how to take gig photos?
- Thread starter glentiaw
- Start date
edder
New member
you're using film SLR in this digital age? 8O
I used to use all manual old skool Olympus OM1 SLR to shoot gig photos. Great learning experience but the amount of crap shots is 8O and when you get crap shots it'll mean more $$$$$.
For film you can try using Fuji Press 400 and then push it to 800. Eg load in the 400 film and set ISO to 800 on the camera. When you develop, remember to tell the nice people to push process one stop. Not all shops does this. I'd had good experience at Kim Tian, its somewhere near Fook Hai Building in the Chinatown/CBD area.
Most of the time for those badly lit local gigs, ISO 800 is not enough even with f2.8 lens.
The other thing to look at is large aperture lens like a f1.4 - f2.8
Its a lot of $$$$$$$$. A lot of us got away with the standard prime lens 50mm f1.4 and then slowly build up our collection either with other prime lens like a 135mm f2.8 etc or constant aperture zoom lens eg. 28-75 f2.8
If you're really really keen, get a digital SLR and you've beaten 50% of the gear problem. No need for film, ISO from 200-3200, auto focusing etc etc.
The rest is about the $$$$. Its much worse than guitar GAS.
I used to use all manual old skool Olympus OM1 SLR to shoot gig photos. Great learning experience but the amount of crap shots is 8O and when you get crap shots it'll mean more $$$$$.
For film you can try using Fuji Press 400 and then push it to 800. Eg load in the 400 film and set ISO to 800 on the camera. When you develop, remember to tell the nice people to push process one stop. Not all shops does this. I'd had good experience at Kim Tian, its somewhere near Fook Hai Building in the Chinatown/CBD area.
Most of the time for those badly lit local gigs, ISO 800 is not enough even with f2.8 lens.
The other thing to look at is large aperture lens like a f1.4 - f2.8
Its a lot of $$$$$$$$. A lot of us got away with the standard prime lens 50mm f1.4 and then slowly build up our collection either with other prime lens like a 135mm f2.8 etc or constant aperture zoom lens eg. 28-75 f2.8
If you're really really keen, get a digital SLR and you've beaten 50% of the gear problem. No need for film, ISO from 200-3200, auto focusing etc etc.
The rest is about the $$$$. Its much worse than guitar GAS.
thanks edder.
i'm using a film slr right now.
canon eos500.
at the time i bought it they didn't come up with
digital slrs yet. pity my timing.
already have 2 lenses though. 28mm-80mm and a
75mm - 300mm. i'm not too sure about the constant
aperture thing... actually i thought that that and the
shutter speed depended on the camera's capabilities
instead of the lens...
would any shop know what i'm talking about when i tell
them to push process one stop?
so yeah. i figured i'd be wasting a lot of $$ on film
hence i started the thread so i'd get a rough idea of
what to buy and what rough settings you guys might
set your camera at to get great low light gig photos.
(without using a flash i mean)
thanks a lot edder.
i'm using a film slr right now.
canon eos500.
at the time i bought it they didn't come up with
digital slrs yet. pity my timing.
already have 2 lenses though. 28mm-80mm and a
75mm - 300mm. i'm not too sure about the constant
aperture thing... actually i thought that that and the
shutter speed depended on the camera's capabilities
instead of the lens...
would any shop know what i'm talking about when i tell
them to push process one stop?
so yeah. i figured i'd be wasting a lot of $$ on film
hence i started the thread so i'd get a rough idea of
what to buy and what rough settings you guys might
set your camera at to get great low light gig photos.
(without using a flash i mean)
thanks a lot edder.
thailoverboy
New member
using a flash unit just to fill in some shadow area and shoot at a slower speed (to get the ambient light) will help too.
thailoverboy
New member
well if u angled it up, it has to bounce off a ceiling(indoor gigs) or some kind of bounce card (outdoor gigs)or else it wouldnt be much of a help. im not too sure bout canon equipment, but i guess yours doesnt accept TTL or I-TTL metering system (i could be so wrong here, so pls padon me), so i think a lower range flash unti will do the job. camera workshop or alex's photo at peninsula will be a great place to visit to source for a cheap one. or like what bro edder bro mentioned, clubsnap' s forum is a nice place to look for used equipment.
its always good to learn through mistakes, so just keep trying
its always good to learn through mistakes, so just keep trying
i saw the gallery.
actually that's what inspired this thread. just
reminded me how much i want to take good
gig photos.
cause i remember looking at the gallery a lot
earlier when there were some kinda soft bbq
photos. and then i saw them now and the
difference and improvement is incredible...
and i'm sure there's a way of getting good
clear shot at a gig that doesn't allow flash right?
i'm not too keen on flash myself.
actually that's what inspired this thread. just
reminded me how much i want to take good
gig photos.
cause i remember looking at the gallery a lot
earlier when there were some kinda soft bbq
photos. and then i saw them now and the
difference and improvement is incredible...
and i'm sure there's a way of getting good
clear shot at a gig that doesn't allow flash right?
i'm not too keen on flash myself.
thailoverboy
New member
in that case shooting at slower shutter speed (depends how steady your hands are), bigger apertures and using high speed film (which will be really grainy if thats what you are lookin for) will be your best bet. and just a note, high speed film usually dont match up to whatever ISO they claim to be. just remember to push it up during processing.
purplehaze3691
New member
There used to be good photo lab that can push or pull process film to whatever results you like and high speed colour negative or positve film up to 1600 ASA that is suitable for gig photography in low light . With digital advancing so rapidly , most of the photo lap has either closed down or change to digital imaging and high spped film is hard to get now too . I used to shoot gig pictures using manual SLR camera and manual lenses before digital camera . Lowest setting I go down to is F1.8 at 1/15 sec at asa 1600 and if the lighting is good F2.8 at 1/60th sec at ASA1600.
I suggest that you try on a digital camera that has manual setting that can control the ASA, F-stop and shutter speed first to have a more understanding of the basic principal of photography before you burn many holes in your pocket buying big Fstop lenses and experimenting with push process film .
cheers
I suggest that you try on a digital camera that has manual setting that can control the ASA, F-stop and shutter speed first to have a more understanding of the basic principal of photography before you burn many holes in your pocket buying big Fstop lenses and experimenting with push process film .
cheers
Hi glentiaw, i'm interested in photography myself...still learning so hope i can help you out.
Anyway, assuming that you aren't using flash and have a digital slr camera:
basic rule of thumb would be ISO at around 800 or higher (will be able to see a lot of noise but lan lan, and shouldn't be a prob unless you're looking to blow up and print or somethin). If you're using film, think you can afford to get slightly lower ISO, but maybe someone with more experience with film cameras could help with this?
In terms of aperture, you probably want it to be around f 2.8 and not higher than 4, cuz you probably wanna capture individual members of the band, so depth of field shouldn't need to be too deep. May have problems if you wanna catch more than 2 members at one time though, depending on size of stage and proximity of members.
Think shutter speed wise depends on your camera model and what it can take... But if you've a digital slr would be good if you play around with it before the gig to see how much motion blur you get in the particular lighting. Generally, unless you use flash you're going to get motion blur regardless, cuz you won't have a shutter speed fast enough to freeze the subject
Try to get as close to the stage as possible, if you're friendly enough the security may even let you in for a minute or two to snap some photos. If you stand to far back and try to zoom in with your 75-300mm, chances are you'll get a lot of camera shake.
Try to time your shots with the movement of the lighting effects so you can get natural backlight or sidelighting. I personally don't like catching the light source directly in the shot itself though cuz I think it really diverts attention from the subject and all....
Anyway, this stuff is pretty basic to all the pro photographers out there and I'm still learning. Anybody else care to help out?
Anyway, assuming that you aren't using flash and have a digital slr camera:
basic rule of thumb would be ISO at around 800 or higher (will be able to see a lot of noise but lan lan, and shouldn't be a prob unless you're looking to blow up and print or somethin). If you're using film, think you can afford to get slightly lower ISO, but maybe someone with more experience with film cameras could help with this?
In terms of aperture, you probably want it to be around f 2.8 and not higher than 4, cuz you probably wanna capture individual members of the band, so depth of field shouldn't need to be too deep. May have problems if you wanna catch more than 2 members at one time though, depending on size of stage and proximity of members.
Think shutter speed wise depends on your camera model and what it can take... But if you've a digital slr would be good if you play around with it before the gig to see how much motion blur you get in the particular lighting. Generally, unless you use flash you're going to get motion blur regardless, cuz you won't have a shutter speed fast enough to freeze the subject
Try to get as close to the stage as possible, if you're friendly enough the security may even let you in for a minute or two to snap some photos. If you stand to far back and try to zoom in with your 75-300mm, chances are you'll get a lot of camera shake.
Try to time your shots with the movement of the lighting effects so you can get natural backlight or sidelighting. I personally don't like catching the light source directly in the shot itself though cuz I think it really diverts attention from the subject and all....
Anyway, this stuff is pretty basic to all the pro photographers out there and I'm still learning. Anybody else care to help out?
thailoverboy
New member
quote Raphael: Think shutter speed wise depends on your camera model and what it can take
aperture is the one which is dependant on the lens. 'useable' shutter speed is the same for all, just the way they bracket them, some might be in 1/3 increments, some goes by 1/2 stop.
aperture is the one which is dependant on the lens. 'useable' shutter speed is the same for all, just the way they bracket them, some might be in 1/3 increments, some goes by 1/2 stop.
thailoverboy
New member
f stop is aperture
asa is iso
and if you are going to try using dslr, it will be better to shoot in RAW format. jpeg compresses the digital information way too much and in this case where you are going to shoot in low light condition, the colors and noise level will be pretty bad.
asa is iso
and if you are going to try using dslr, it will be better to shoot in RAW format. jpeg compresses the digital information way too much and in this case where you are going to shoot in low light condition, the colors and noise level will be pretty bad.
thailoverboy
New member
well i assume high energy level gigs are going to get a little pushy from your point of view (unless you are shooting at the front of the crowd, free from the moshing) as well, so 1/15 not only will get motion blur from the performers, its going to contribute to your hand movements as well.