Concert Shots, C&C Please (new 50mm f1.4)

[banpreso]

Hello Guys:
I take concert pictures for a local concert series. I read up on low light pictures a bit, and got myself a new 50mm f1.4. Please give some C&C, thanks a bunch!

Anybody know Ledward Kaapana?

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More over here if you care to see them:
Ledward Kaapana 01-31-2008 pictures by banpreso - Photobucket

I really would like to get better at concert photography, as well as photography in general. I have another one of these the coming weekend, for Andrew York.

It's really really hard to focus with f1.4, even something as high as 2.2. Man! I have so many shots with blurry focus that I can't use. I guess I'll get better in time with it.

Thanks guys for looking!

 

[Samanax]

You might want to think about getting a longer prime lens (EF 85mm f/1.8, EF 100mm f/2.0, EF 135mm f/2.0L) or a constant aperture zoom (EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM) so you can get in tighter to the performers.

 

[banpreso]

how much tighter to i need to get? i can move around freely, and be in front of the first row if needed. i have no problem getting head and shoulder shots

but i did need to switch to my 18-55mm for some of the wide angle audience shots. so i was thinking maybe get a 18-200 for next lens? or is the f number won’t be low enough?

 

[Samanax]

For low light situations you need fast lenses (f/2.8 or lower f/stop/bigger aperture). This makes prime lenses or constant aperture zoom lenses more desirable.

I don't shoot concerts so I don't know what focal lengths would be best to recommend.

 

[GeneralBenson]

18-200 definitely won't be fast enough for that kind of stuff. The tighter shots are need because all the further back shots have so much black space, which is boring. You want tight crops to have more interesting stuff occupying the frame. Pretty much everyone is going to tell you to get a 70-200 f/2.8, that's the best option for small to medium venue music/dark place photography, and/or a camera with great ISO performance. But the primes samanax listed are also great options. The 135mm f/2 would be give you alot more reach than your 50mm, is a full stop faster than the 70-200mm, and I believe is a little cheaper. Of course it doesn't have as much reach, or zoom out to include more. But you can just move around.

 

[banpreso]

so pretty much i should fill the frame with concert shots? no need to worry much about composition and rule of thirds and that?

cuz i used to just fill the frame on the previous concert shots i've taken, but didn't do it this round after reading up on compositions...

 

[rufus5150]

You can fill a frame and still employ the rule of thirds.

 

[banpreso]

so, is this better? or should i get even closer?

 

[banpreso]

and how do you guys like this one? i know it was a little bit burnt but...

 

[Samanax]

so, is this better? or should i get even closer?

Much better. You can get closer or fill the frame even more...that empty black space above the performers gotta go.

and how do you guys like this one? i know it was a little bit burnt but...

You can crop off the right side of the image directly behind the woman sitting down as it doesn't add to the image.

 

[chadsdphoto]

Yep, don't forget or throw out the rule of thirds and other compositional techniques, but closer would be good. Some of the best concert shots are those where the artists have interesting expressions on their faces, like your top one. We don't need to see the rest of the stage or even his whole instrument to know he's a musician. It's the fact that he's having a good time that makes it an interesting photo.

I like the photo in your second post the best, but that mic stand with the flowers hanging on it is distracting. Microphones and their stands are common problems in concert photography. Keep an eye out for angles where they don't hide faces.

Have fun with it, you'll learn something new every time you shoot.