With the popularity of digital cameras ever rising and prices falling, more and more people are bringing their camera to concerts. With the increase in cameras comes an increase of people complaining about them and an increase of low quality or uninteresting photos. Having had some good feedback on both my methods and the results, it seems like a good time to lay out the rules and recommendations that I live by to take good photos at concerts. This guide aims to tell you all you need to know to end up with some nice photos that at least you (and hopefully someone else) will be happy with.
The One Rule
There is really only one steadfast rule for concert photography which you must always remember and always abide by.
DON’T BE ANNOYING.
Simple, right? You’d think so, but it’s harder than it sounds. Being annoying is actually surprisingly easy. The rule applies to everyone around you: the band and the audience. It applies to professional photographers, flickr posters and even those people who find it necessary to take photos with their phone camera. It is the grand equalizer of concert photography.
Some actions that will break this rule:
- stand in front of people,
- bump into people,
- move around constantly for a better vantage point,
- hang all over the stage,
- have the camera stuck to your head the entire gig,
- and the cardinal sin: use flash.
It helps to have a “spotter”, someone who is with you and tells you when you don’t notice you’re breaking the rule. This is especially useful if you’re accidentally standing in front of someone. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and to step aside for a second to get a better shot, only to nearly step on the toes of the person beside you.
If you keep this one rule in mind, you can spend the rest of your time enjoying the show and getting some good photos in the process.
Equipment
It’s often said that you do not need good equipment to take good photos. While this is true in most cases, concert photography has some specific challenges that can only be overcome with quality equipment. Fortunately, the quality equipment doesn’t have to be expensive.
The biggest problem is light. Most concert halls are dimly lit at best, and the coloured lights (or even complete light show) make life exceedingly difficult for a photographer. You can prepare for this by having light-sensitive equipment. The small lenses on compact cameras makes it hard for them to catch much light, so an SLR is highly recommended. Light-sensitive lenses (the ones with a low F-number) are generally expensive. However, that only really applies to zoom lenses. A prime lens of a fixed size is a lot more affordable - I use a 50mm 1.8 lens exclusively, which you can find for under $100.
That, and possibly a bag to put your camera and lens in, is really is all you need. You can leave the rest of your accessories at home.
Preparation
Properly preparing your camera will save you fumbling in the dark before the gig starts. When you’re still at home, pop on the lens you think will be best for the job. Bring another if you think you’ll need it, but in all likelyhood you won’t. Change the settings on your camera so that you’re prepared to pull out the camera and start shooting right away. I generally set it to ISO 800, aperture priority mode and 2 stops down (for exposure), continuous focus (for following people on stage), and RAW mode (for not having to worry about white balance in an environment where the light is constantly changing).
Put your camera in your bag and look at what else is in there. Take everything out that you don’t need. Any added bulk is just going to make it more difficult for you to move in the small amount of space you’ll have, and you’ll end up bothering people with your size. Not breaking the One Rule is about all these little details.
At the concert
It helps to arrive early so you can get close to the stage. When there are already people there, don’t force your way to the front. You’ll be fine two or three rows back - there’s no reason to push to the front so you can get the band members’ nosehair in high resolution. It’s best to be a little off-center so you’re close to the frontman and at least one other band member.
When the band takes the stage, get your camera out and hang it around your neck or hold it in your hand. It might look a bit geeky to have it hanging around your neck, but at least it’ll allow you to clap at the end of a song. I have a small camera bag that I can hang around my shoulder so it hangs in front of me and I can put my camera down if needed. Also, once you’re in place, stay put. If you start moving around you’ll start being annoying.
Now is your chance to actually take good photos, so here’s a few recommendations to get you started.
Observation and Timing
Two recommendations in one. Keep an eye out for the most active band members. If someone does certain things that seem to show their personality well, try and catch that. That brings you to timing. People don’t look good with their mouth open towards a microphone. Wait for them to step away from their standard spots so you can catch them off guard and in a different pose from the million other photos out there.
As an example of this, one of the guitarists of CYHSY kept seemingly fighting with his guitar, which I managed to catch at least once due to fortunate timing:
More than one doubles the fun
When possible, try to get at least two people in the photos. With a bit of luck you’ll catch some chemistry between the band members, which will add an immense amount to your photo. As an example, here’s Colin and John of the Decemberists sharing a moment:
And Sem and Roald of Caesar rocking out together:
Enjoy the show
It’s easy to get caught up in the photography, but you shouldn’t forget to enjoy the show. Put your camera away every once in a while. There’s only so many photos you can take of the same people which will be good. With your camera put away not all is lost on the photography front. You can use this time to observe everyone away from the confines of your viewfinder. You’ll soon find new opportunities to take interesting photos.
Conclusion
With these tips, you’ll hopefully be able to find a good balance between enjoying the show and allowing others to enjoy the show. With practice you’ll also come home with some nice photos to remember the concert by.
half the drama in a live show is the crowd. get the crowd in the photo. if you can get away with it stand behind the drumset.
I hear ya. Its hard to not bump into anyone and get good shots, but I try. Check out my online concert phototgraphy galleries at http://www.performanceimpressions.com
Dave
[...] Aquí en On-No y en DIY Photography hay más detalles. Espero que les sea de utilidad como a mi. [...]
I’ve been trying something different with photographing concerts. A series of photo essays and QTVR with live recorded audio. They can be found here: http://viscom.digitalartwork.net/VisComGrads/ZachWise/projects/musicessay/
or here if the link is too long:
http://tinyurl.com/rq836
I think I might have been a little annoying when I did the QTVR. Only because of the large panoramic tripod I had to use. Thankfully it was a small crowd that night and the band (SouthEast Engine) was cool with it.
I realised myself a few months back that “don’t be annoying” is the single most important thing to remember when shooting bands, nice to see you agree!
thanks for your article. I just got a Canon D-SLR along with the f1.8 50mm lens. I didn’t think it would be good enough for concert photography and have been oogling the zoom lenses (for festival shows like ACL and lolla). I’m really excited to hear that you are using the 50mm lens for small clubs! 800 ISO though? (Ok I’m a complete newbie) but I always though an ISO that high would be grainy. it works for you though, huh? can’t wait to try it out. You have great taste in music by the way :)
800 ISO works for me, though it doesn’t for everyone and I do go lower if the lighting permits it. I do a bit of noise removal in post-processing. Settings-wise, my advice is to just try things out and go with what works for your specific situation. Not entirely helpful, but it’s honestly the best thing you can do. :)
Anyone have any suggestions on how to photograph the drummer? They’re usually covered up by either their own drum set, or other members of the band (since they’re shoved to the back of the stage.) So unless you can somehow get higher than the stage they’re usually impossible to get a picture of. Thoughts?
Hi,
What exactly do you use for noise reduction? I have photoshop. is that what you use?
Anthony: drummers are a pain, for exactly the reasons you mention. The best I’ve managed to do is get right up to the front of the stage and try to catch them. I’ll admit I’ve used flash once or twice (just for one photo), because the lighting often makes it impossible to photograph the drummer.
Lisa: I’ve tried a few software packages, but lately I’ve been using Noise Ninja. The results of the Photoshop plugin are quite impressive.
I’ve been finding my way into gig photography recently, having lots of fun. I think the best rule is to experiment, there are no hard-and-fast rules. 800ISO is good but sometimes even 3200ISO can be your friend (yes, it’s grainy, but grain can sometimes be good - just watch out for underexposed photos because that’s when the grain shows up worst). Also, long exposures of 1/20th right down to 1/2 second can create some interesting results, you get a real sense of the band’s movement (as long as you can keep the camera relatively still), for example, see these two sets of photos of the band Cheenah:
http://www.sumption.org/lifeless/images/1234_Old_Blue_Last_2006-03-10_008.jpg
http://www.sumption.org/lifeless/images/1234_Old_Blue_Last_2006-03-10_007.jpg
Great article…lots of helpful hints.
I take lots of concert photos because I work at a venue. Sometimes I have good luck and sometimes I don’t. But it is great practice.
Cindy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ctatunderground/
50mm is kind of blah. I’d go up or down.
… 24, 28, 85, 100, 125…
Is it at all posible to take good concert photos with this: Minolta Maxxum 300si, AF 35-70 0.5m lens? It does have manual focus, but the rest is pretty much all automatic. I realize that’s not ideal, but what combination of setting/film should I use?
M4XIM4GE: 50mm is kind of blah, but it’s also kind of affordable. I’d love an 85mm f/1.4, but it’s just not possible. On a DSLR, 50mm is 75mm equiv., so it’s almost a portrait lens. If you want to get closer, turn up really early and get right up the front.
I rock the 50mm f/1.8 as well. Does the job perfectly.
[...] Great Concert Photos: Small Venues [...]
[...] For more on concert photography, read these good articles from Photocritic and on-no.net. [...]
Thanks, for the interesting article. I’ve been shooting concerts in digital for a while now & have gotten some good results with the Panasonic cams (they’re easy to carry and I like using equip. that is unintrusive as possible). The big zooms and wide aspect ratios work well for a variety of concert settings:
http://www.fiddlewhileyouburn.com
btw, Zack the photo / audio essay thing you’re doing is awesome!
Keep it up everyone, DIY media will save music!
The DSLR sensors are in a completely different world than the senosors of small digital cameras. The sensor of my Canon 350D at 1600 ASA is not much worse than a typical compact Digital camera at 100 ASA. You´ll notice the grain but it is not really bad. I am still trying to get away with 800 ASA too often and sometimes regret it later. Of course it is even better at 400 ASA whrere sensor noise completely ceases to be a problem with a DSLR sensor if you have the necessary light.
Won’t pics with no flas just come out blurry?
that’s what happens to me. so i break the rule & use flash all the time.
back in my day of shooting we always had the ‘photo pit’ between us and the crowd. it was impossible to shoot bands like kiss, motley crue and iron maiden without a photo pit. the crowds were way to agressive for that. the smaller club shows are a lot more fun because the crowds are not as rowdy and the closer situation brings the subjects closer then a major arena. i’ve been shooting since 1974. nikon is the only brand i’ve ever used.
What I have to add to the topic:
http://www.denaflows.com
Regards
I get plenty of photos without blur, without flash. Flash is the fastest way to piss off artists and get yourself tossed out or at least told to stop shooting. I use an old Nikon N8008 with a 50mm 1.8, or sometimes switch to a 135mm manual focus 2.8. Run it on manual with the ISO usually at 1000. Last summer I had the luxury of borrowing a friend’s 85mm 1.4 lens and got some of the best photos of The Fixx. Their lead singer said my shots from that gig are the only ones allowed on display in his house, because his wife likes them so much. That lens is the BOMB, and it’s also way the phreek too expensive. Maybe Someday…
I have one question that is very important. I’m going to my first Styx concert and only have a camera that the flash turns on automatically, how can I stop it?
Hey! I’ve seen the Decemberists in concert before! They’re really great. I saw them at the Southgate House in Newport, KY…where’d you see them?
So far I’ve seen them in Cologne (Germany) and Amsterdam. Hopefully I’ll end up seeing them in many more places. :)
I’m not sure about your “no-flash” rule. I do a lot of photography at raves and at local venues, and I always use flash. However, I never have it on camera, and set it up wirelessly. I also rarely am focused on the performers, I think the crowd, dancers, or performers are usally more interesting. If you are never going to use flash i feel you are going to miss out on some amazing pictures. I usually have about 10-15 keepers out of every hundered shots.
As you can see here, the light is far camera right. Here, the light is even further right.
And how would you get anything like this without a flash?
Another way to lessen the Annoying Factor is to limit your photos to the first three songs. Larger venues and well known artists require you adhere to this rule and I’ve found that people are much more accommodating if you tell them you’ll be out of their way after the third song.
Three songs is usually plenty of time to get some great shots. After the third song, out of courtesy to those who have been patient with you, move from the front!
I had to come back with an update because I was so excited with my results. I just got a 70-200mm zoom and was able to test it out at a Sufjan Stevens show. For the first time ever, i switched the manual mode! I set my ISO at 800, put the camera in shutter priority mode, and set the shutter speed at 1/60s. Every single picture I took rocked and I took about 120 of them!!! I posted my 3 faves on my blog, haven’t gotten around to the rest yet:
http://jencaputo.typepad.com/jen_caputo/2006/09/meet_sufjan.html
(Scroll down 3 or 4 pics).
Thanks again for the tips!!!
[...] Tips for live music / concert photography (boudist.com) Concert Photography (photocritic.org) Understanding Camera Metering and Exposure (cambridgeincolour.com) Concert photography (on-no.net) [...]
Regarding flash: the Canon EOS-3000 (SLR!!) has a built-in “pop-up” flash which is barely noticable to the “untrained” eye.
Hey! Cool man! I have shot some concerts too. Would love to get your comments on them… http://www.girishmenon.com
why are your ISO’s so high? shouldnt you be shooting with them at 200 or so?
You could, but then the exposure would have to be a lot longer for the amount of light you generally get in a concert hall. Upping the sensitivity gets you some noise, but it also gets you speed, which is good when people are moving in the dark…
Great advice and content. Don’t forget the ear plugs.
I have only been taking photos of local and some national acts for about a year. I have only taken photos in small venues here in the Houston area. I am currently using a digital point and shoot and get some good photos, but probably could be better. This is only a hobby for me and I know nothing about cameras and need to upgrade. I do not want to spend to much money as this is only a hobby. Can anyone look at my website, http://www.sitekreator.com/nicolette and look at my photos and give me an honest openion of them and also give me some advise of a lower cost camera that would work better than my digital point and shoot for band photography? I understand I probably need a SLR, but they are a little more money than what I want to spend. Thanks,
Nicolette
[...] Onno’s article on Concert photography is largely about taking photos at smaller venues, and offers useful advice, such as “Don’t be annoying” and “Don’t move around constantly” - both which are excellent, but are probably most useful to amateur photographers - if you are there to take some photos of your favourite band, then the advice offered by Onno is good. If you are there to work, you have to act like a professional: You’re not there to enjoy the gig (you can do that after you’ve put your camera away), you are there to capture the action. [...]
hey, i found this very helpful and am photographing my first gig tommorow, its my friends band and they want to use some of the shots on their website, do i need to copyright them or anything before I do this?
[answered via email - Onno]
I have my first cultural program shoot next week and I was searching for the clues to do things better. I did not know that 50mm lens is enough, I have one :)
thanks for simple and useful tips :)
hey sweet advice,
i just started shooting gigs, i use a canon 400d with a 17-85mm 4.0. its ok but would like a lower apeture.
i hail out of perth australia and i took some shots of alexisonfire, moneen and some local acts. would love some feedback
check em
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shoemayker/
bye
Seen some great stuff here on this thread. Great information to unbelievable concert shots. Have to share mine now, no advice, you all are smart enough!
Hope you enjoy the shots.
I think most of the advice is good, but there are rules and there are rules.
If you are talking unsigned bands / local events I’ll use flash if I have to. Most venues have very little light or intense backlight, you need to get some control, plus you can get some great shots with second curtain sync. When using a flash, you need a a good flash one you can control to knock down the intensity, you only want to avoid shadow faces. Also if a band member wears a baseball cap, you need something to get in there.
Using flash is considered such a no no, but to be honest I think this a wrong concept, if you can or are allowed then why not, you can ask the band if they mind, plus whenever I go to gig now there are just loads of people in the crowd with pocket cameras flashing away. It is however a different matter if it is a signed act, then its back to three songs no flash, but generally you have more light to play with.
My rules are keep out the way, people have come to see a band not a photographer. I am normally in the pit so it is only other photographers in my way and you always keep an eye on them so you don’t step in their shot.
Talk to local bands first.
Wear black.
If you are photographing a ‘pro’ band and you will be picking up a photo pass, take all the emails with you confirming this. I have been to a number of gigs where there has been no pass, but the emails have sorted it.
Know what the band are about before you shoot helps, who is the character, who is likely to do something and when.
take spare batteries, take spare memory, take a small keyring torch, wear crap clothes (you never know what you are going to kneel or sit in).
Shoot RAW
Shoot with a fast prime, that way you learn how to compose.
Be patient and watch, if you see it in the viewfinder, you’ve missed it.
Don’t just press continuous shoot.
Common Sense
The list can go on, but I need to go but Think and Common Sense are the big ones
Man, I wish I’d read this stuff before I took my new D80 to a few gigs. I was that annoying dufus with the flash clicking away in the front row–most of my shots didn’t even turn out that well. Thankfully I think the band was trashed and didn’t care too much.
Check out the results here:
http://www.wolveshawksandkites.com/2007/09/24/live-in-toronto-cmon/
This is for the person who is intrested in taking pictures of the drummer. It is true that you can never get a good shot of him but it wise to get a press pass and then head up on stage and take the picture and do it from the side. The only pictures that are impossible to get will be the big auditorium shows with pyro Good Luck trying to get one there. Its best to do local show pictures then ask the drummer if you can go up stage and do it Most likely theyll say yes. Start from there and then network.
lots of good stuff on here.
currently i have a nice quality point and shoot…but its done wonders. ive had it for years.
the flash has burnt out though.
so…im going to splurg and buy a GOOD camera.
i want an SLR…at least i think i do.
mostly all i do is photograph bands.
i dont know really know where to begin though…
i dont know whether to get a nikon or canon…
i dont know anything about the numbers…
d80? d30?
whats the best camera…a good quality camera…to start out with?? ive been hearing lots on here about the canon d80??
also…with regards to using flash/not using flash… i do like the way the pics come out when a flash is not used. you get the stage lights, etc…and with a flash, not so much.
those are great tips… i’ll definitely use them tonight! thank you.
It has been a while since I visited this thread, but on the subject of drummers - a nightmare, but not impossiblem they are at the back of the stage, no light and someone is always in front of them.
If it is an unsigned band, proper venue, then flash, but try and turn it down to isolate them from the background (you don’t want all the backstage in the shot). Get close (really close and side on, I prefer not to be snare side on, I want them to catch them when they spin round for the Crash) and try second curtain sync if you have that ability (although saying that you can get a way with a normal flash if they are flapping about alot - you wouldn’t notice the differnce)
http://www.speedofdark.co.uk/photo.php?photo=515&exhibition=71&ee_lang=eng&u=486412,5
If you have the gear then a long lens and a good vantage point at the back of the hall can usually give results for a drummer providing they have some light on them.
A good camera certainly helps, but don’t get too obsessed a couple of my favourite shots were with a 2Mb pixel camera. It’s more about moving into position and predicting the action (if you see the action through the lens, youv’e missed it).
have fun and enjoy it
Phil
[...] On-No.net Concert Photography [...]
Before you go to your gig, try and find out, through the internet (Youtube, band website, fan forum), if there is live footage of the current tour. That’ll give you some indication of the band and stage set-up, and perhaps even a playlist.
If you have a playlist for the current tour, try and find out which are the first three songs. Familiarise yourself with these tracks before you go so you know if there are any emotional or tense bits that might be good moments to capture the band or the singer performing.
Hi~
Please help……I have a Nikon D80 and going to a concert in hopes of getting some shots of the vocalist. I’m in the 2nd orchestra section and do not know how far back that really is (the place has 1883 seats, total). I’m assuming flash will not be allowed. I do have a telephoto lens and an 18-135mm lens. I REALLY want to get a photo or two. Tell me where I need the settings. I’m also assuming I’ll need to take my tripod?
Many Thanks in advance~
Angel
If the band is cool with it, you can get some incredible photos using flash. In this case, there were strobes on the left and right triggered with pocket wizards:
see here
and here and
For me and based on my experience 2 things are very importnat
1. Equipment
For sure you need fast lense with f2.8 like Canon L 70-200 L IS-USM
I was in concert photography wile there was another photographer with fast zoom lens
He was abele to take good shots because of his lens
below are some of my concert photography
http://www.pouryapix.com/index.php?showimage=251
http://www.pouryapix.com/index.php?showimage=252
http://www.pouryapix.com/index.php?showimage=221
Hey man, thanks for replying to the Emails!
The information on here has helped me so much - fully appreciated.
Take care.
Russ.
Anthony~
I am an amateur at the photography business. I shoot a lot of concerts though for friends. The best thing i have noticed for the drummer is if you are directly in front or sometimes even on the sides you can just kneel down a bit. It gives you a different angle and usually allows to get the cymbals out of the drummers face. As for flash I usually use a flash for the drummer solely because the environment usually doesn’t light the drummer.
As for the 800 ISO on digital cameras it doesn’t show up as much as it would in film. When you go as high as 3200 it will show, but like one of you said the grain can look neat in band photos.
p.s.
If you could check out some of my photos and give me advice it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Hey guys, can anyone tell me any legal restrictions/procedures when shooting at unsigned and signed bands gigs? Would be greatly appreciated.
Great advice here folks! I’m doing my first major gig shoot tomorrow night, so some reassurance from these hints and peoples work is always a bonus.
Keep saving the music scene and shooting away folks!
im just now jumping into the concert photography scene , and im not quiet sure where to start out and how to sell this pics. any ideas please??
So is using flash at a somewhat large show reaaaaaally that bad?… I mean if youre in the front it really doesnt matter… and the bands dont give a shit… especially if its just the stock flash!….
i’ve been doing this for 5 months and it’s really cool.
to Chad: i’ve taken with a pop-up flash(Nikon D300) at a concert and the only thing that saved me and my CF-card was the fact that i used to work with the security co. that was working there :D some venues(usually smaller ones) don’t care if u ask
I just shot a local show (The Painted Birds) with a Pentax K100 and had a pretty rough time… Im not used to shooting with such weird lighting! It was a little frustrating to be honest. I was shooting at a low ISO, I think 200, which from what I can tell from other posts is no good! 18-55mm lens. Managed to get some decent shots, but nothing very spectacular. Any tips from the posting-pros?
Great info!
I really appreciate it since I’m trying to get the concert photos done myself for my small e-zine.
Thanks!
Excellent information!
I finally decided to unleash hundreds of photos that I took of bands back in the 80’s. Reading this article is as relevant today as it was back then.
Check out my ever changing gallery
Thank you