Any Music photographers among us?

[RyanD]

Not really paid much attention to this part of the forum but can safely say its thriving!! Plenty of guys loving the motorsport work but does anyone shoot music?

Nightclubs,festivals,bands etc???

I tend to spend most of my time with a camera shooting nights, so just thought id see if anyone else does, and also see if there are guys wanting to do so but who want some help...

Anyway one good thing about having a camera in a venue is usually some totty

Mix in a Dj and a cracking system...

and you get lots of hands in the air stuff

Ryan

 

[Ian]

Great shots Ryan. I haven't tried this myself, but I have considered asking a few mates that are in bands if they want some photos taking, might have to pursue that further! What equipment are you using? I know it doesn't get much harder than indoor gig photography in terms of pushing the limits of equipment.

 

[RyanD]

I shot for a couple of years on a 30D with siggy 10-20, but now my main body is a 1D mkIIn.

however the 30D still gets a fair bit of abuse as my 15mm fisheye is not focussing well atm, so still use my old 10mm on the 1.6x.

A general event ill carry those two bodies, my 580ex II, a spare 430, 70-200 2.8 IS L, 16-35 2.8 mkII, and both my fisheyes.

Honestly i say give it a go if you have mates in bands, it really is a giggle (although sadly hard to make a living from as the likes of tillate/dsi etc...) make it very hard to get decent £££ out of promoters etc..

Bands are alot more exciting to shoot than DJs though, even though I love dance music, theres only so many times you can shoot the same dj over a cdj.

 

[Ian]

That's quite some equipment list, although it doesn't surprise me too much given the area of interest. Does surprise me that you've stayed away from the forum for so long though! Is photography your main source of income then? Sounds like you're really into it.

Yeah I think I'll give it a go at some point, but I've only really the nifty fifty which is up to the job so might be a bit restricted, only time will tell.

Don't suppose you live locally? lol

Edit: Just seen your Facebook - MoS in London eh! Nice. :approve:

 

[RyanD]

I only started out with my 30D - 28-135 IS and a 430 ex, I then needed wiider so went 10-20.

Shot a few gigs then got in with the right people, but they wanted fisheye stuff so i had to fork out for one in advance.

Shot a while like that and just got bored, I want to do eventually photojournalism/sports and so the sensible upgrade was the mkIIn.

Just the way most guys go, you work your arse off and then spend the money on gear to make life 'easyer' as to speak.

Im actually an athlete (well was but have had a few bad inurys) so the photography just pays for me to be able to train again at the moment.

The key ive really found is low light fast glass IS a must in most places!

I sit on a few different forums, but just didnt really pay much attention to the photography section on here till my exhaust went tits up and I was looking for a quiet replacement, saw the photo section again and got browsing, saw some cool guys work and thought be interesting to see if people shoot much music aswell.

Like i say though just give it a go if you want to go shoot mates in bands, nothing to loose is there.

 

[BenWall]

Cool shots, I really want to get into some gig photography. Don't know anyone in bands or anything though so think I would find it quite hard to get into any gigs.

Any tips for getting into it? Even for free stuff.

Thanks

 

[Reyes]

I'd love to. Gone for a few nightclub photography jobs but never actually went round to proceeding in the applications LOL.
I prefer DJing

 

[RyanD]

Cool shots, I really want to get into some gig photography. Don't know anyone in bands or anything though so think I would find it quite hard to get into any gigs.

Any tips for getting into it? Even for free stuff.

Thanks

If you see a gig you like (lower key better to start) just mail the promoter/maneger of the event/venue.

Say you are a freelance/student photographer and you are wanting to expand your portfolio so would you be able to get into the venue and have a pass to shoot, do the usual pr thing of you are asking permission because some people just bring cameras and shoot, and you dont want to do something without permission and risk upsetting their artists etc...

Obviously be very upfront about the photos, so let them know its just for portfolio, they might then say yeah sure come shoot. Then ask to see them, if they like they then may hire you.

Honestly in the music industry, professionalism goes a long long way imo.

Regarding free, be careful about shooting for free, the more you shoot for free the harder it is to then charge as you get a rep for being free + if you then ask for money they will just get someone else whos free, sadly people working for free is making life tough atm (free night out wooooo attitude)

 

[BenWall]

Thanks for the tips.

I was thinking of emailing the gigs I like to go to and photograph as they are normally small artist and wouldn't have a togger there.

With the free thing I know what you mean about making it tough for you, as I wouldn't mind shooting a gig for free as I enjoy taking the pictures and get in free to the gig lol but I can see where your coming from.

 

[RyanD]

The big issue is photography IS peoples livelyhoods.

Even at a low level you can do alot to damage the industry, ive been very careful just working on through over the last two years, and you learn alot dealing with guys being around 20-30years etc...

People handing over pics for free to get in, costs jobs. Its like an It geek offering to work at a big IT company for free, you cost someone else a job for a small ego boost.

Sorry if that sounds rude just something to be wary of as it can get abit snotty with people at times. I got put on trial somewhere for 2 weeks and they wouldnt pay me for the two weeks I was there so I understand its not easy, they knew after 2 weeks i wouldnt continue to shoot for free though.

Smaller gigs are great though to get into, less security, less premadonna band/djs, stage managers who have a bit of leeway etc etc....

But honestly dont be afraid to just go and ask, can i shoot, if so where am i allowed, where not etc etc.....

 

[Ian]

If you don't mind me asking Ryan, how much do you charge for the average gig? I've recently found out to my cost that it's hard to raise your quotes when there's already a low benchmark set. Do you get paid for covering the gig, or for photo sale/publication after the gig? Hope you don't mind me asking.

I imagine for somebody getting into music photography it would be easier to ask for payment for any photos that people want to buy?

 

[TC.]

Take my point and shoot to every music event i attend, mostly dance events

Heres a few from over the years that I quite like .............

 

[RyanD]

If you don't mind me asking Ryan, how much do you charge for the average gig? I've recently found out to my cost that it's hard to raise your quotes when there's already a low benchmark set. Do you get paid for covering the gig, or for photo sale/publication after the gig? Hope you don't mind me asking.

I imagine for somebody getting into music photography it would be easier to ask for payment for any photos that people want to buy?

I almost allways work direct for a promoter/manager.

Im not into photosales, i want to know what my money is for even turning up, it also means i can concentrate on shooting rather than selling.

Ill vary my prices depending on the client/size of the event/how long im there and what the pics are for. For example A festival whole day will be more than a 1hour shoot just for a dj.

Sadly though due to so many people working for free, its very hard for places to even justify £100 for the night... others are more than happy to pay more, you just got to take the rough with the smooth at times.

Im more than happy to talk to people, I think the big problems are with photography is people seem so scared to help others and advise they actually are causing themselves more grief.

 

[Andy_con]

global gathering

not my pics but a music video i did, which is kinda of along the same theme

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Few of my only attempt thus far, from back a while now here full size on my Flickr.

Think I only used my kit lens :dead: Not too bad for a first attempt maybe !?

 

[Andy.]

Damn.. no exif! What sort of settings do you use for a shot like the first and second one? Normal exposure and rear curtain sync?

 

[Ribena]

Great shots Ryan!

I tried some club photography once, really enjoy it but don't have the right equipment at the moment. I have an opportunity to shoot for a friend who organises some club events so might have to invest...hopefully something will come of it.

 

[RyanD]

Limited to 5posts for now (need to renew membership lol)

Sorry for lack of exif im not one of the people who hides exif i just was being lazy and used FB.

Those images, top one is 1/6 or 1/8, F2.8 or F4, iso 800, flash ETTL with Fec increased slightly usually.

DJ shot, usually between 1/20 and 1/40 iso 800, F4 bounce card up on the flash.

 

[Andy.]

Cheers for the info. I really need to do some more reading up on flash work, I get fairly inconsistent results!

 

[Feirny]

Some cracking shots there, done some myself before, but nowhere near as good as that.

 

[RyanD]

Cheers for the info. I really need to do some more reading up on flash work, I get fairly inconsistent results!

The thing is theres alot to play with. For my DJ shots we used to have different lights, now we have LEDs + more smoke so its changed things alot, I also prefer a crisp dj shot than some of the mega long shutter things people do which can often be mildly oof at the best of times.

ETTL - is great to mean you can let the camera system do some of the lifting for you, even though manualy adjusting the flash is good, its not the best in a situation where you shoot different people/positions in a matter of sections, you need to just bang the shot off and move on.

Also having a camera which can handle good iso helps, I had a 5D in with me aswell last night for a play with something else.