Gig C&C

smelltheglove

Since getting my new camera I have developed a very colourful style with my gig shots. I always loved the high detail I got through the flash but have used my camera without flash to see how well I could do. It seems to pick up a lot more colour than my last one also and many shots need no p&p.

I like to crop to the subject hence varying sizes. Sorry these have watermarks all my online ones do now since people keep adding them to their own bebo profiles. Gets the name out there anyway.

I'm looking at them and loving it sometimes but other times I wish I just lost some of the colour. This band use strong lights though.

melekalikimaka

no.2, and no.3 for me

no.1 - nice image if silhouette was slightly sharper and the amp wasn't over lapping on the singer shadow, I'd nearly say sharpen and square crop round the face could be an interesting alternative maybe?

no.2 - good image, pity mic stand is cutting down the middle, not a fan, nice angle for shot but the colours seem a bit funky, especially the skin tones, was saturation mashed up for this shot??? shadows/contrast seem quite heavy too?

no.3 - great shot, personally I'd maybe burn the guy a bit more into the shot and again sharpen the image, give it a bot more oomph if ya get me, pity he aint looking head on.

Lovely set, think they are all great shots, sorry if I'm leaning towards the critique as oppose comments side of things.

smelltheglove

Thanks for the comments. Yeah the saturation was changed slightly, I desaturated and then put more saturation into the blues so as to get more out of the detail in Marks new base. It did take away a bit from his face though so I may go back and do that as a selection only.

The stage was very small as they are with the pub and club bands and the niteclub was very very dark so there is a lot of darkness at the lower end of the shots taken without flash. I suppose I could go back to curves for that also.

Number 1 again there are a few variances of that shot. His position gave great opportunity for silhouette style shots so there is prob a better in the bunch, I just like the purple, being the silly girl I am;)

I do feel so much better though being able to produce an ok shot with no flash, and I am no developing a style of my own. I even have a shot that people are calling my signature shot.

AnimalRights

Out of the 3 I only like 2 and 3 and at a push #3 wins out.
As Mel said the mic stand does intrude and I too would like to see more punch and sharper.
What was the venue and what was camera settings?

smelltheglove

It was a very very dark niteclub in Banbridge, Co. Down, the stage was small and all black hence the clutter and darkness. The camera setting were different for most pics but the general was around 30 with apereture 4.5 - 5.6, ISO was either 400 or 800, depending on each shot also.

I do like the colour but I feel 9t does take away any punch the picture would otherwise have. Details get lost in the all over colour. My last gig which needs to be unmentioned had brilliant lights so you could have 3 different colours at once but these lights would be one colour at once and thats it.

melekalikimaka

thats aweful high ap, what lens ya use?

smelltheglove

Well I still only have the kit, I just got this camera 2 wks ago so I do need a better lens, I hope Santa is reading;)

AnimalRights

Yeah must be hard working with a lens like that, on the other hand your pics will seem far easier when your hubby buys you that 50 1.8 or 1.4

PS No flash allowed in that place or you wanted flash free photos?

smelltheglove

Well the umentionable gig was no flash allowed but after some good results I decided to challenge myself a bit more so I did this one no flash mainly. I like to make it hard.

It's actually my hubbie singing so its not like I wont get to shoot them again, so I really wanted to test myself.

It's amazing the difference good equipment can make, I would never have received these results with my old camera and I do find pushing yourself makes you better. Can't wait for a new lens though.

melekalikimaka

you'll never get great results using flash anyway, its illy even learning with it since any half good band refuses it.

AnimalRights

melekalikimaka wrote: »

you'll never get great results using flash anyway, its illy even learning with it since any half good band refuses it.

Pure rubbish on both counts, bands who are "superstars up their own arses" refuse flash and have these ****e rules and as for flash not all bands or photographers want lovey dovey special effect stage lights, real bands just get on with their music, after all thats what it's all about right, the music?

melekalikimaka

AnimalRights wrote: »

Pure rubbish on both counts, bands who are "superstars up their own arses" refuse flash and have these ****e rules and as for flash not all bands or photographers want lovey dovey special effect stage lights, real bands just get on with their music, after all thats what it's all about right, the music?

we'll agree to differ

you say rubbish on both counts yet your agruement is weak... :rolleyes:

flash drains color and creates dull colourless images...in general...tis ok in small doses used creatively.

AnimalRights

melekalikimaka wrote: »

we'll agree to differ

you say rubbish on both counts yet your agruement is weak... :rolleyes:

flash drains color and creates dull colourless images...in general...tis ok in small doses used creatively.

Yes we will!
Your opinion as I think your argument is arty farty,
Guess we expect diff things from gig photography, I like raw images ala the type of music I am into, you like pwetty stage lights and effects.

smelltheglove

hmmm flash or no flash, I am stuck in the middle with this honestly, I like the clearness of flash photos but when dealing with unknown bands you generally get small stages in pubs and clubs which means you dont have a good background and cant get a good shot without wires, mic stands and speakers as shown above but as shown below, when using flash you also get the obvious 'this is in a pub' scenery, bars or just peopel at the side or in the background having a pint, it takes away from the energy of the subject as these guys give it their all.

Re the band, if it is done right they dont notice too much but at the same time they dont want to be irritated by flash going off in their face when they are trying to connect with an audience as much as the people at the front dont want to be blinded. There is a bit of diva action with some bands about flash but at the same time it is a question of taste.

unreggd

melekalikimaka wrote: »

you'll never get great results using flash anyway, its illy even learning with it since any half good band refuses it.

disagree here

Havent you used flash on a lot of your gig shots??

in general...tis ok in small doses used creatively

Agree here


At the end of the day, if lightin is so dismal that you prob wont get any shots, i'd go with flash, used properly

melekalikimaka

unreggd wrote: »

At the end of the day, if lightin is so dismal that you prob wont get any shots, i'd go with flash, used properly

i agree, but i wouldn't make a point of uing it unless it was my last option

RCNPhotos

Yeah I gotta disagree mele, there's a poster on here whose name escapes me, has used flash on some gigs, one in particular being in a warehouse i think? Some very cool shots.

Animalrights "you like pwetty stage lights and effects". No need to be so dismissive.

And Rach the OP, grab a 50mm 1.8, their great, and the shot of the guy in the cowboy hat, with flash, very nice I thought.

smelltheglove

RCNPhotos wrote: »

And Rach the OP, grab a 50mm 1.8, their great, and the shot of the guy in the cowboy hat, with flash, very nice I thought.

Thanks, I know I gotta get my act together with this, can't wait to see the difference in results. Checked your link and lovin the pics, loads of jealousy going on here as I love shooting gigs.

King Eric

Animal rights while i agree with parts of your argument, i really dont like the dismissive attitude of some of your posts, which is why i kinda held off replying, but i had to jump in for my old friend Mr Flash


Fair enough in some venues and gigs flash is not allowed, and sometimes its just completely inappropriate at a real quiet and intimate gig but there are venues when your best chance of getting decent shots is using flash, either in combination with the house lights or on its own. sometimes its your only chance to capture the energy or movemnet of the gig

im not saying that you need to use flash for every gig, or that its the first thing you should reach for, but it is a tool there that can be brilliant to have to use if neccesary or if you want to add extra spice or interest to a photo

as regards the annoyance to the bands, its something im very conscious of and have asked bands after gigs if they minded, everyone ive asked has said they hadnt noticed them going off, that it didnt bother them at all or that it added to the gig for them.

have a look at the photos at the following link, they have been all taken using flash either as the main light or as an addition to the stage lights
bar the one that appears twice of yer man from concerto for constantine whos name escapes me at the moment

http://www.endadoran.com/flashatgigs/index.html

btw, the band who are up ther own arses arnt really in charge, the rules come from the promoter/organiser/venue. Thems the rules and you live by it, but if your lucky enough to be at a gig where you can use flash and shoot for more than 30 secs, happyout

smelltheglove

Wow King, loving them. Now they are the kind of gigs I'd be into and all gigs with that kind of energy I have done have been with flash.

How do you get to the higher profile gigs? I'll be your skivvy if you fancy;) It is rare that my hubbies band have a gig where the energy isnt so high and this stage was quite tight and the crowd was big and not very tame so they held back a bit, he only stood on a speaker once and other than coming into crowd to embarras me they stayed there so I took advantage and tried no flash.

I do agree though queit gigs wouldnt be so good with flash, I find the sitting there / standing still with a guitar almost bores me whereas with no flash it adds depth.

My opinion is pretty much depending on the gig / venue and energy whether flash is required.

AnimalRights

King Eric wrote: »

Animal rights while i agree with parts of your argument, i really dont like the dismissive attitude of some of your posts, which is why i kinda held off replying, but i had to jump in for my old friend Mr Flash

Never let me hold your back laddie.

King Eric wrote: »

btw, the band who are up ther own arses arnt really in charge, the rules come from the promoter/organiser/venue.

I've being at gigs where that is the case but also at gigs where the promoter/organiser/venue blamed the band!
Luckily 99% of my gigs are in Pubs.

melekalikimaka

smelltheglove wrote: »

How do you get to the higher profile gigs?

.

become the promotors/venue manager/tour managers b1tch, thats how I get them

only problem is, I cant put half of em even on my flickr due to some bands, especially bigger ones being rather narky bout what is shown of them, tis all nice portfolio filler tho