too dark for slower lenses. I shoot wide open almost always. 50mm may be too long, depending on the venue - I often shoot with a 20 or 35.<p>

 

Flash is sometimes necessary - the light is just too low - but the types of places you are talking about are often cluttered. The results can often make the background way too prominent, and the flash removes the ambience of the club. Also, you don't need an expensive flash - you are usually confined to an area and can just set the flash once, check your histogram, and leave it at that. I use an old Vivitar I bought for $50.<p>

 

You don't say what kind of music they play, I always carry earplugs and couldn't get through some nights without them.<p>

 

There are some links on <a href="http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=15653853&Mytoken=20050510152844"this page.</a> Always try to see if people have done the same kind of shooting to make sure you are getting good advice.<p>

 

<Center><img src="http://www.spirer.com/jellys/candyfromstrangers/images/candy96.jpg"><br><i>Candy From Strangers, Copyright 2005 Jeff Spirer</i></center>

I've done shooting like this before. If the ceiling is black, a flash won't help you. Plus it will ruin the mood lighting set up by the restaurant and bar. Leave the zooms at home, it is always too dark except at big time venues. Depending on how close you can get, you'll want an 85mm 1.8 or 1.4 to get close face shots. Then you'll want a wide-ish lens, depending on your taste. I've used my 20mm, 24mm and 35mm depending on the look I wanted.

 

It's likely you'll need to shoot in RAW and convert later, as you'll be at the highest ISOs, even with prime lenses. If it's exceptionally dark, you can underexpose in RAW, looking at your histogram to make sure there's still enough data there and then bring things up in post. I've done that when my shutter speed drops down too far - some places have been at 1/20th even with that technique. One bar in San Marcos, CA was so dark that the AF wouldn't lock on even with the 50mm 1.8.

 

Here's a sample of what I've done:

 

http://aaronlinsdau.com/bands/index.html

 

Have fun!

Of your current equipment, only the 50 is suitable for typical club lighting. I would avoid flash at all costs. If you have good access, the 50 may work out well. Crank the ISO to 1600 or so and use your spotmeter and aperture priority.

 

Oh, and I have a few shots posted on my website: http://rhettjacksonphotography.com

If the 18-200 you are expecting is the VR version, use it. It will give you at least 3 extra stops. If not, go with the 50mm.

On the artistic side of concert photography:

 

Generally for concert shooting you want to accompolish the following:

 

Capture the emotion in the artistic expression as it relates to the artist(s) and the music.

 

Since you cant hear the music on the film you images have to either by way of facial expression , body language or processing communitate that emotion in the smae manner that the music would if you were at the concert.

 

Take a look at Jeff's picture. The picture is a prefect example of that. ( lots of emotion, I can almost hear the music as I look at the picture)

 

Use whatever tools you have to capture and communicate the emotion you feel and your client wants the viewer to feel when the image is viewed.

 

On the equipment/technical side of things the following rules apply:

 

1)Fast lenses rule.

 

2)Get as close to your subject as possible.

 

3) Fast lenses rule.

 

4) Use high ISO to allow you the shutter speeds necessary to stop action.

 

5) Anticipate the action of the artits based on flow of song.

 

For shooting intimate indoor venues you should be able to get close enough to have the artist fill the frame.

 

Get shots during sound checks.

 

Shoot the drummer ( this guy usually gets forgotten) Check my online photos of a drummer shot

 

Shoot the keyboardist. ( again a band member that can provide a good shot)

 

When Flash is allowed - The best option is to usually use it when you have too. The use of indescrimate flash can ruin a perfectly dark concert shot. Jeff's example is perfect for this - would flash have made this image more striking? Sure you can see more but concert photography isnot about seeing its about the emotion that you capture.

 

 

The kit lens without a flash will only cause you grief.

 

Use the 50 1.8, the 18-200 will be too slow without a flash.

 

Although when I shoot concerts I very rarely ever use a flash I always carry one or two. I use a SunPak 622 with various flash heads.

 

Personally I used to use the Sb800 however that was way too limiting in distance and in flash options for what I need in a concert flash.

 

Get onstage shots - tight cropped of singer and lead guitarist.

 

A small amount of the right equipment choosen specifically for the type of shooting that you do will benefit you more than having alot of general equipment that you think will do the job.

My Sigma 24-70 2.8 is my workhorse. I crank up the ISO to 1600 (occasionally 3200), shoot on a monopod, and use Neat Image to clean things up. I also have a 50/1.4 but I like the flexibility of a zoom.

 

 

Make sure you expose properly - center weighted is the best for me. I expose on the highlights, lock the exposure and then reframe before shooting. Shoot tons of pictures to inacrease the odds.

 

http://richardfcox.smugmug.com/

Jeannie, The only lens you list that is going to be useful is your 50mm. But you should be able to get some great shots if you have some freedom of movement.

 

I would take my 50mm f1.4 and 85mm f1.4 for small venues. I would love to also take a 28mm f1.4 but sadly do not have one.

 

As other people have stressed there is no substitute for fast glass. The VR on your 18-200 is not going to help with motion blur. And my advise is do not use flash even if you can.

Anything slower than a 2.8 isn't going to be of any use. Flash will look terrible.

 

MAKE SURE THAT THE LIGHTS ARE AIMED CORRECTLY BEFORE THE SHOW!

 

Many times the vocal mic gets moved and the singer is only in light when they step back

from the mic. Or thye have nasty racoon eyes because the light is aimed straight down.

 

If you are lucky you will get f2 @ 100th ISO 1250

 

jmp

 

http://homepage.mac.com/johnflem/PhotoAlbum71.html

"what equipment would allow me to get the best possible shots? I own a

D70s, 18-70mm kit lens, 50mm/1.8, 18-200mm (on the way). "

 

As has been said repeatedly, the 50/1.8.

 

What hasn't been said: your best next investment in gear would be a

monopod. Depending on how steady you already are, a monopod will gain

you a stop, maybe two stops.