Photographing your favorite musicians can be a real challenge. If your in a well lit venue you won't have much problem (unless "No Flash Photography Allowed") is the issue, then you will have "security" issues which is another topic. But if you go to your local bar and flash is not an issue and your favorite musician is playing there, what do you need to know to get those "killer shots." To start you may want to get there early, if the band is setting up you can take some meter reading (knowing the distance from the different spots or spot your going to shoot from is a start). Once you know where your going to shoot from, setting up your flash for fill will make shooting the "band" easier during the show. I always get there early and do test shots to make sure settings on the camera are correct for my favorite "bar stool"location. What type of lens should you shoot with? I like shooting with a wide angle lens (actually it's a 35 to 70mm zoom lens) to get the entire band and I like shooting with a 70 to 200mm for those awesome close up expressions. So back to the beginning, where I told you to get some meter reading to find the "distances" your shooting from, this is important, you now can set your flash for the distance that it will "fill." This is to give you and even balanced, sharp and clear shot of your favorite musician. And just maybe when that musician looks your way and you are patiently waiting in what I call the "sniper mode" (eye in the view finder, finger on the shutter release.. hold it, hold it, now!!)
You end up with your musician looking right into your camera as though they were posing for you! It takes a lot of patience and more patience to get the shot that gets the "wow" factor, but it is worth it!! Remember getting "setup" is important, getting there early and doing some test shots will always help you to bring home shots that look like they belong on a CD cover (or for those of you who remember, album covers). You will then have everyone wondering "how did you get those great shots" and it was just simply being prepared, right settings on the camera and of course the "right beer" does help too!
Photographing your favorite musicians can be a real challenge. If your in a well lit venue you won't have much problem (unless "No Flash Photography Allowed") is the issue, then you will have "security" issues which is another topic. But if you go to your local bar and flash is not an issue and your favorite musician is playing there, what do you need to know to get those "killer shots." To start you may want to get there early, if the band is setting up you can take some meter reading (knowing the distance from the different spots or spot your going to shoot from is a start). Once you know where your going to shoot from, setting up your flash for fill will make shooting the "band" easier during the show. I always get there early and do test shots to make sure settings on the camera are correct for my favorite "bar stool"location. What type of lens should you shoot with? I like shooting with a wide angle lens (actually it's a 35 to 70mm zoom lens) to get the entire band and I like shooting with a 70 to 200mm for those awesome close up expressions. So back to the beginning, where I told you to get some meter reading to find the "distances" your shooting from, this is important, you now can set your flash for the distance that it will "fill." This is to give you and even balanced, sharp and clear shot of your favorite musician. And just maybe when that musician looks your way and you are patiently waiting in what I call the "sniper mode" (eye in the view finder, finger on the shutter release.. hold it, hold it, now!!)
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