Shooting Concerts

Charlie Hall at the 2009 Gulf Coast Getaway

This will be a relatively short post and for many viewers, probably something you already know. I have been doing more and more concerts as of late, in fact, three in the last five months or so. This is not as many as I used to shoot when covering bands in Phoenix, Arizona, but considering the type of work I've been doing and the amount of free time I've had, it's quite a bit.

Aaron Keys

Since this blog was designed to help everyone from the beginner to the experienced artist, I figured this post would be beneficial to many, especially those whom have asked about the kind of gear and settings to use when shooting such events.

Rush of Fools

The biggest mistake most photographers make when attempting to shoot a concert is to use flash. AVOID IT! Flash, especially when not properly calibrated, will blow out the beautiful light given off by the production crew. Stage lights change and a punch to the images that can't be duplicated otherwise. My advice, when shooting a concert, leave the strobes at home.

The basic gear should include a digital SLR and, preferably, some fast prime lenses. Some favorites of those in the field include the 35mm f/1.4 to f/2, a fast 50mm like an f/1.8 or f/1.4, an 85mm f/1.8 or f/1.4, the 135mm f/2 and for the accomplished and/or well-paid shooter a 200mm f/1.4 or f/2 with VR or IS (vibration reduction - Nikon or image stabilizer - Canon). Good f/2.8 lenses (especially zooms) can come in handy, but you'll likely have to boost your ISO by at least a stop or sacrifice some shutter speed.

You of course don't need all of these focal lengths, but these are some of the fastest and sharpest lenses available. I love shooting with a 50mm f/1.8 and 85mm f/1.4 depending on the venue and my access to the stage. The Nikon versions are both incredibly sharp and produce very good results wide open. Depending on the lighting setup, the actual camera settings will fluctuate, but typically in a semi-professional to professional concert, I can shoot at about 1/125th-1/400th at f/1.4-f/4 at about ISO 800.

For example: the top image of artist Charlie Hall was at the most recent concert I shot and it was captured at ISO 800 at 1/2ooth at f/1.4 on my D700 with my 85mm attached. Other images were captured as high as 1/400th at f/2-4 depending on the light intensity and the desired contrast in the final image.

The toughest camera setting is usually the white balance. Although 'Auto' can produce acceptable results, programing the Kelvin when possible greatly increases the color accuracy. When the stage lights have a tendency to hold a certain color, for example, rolling through the Kelvin settings and then checking the LCD will provide you with more desirable results. This is not always possible due to erratic lighting patterns, etc., but attempting to do this will greatly help your final product.

You don't need expensive gear to shoot good concert pics. A basic DSLR that is capable of producing desirable results at ISO 800 coupled with an inexpensive 50mm f/1.8 will usually provide you a great starting point. Keep in mind that entry level cameras like the Nikon D40, for example, will not auto focus non-AFS lenses. The new AF-S 50mm f/1.4 will work, but the lens runs about $480 compared to the $110 price tag on the f/1.8.

Arguably the most important element of a concert shoot is familiarity with your gear. I probably adjust my camera settings 100 or more times during a 1-2 hour concert. Aperture, ISO, shutter speed, white balance and focusing point adjustments are made often and rapidly, in addition to switching between manual and auto focusing. Knowing your gear and being able to manipulate it quickly are key to any successful shoot, but become paramount when shooting in low, rapidly changing light.

Until next time, be safe and happy shooting.

- R