need help with camera settings for Gigs at venue's

[Blue Rose]

I have a Canon EOS Rebel XS, My problem is I've gone to a couple shows and done pretty good but the flash really bugs me, for one cause i think takes away from the picture's, How can I put the settings without having to use flash and still gets good picture's and freezes the pic without getting a picture that is blurred and orange streaks. the place I shoot at has black lights, all kinds of stage lights and a strobe light. I want to capture the colors of all the lights and still have a great shot, not have it lit up like a solar flair. Here is one picture from one of the shoots. Thanks in advance!! Really need to figure this out before march 20.

 

[kkamin]

It looks like a small club they are playing in and I'm guessing the light levels are fairly low. If you can't light the band, you are going to need a camera with a ridiculously high ISO. The Nikon D3 has an ISO of 102,400. Rent one if this is your only option. Or take pictures during the afternoon with the band and set up the shots. : )

 

[Overread]

If its a small club shooting you have a lot of options open to you. The key one being get the flash off the camera - get a wireless flash setup and then a few clamps and light the sage using your flash (or maybe more than one flash). That will give some more dynamic lighting directions to your flash lighting and let you light the stage without getting that on camera flash effect that you have a present.

I won't go into details as I have no idea how to properly light a stage setting - but there should be others here who can advise or at least point you in the right direction. You will have to speak to the owners of the site before you do this kind of lighting - for smaller time clubs andsuch it should not be too much of a problem - larger establishments might be more resistant or might not permit such lighting setups however.

If that is the case your only options then are both to learn good control over the flash light and if that is not an option using a wide aperture lens and a very high ISO so that your shutter speed is fast enough to capture the motion.

 

[Village Idiot]

Read a book like understanding exposure if you're not familiar with manual mode. You should be able to get usable ISO 1600 shots from your camera. A prime with a wider maximum aperture might be ideal for you, but shooting at too wide of an aperture like f/1.8 or wider can make it extremely difficult to get a photo that's in focus when your subjects are constantly moving.

And the venue's lighting has to be at least some one decent. Last show I shot had some really craptastic lighting and I was shooting at ISO 3200 - ISO 6400 and just barely getting acceptable camera speeds at f/2.8. If I would have had any lesser gear it would have been a wash.

 

[Overread]

Also watch this
zarias.com :: The blog of editorial photographer Zack Arias Photography Critique :: Episode 11

jump to around 20 mins in unless you want a load on kid portrait advice. There is a really good bit on shooting live music

 

[gsgary]

Looking at the shot above it looks like there isn't any light to talk of on stage, so no lens will work without flash so i would leave your camera at home and enjoy the music

 

[Blue Rose]

that was very helpful overread thanks, i know for a great still shot like of the moon and its reflection you would have to set to mf mode and use tripod with no flash but i do have a seperate flash wondering if i set it on the lowest setting using it off camera and set the camera to no flash and use the mf mode instead of af if i could still catch the stage lights and still get good pictures?

 

[gsgary]

I hate using flash at gigs, this shot is from the only time i have ever used flash, it was on camera shot at 1/15 iso1600 1Dmk1 50mmF1.8

 

[C-Towner]

Something that may help in addition to what the others have said is to start using spot metering. If you are using the multi-point metering that you use for normal shots, the camera will have a hard time getting the entire scene properly exposed when you really only need the performers to be exposed. Without a flash or better high-ISO capability, I think the other's recommendation of a faster lens would be your best bet.

 

[Blue Rose]

ya i have been using multi point, i will have to set up a shoot and experiment with all the suggestions. thanks so much

 

[paulust2002]

Old post but thought I'd add anyhow

There's lots of technique involved in these conditions, and no one ever seems to mention it. Yes fast glass is number 1 (canon or nikon 50mm f1.8 is a life save on a budget, believe)
The Sniper technique (aka the 'Leon' technique I call it)
When taking the shot, breathe out when shooting to make sure you aren't shaking and your muscles are relaxed. It's like human VR. This will really get you more keepers. I sometimes forget this and also find it a little embarrasing if people notice, then I remember and I get 'the' shots.
Manually focus where you think the artist will be at a point, easy in small clubs. This is a great technique across all photography, use if for rally shots to.
Follow the motion of the artist and catch him at the slowest point of movement. Even if he jumps, the top of the jump will be best.
Expose for a light behind the artist for arty shots, not too many mind.
Use any lightsource to quicken your shutter speed. Get it in frame artistically. Even a small spotlight in frame can look great. look up the rule of thirds.

Use manual shutter speed if you use flash. Don't be afraid of it. If you use arpeture priority it will change every second. If you use this time with the stage lights. If manual, set exposure for the backround, then add flash. (adjust arepture if too bright/dim) If you are in small gigs they don't mind most of the time. I've shot 30 bands this month and all the focus was on getting the photos and saying Hi afterwards, not one crossed word. Concerts and gigs are different.
I started with a canon 350d, and had some ok shots at iso 1600. I can't deny moving to nikon d700 has improved my stuff in challenging conditions, but not all my photos are better for it. Work with the camera limitations and don't fall for the hype. I've seen people with a nikon d40 blow my stuff out of the water.
Finally, Shoot raw. If you don't like photoshop, get lightroom so you spend more time shooting and not processing.

Paul

www.500px.com/paulscottthomasphotography

www.fluidr.com/photos/luddite1979

 

[DiskoJoe]

read this. Big Mike gave me some really good advice for shooting at clubs and how to use the flash better in these conditions.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...um-photo-gallery/258808-dragging-shutter.html

 

[DiskoJoe]

Here is a good example to follow. This is Jay Lee's flickr. He is a photographer for a local paper called Houston Press and he does great concert photography, mostly with no flash. You can check out his shots and view the exif data. Most of his shots are edited very minimally.

devo 8 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[KmH]

If you don't like photoshop, get lightroom so you spend more time shooting and not processing.

If you have one of the releases of Photoshop CS, you already have the same edit rendering engine Photoshop Lightroom uses - Adobe Camera Raw (ACR).

If you have Photoshop Elements, most of the tools and features have been left out of your version of ACR.

 

[RyanSands]

Camera Mode - Manual
ISO 3200-6400
Shutter Speed 1/60th-100th
F.Stop 2.8-4
On-Camera External Flash bounced off ceiling...not straight at your musicians...on manual 1/2 power (power depending upon ceiling height and color)

Your done