When shooting gigs

Sebzy

Just want to send out this little message to anyone starting off and shooting gigs.

Think of the performer when you decide to turn on your flash and blind them.

Think about it this way your looking up at a stage full of lights and your eyes have adapted to them but the performer is most times looking towards you guys which are poorly lit. So when you blast off your GN10-GN50+ flashes it's blinding and this is a person trying to entertain you.

Now days everyone had a camera at gigs it might be just some old point and shoot or a MKIII it's all the same.

This little rant was triggered after last weekend when I had to go around telling anyone at a certain gig with SLR's to put them away of get chucked out.

This is the main reason why we see gigs where photography is prohibited and most times by request of the performer not the promoter.

pete4130

Flash Nazi!

Cabaal

I can fully understand this, in fairness your 50-100 metres away from a stage with a P&S and your using a flash....its not going to make a bloody difference to how bright your photo will be!!!

Sebzy

pete4130 wrote: »

Flash Nazi!

Why even reply?

Sebzy

Cabaal wrote: »

I can fully understand this, in fairness your 50-100 metres away from a stage with a P&S and your using a flash....its not going to make a bloody difference to how bright your photo will be!!!

I was referring to the people who are in the 10m radius range and flashing away. And even worse the one's with SLR's....

Cabaal

Sebzy wrote: »

I was referring to the people who are in the 10m radius range and flashing away. And even worse the one's with SLR's....

I realized this after posting
I still have to agree with you, if your that close and you want to take a picture invest in something that will take shots in low light or just don't take pictures at all,

Ricky91t

Buy a nifty fifty:D:D

Sebzy

Cabaal wrote: »

I realized this after posting
I still have to agree with you, if your that close and you want to take a picture invest in something that will take shots in low light or just don't take pictures at all,

Well that well enough to say but who's going to go out and educate joe bloggs with is cybershot at the next gig ??? The danger is you get all out bans on camera's and that screws up the guys doing it the right way.

I was taking shots earlier on that night but had to fall back into my promoter role when the performer kicked up about what he called macing with cameras..

Sebzy

ricky91t wrote: »

Buy a nifty fifty:D:D

Great idea there ricky but I've seen nifty flashers too

Cabaal

Sebzy wrote: »

Great idea there ricky but I've seen nifty flashers too

:eek: but there's no need!

why not ban everyone with a cybershot/P&S from being that close to the stage?
Thats half the problem sorted

pete4130

It was a light hearted response from someone who used to shoot alot of gigs a few years ago before everyone had DSLR's and were snap happy and showed a little respect (sometimes) to the bands requested photographer. it wasn't meant to cause any harm. Apologies if you took it the wrong way.

I've shot so many gigs in the past at the request of bands that they had no problems with me using flash, right up in their face if I wanted to. They loved the attention and the results.
I personally don't like using flash at gigs. I opt to push film to 6400 or 12,800 ISO so I don't have to shoot with flash, or as high ISO as my DSLR will let me.
I agree the problem as you said is with people starting out shooting gigs where they use flash, with pre flash for everyshot without making an effort to time their shots with lighting effects. This does get overpowering when a dozen people are shooting off every few seconds. I'd rarely shoot more than a roll or equivelent of a roll per gig, choosing my shots and bouncing my flash.

The first 3 were all taken without using flash while the 4th was fill flash that was pre-metered before the show for my ISO, approx. distance and aperture (so not to blind the performer) while the 5th is simple pop up flash with long shutter. My point being you dont NEED a flash at gigs if your creative enough.

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sineadw

Cabaal wrote: »

:eek: but there's no need!

Ah if only that were true.. I've been stuck at gigs with the fifty at 1.8 at 1600 and getting meter readings of 1 sec+

In fairness Seb from my own experience the guys with the SLRs at gigs usually don't use flash. Maybe I've been lucky in that respect. I've been asked by bands to get the shot no matter what (a gig downstairs in Kennedys in almost total darkness springs to mind. I had to use the bloody pop up :eek:). Flash is very effective at times. Look at Al's stuff. I do take the point though that if you're gonna do it you should OK it with the band first, and maybe stick to one or two songs max.

And give them a bowl of blue M&Ms. And a fish...

sineadw

Oh and Pete - nice shots

Fajitas!

If the band are ok with it, I don't see the problem with flash - IF (I should have made that if bigger) you're working the gig. If the band don't like it, it's not like I spent my money on fast lenses for nothing

I will however, always bounce the flash if I have to use one at a gig.

A crowd with as many cameras over their heads popping every few seconds... Well, yes, that pisses me off as much as the next person.

red_ice

I have to disagree with that. I gig around the dublin circut and have been flashed by multiple cameras up close and far away and have never really noticed it effecting my playing. The only way i could see it effecting my 'performance' (haha) is if i decided to pose and look right into a camera.

I tend to avoid using a flash at gigs anyways, but thats on my run-o-the-mill camera ^^

ps. can someone define C&C for me please? i see it all the time, and google keeps insisting im asking about Command and Conquer.

Fajitas!

Comments and Critique

You may not mind the flashing, but I know some performers really do...

Cabaal

red_ice wrote: »

ps. can someone define C&C for me please? i see it all the time, and google keeps insisting im asking about Command and Conquer.

shhh we're all secretly big into playing Command & Conquer, I play Red Alert most of the time

anyway...what Fajitas! said

red_ice

Fajitas! wrote: »

Comments and Critique

You may not mind the flashing, but I know some performers really do...

cheers!

hah, thats just them being artists and pretending they are too into their music - everyone loves having their pic taken when they are doing what they do best! Im not much of a photograher, but isnt the aim of using a flash to bounce it off of walls and other objects? Not in the performers face?

Cabaal wrote: »

shhh we're all secretly big into playing Command & Conquer, I play Red Alert most of the time

So you play games, hit print screen on your keyboatd and then talk about the ingame pic you took.. i see!! Its amazing how some people made their pics look like musicians on stage - you guys really are amazing at your craft haha