What a Night.

Fajitas!

Thought I'd share this... First time having to use flash at a gig...

So I got a booking for a gig & promo shots for a band I've worked with a few times before. They've just come back from France after recording a new album. So I was to turn up to the gig at 8. I presumed it would be a standard 10ish to half 11 affair. Boy, was I wrong. Turns out there was 10 bands playing. When they saw me with the camera, they presumed I was shooting them all for free... Ha! Me dickie!

After all that was sorted, the band was booked in for half one. HALF ONE!!! I was raging. So after five hours of waiting, being bored ****less, and carrying around my camera, without wanting to shoot any of the other bands the gig was about to start. I had made some arrangements with the bar & ents managers before the night even started about the lighting. The band I was shooting brought along some strobes... I wasn't too worried about those though, they wouldn't provide enough light. But I was happy with the lights the managers said they'd sorted. Was told to just tell the guy behind the bar... when the time came, he refused, saying it wasn't his job to flickr the switch.

Problem. The pub was lit like a cavern. I had my 580ex, but never used flash in all the gigs I've ever shot before. Lighting was horrific - getting 2 - 3 second meterings with 3200iso & f/2.8 Was dreading having to use an on camera flash. So, after some playing around with it... I got the following. Was extremely pleased in the end. These are just quick edits from Lightroom, increase in blacks, reducing saturation & putting in some vignetting... need some more work - sharpening, bit of dodge and burn & better controlling of some colours. Music as you might guess was heavy metal, hence processing...

Zillah

I really like the fourth one. The kind of dead colouring really enhances the mood.

ThOnda

Good job! I can see those seconds :-) Remindes me my old life back in the east :-)
Strobes are perfect, but I don't know if they are good for heavy metal. Next time, let me know and I will hold your off-camera flash ;-)

magicbastarder

Fajitas! wrote:

When they saw me with the camera, they presumed I was shooting them all for free... Ha! Me dickie!

nice job, but would you not have shot a few of the other bands as well, and given them heavily watermarked shots of them, as a means of coaxing some business from them?

Fajitas!

Cheers!

Magic, the problem with shooting the other bands would have been that I'd already been paid by the band above, and why was I shooting the other bands for free! There was only two other bands that would have had any interest/needed photos - One I had worked for before, and they tried getting out of paying for every last thing, the other band believe that everyone and anyone should shoot them & give them the photos, and why should they have to pay for photographs... after all, it's them playing :rolleyes:

Politics, egos & music.

One from the pit.

sineadw

They look really great Al. I would agree the fourth one is particularly fantastic. Did you get many useable ones? Lighting sounds awful. I did a gig last night and was able to shoot 50/sec at 400iso :eek: First time I've ever had the thing below 1600 at a gig. Bloody fantastic!

Every single time I'm at gigs with the camera I get asked for the shots by all the bands. I don't mind usually (haven't had the nerve to charge yet), but I think I'll ask them next time to come do a gig in my living room for free in exchange. Its getting to the stage where I leave the camera at home. And half one in the morning?!? Thats double pay.

Fajitas!

sineadw wrote:

but I think I'll ask them next time to come do a gig in my living room for free in exchange. Its getting to the stage where I leave the camera at home.

Exactly!

When I do go to a gig, people expect me to take photos of them.

€€€

Just after finishing off the lot of them there, have 30 usable ones. Don't have any fantastic shots of the bassist, but have al the others I need. I'm good friends with the frontman...he's great to shoot...very energetic

50/sec @ 400iso would have been a dream, but then again, I wouldn't have bothered with a flash... And I'm very pleased with the way they turned out.

sineadw

Fajitas! wrote:

I'm good friends with the frontman...he's great to shoot...very energetic

Here's mine from last night. Bloody brilliant! Have NO clue how to process them though? I'm used to hardcore, not hilarious! They're extremely commercial - weddings and such - so I don't want to art them up. Might just leave pretty much as shot?

Fajitas!

I'd burn the background to make him stand out from it, followed by using levels to make sure the light is alright! I have a few other little tricks with it. Will send a PM in a few mins!

ThOnda

PM? You selfish man! :-)
Write a tutorial instad :-P

Fajitas!

Ah this is one of my top sekrit 1337 techniques...

Grain in this should keep you happy Vlastik! clicky!

ThOnda

Ohhhhh..... Sweet :-)
Do I have to say that I like it?

thebaz

Good news Al , is you must be better -- to withstand heavy metal -- i hate heavy metal -- your man looks like the guy in the Darkness --

My fav is the one in pit -- its different -- and left a mark on me !

Oriel

Al, I have say, some great shots there - coming from somebody who hates [people] using a flash during gigs.
Now don't be coming up with any more, lest I decide to play about myself!

Fajitas!

Thanks!

Aye, I was VERY against flash before the other night... I hated the thought of it, especially after buying f/1.4's and 2.8's...

But being able to shoot f/9 at a gig...

Plus I didn't have to look through the camera, the IR focusing off the flash made life so easy considering I was in a pit. I'd advise you to at least try it!

Paddy@CIRL

Were you shooting off camera Ted ?

That last shot of brendan is absolutely AMAZING.

Fajitas!

No Dougle, on camera, angled at 90 degrees, with the reflector card bouncing the light backwards towards the crowd, and back onto the band!

Edit:

Some finished ones:
1
2
3
4
5 (Check out the reflections in the guitar from bouncing the flash!!!)
6

ThOnda

Nice job. Just one notice - it could by because of my display, however the hands and the fingers are soooo bright. I suggest making them a little darker, maybe to the level of face brightness. They are just "popping out" from the picture and in this case it wasn't intention, I think.
Oh my god, I can't think and type in foreign language having a fever :-( I hope you'll understand.

Fajitas!

Haha, I get ye!

Unfortunatly, I've brought as much skin colouring in as I could, that being the downside to flash at such close quaters! I don't think it makes a huge negative impact though... Maybe I'm wrong!

ThOnda

That's OK, but we must be very strict, talking about your pictures :-)
What about multiplying layers of the fingers? Could it bring some more texture? I've just heard about something like that, but you could bring it to life...

Fajitas!

The texture begins to look wrong without the colour left in them.

I know these things!

ThOnda

Add the colour, then :-P

Fajitas!

Bah!

I like it the way it is!

ThOnda

I like the way you think :-)

Húrin

pretty good results Al, I didn't think such things were possible in flashy terms.

Paddy@CIRL

These are definitely your best Gig shots to date, coincidentally, your previous best IMO, were of the same band in the warehouse place !

Still have no idea what you mean by the flash but it was very effective !

Flash FTW!!!!!

Fajitas!

I have a habit of ending up in unusual predicaments with that band alright...

I definitly think they're some of my best gig shots too. Probably the one thing that makes me keep on going back to shoot them is how energetic they are & how close to to the crowd they play!

Will be playing with flash again methinks...

Borderfox

Great shots Fajitas, amazing results.

Rojo

Really like 'em, Al! The reflection in the guitar is awesome.

RCNPhotos

Awesome, 4 and 5 of the finished ones especially

Benster

Yep, have to add my voice in here too. Your pics are pretty mad and chaotic, which is metallers when they're in the zone. Wouldn't look out of place in a mag, well done.

B.

Paddy@CIRL

You be around for Spraoi Alan San ?

Morlar

Those are excellent Al - 2/3/4 would be the stand out ones in my opinion.

Fajitas!

Cheers all!

Yes Padjo, will be around for Spraoi, trying to drag a crowd from here down to it. Should be a good laugh!

Fenster

I demand PS actions!