first time concert photography

[Manfr3d]

Hi all!

I had the chance to photograph a rock concert in a small club
last wednesday. I was clever enough to get myself a set of
earplugs beforehand so my ears still work ;) . I could stand
in the first line without suffering hearing damage while my pants
were weaving in the winds from the stage speakers (no kidding).
So this was my first concert to take pictures of and I was really
suprised that one of the band members actually let me go on
stage to have them photographed. What a blast, it was a really
cool experience.

So now, I'd like to get some input on this particular image from the concert:

http://www.florianbuetow.com/refers/dgrin/subseven/CRW_8863-01_filtered.jpg

Taken with a Canon 10D and a Tamron 28-75mm/2.8 lens.
Exposure details: f4.5, 1/125 sec, ISO 1600

[SloYerRoll]

I like the shot.
I would have shifted a bit to the right when composing this shot as to get rid of that nasty glare (or at least reduce it).
You need to bump up that fstop to capture more of the detail.
Everything I've read about low light shooting. You need FAST glass to get decent light levels on a shot.
I would crop the shot at mid calf or thigh. That's just me though.

It's gonna be tough to do your reshoot unless this guy is local talent.

[Manfr3d]

Thanks for your reply! I haven't tought of the glare as
a problem myself. But I see your point as there is one
single spotlight on the guy. Maybe its my monitor, but
I can see the his silhouette against the black background
quite well. This actualy was what what I tried to get in
this shot. In TV mode I was using f4.5 @ 1/125s (center
weighted) so the light levels should've theoreticaly been
ok for this shot?!

[saurora]

No cropping!!!! It's perfect!!! Well, not perfect, but there's more there than SloYerRoll is able to view, I believe. I saw this yesterday on my work monitor and waited to comment until I could view it on a decent monitor. This is a great shot! I love it. There is scads of detail in the lower shot, I can see the eyelets on his shoes, the camouflage pattern on his pants....so much more than I could have seen at work. Love this lighting...the glare does not bother me. It is part of (like you said) being in the spotlight and the excess lighting helps to show the scratches and fingerprints on a highly used instrument. It just feels a part of the shot to me and is not over-powering. I like his eyes being closed because, well, you know he's really into the song. Nice exposure, I like seeing the lighting on the cords dropping down through the frame, but the contrast and blackness envelopes most of the stage putting the spotlight on the musician. Now for the whipping part ....I would clone out the bottle in the left bottom and the out of focus area to the right of the headstock. Maybe the green piece of equipment on the bottom right should go and a tiny white dot to the bottom right as well. It would have been nice if it were not quite so centered and I would have liked some more space around him in general, but I imagine shooting in a club you might not have had much (if any) room to back up to frame that well. I think it's a wonderful shot though! What band is this? I'm not into it much, but my son is.

[Manfr3d]

The Band name is Sub7even, they had a hit (Free Your Mind)
in 2002 with the R&B group EnVouge, were nominated for a
Grammie I think, and won an MTV award. Currently they are
touring in Germany to promote their new CD. Really cool
music I must say. But see for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ5_ISXS6jU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BsLwY5mTpQ

Now for the photo: The Club was indeed very small, and
left little place for a wider angle without getting mic
or light stands in the view. I'll have to try to fix the
things on the bottom of the frame (photoshop noob I am).
Thank you very very much for your reply. ;)

[Steve Cavigliano]

:agree with Saurora. Great detail, really nice lighting (golden) and I don't even mind the glare :dunno The only cropping I would recommend would be so this image could be properly printed in a large size (8x10, 8x12, 11x14,....).


I was really looking for something I would change. Couldn't come up with anything. NICEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! :clap

Steve

[SloYerRoll]

No cropping!!!! It's perfect!!! Well, not perfect, but there's more there than SloYerRoll is able to view, I believe.

Your right Saurora.
I calibrated my monitor after you posted and discovered that I was way out of tune.
That means I need a new monitor sooner than later. Sigh...:cry

Thanks for the post that helped me see the true light.

[truth]

Hey SloYerRoll!

Do you actually take pics or just hang out here to give advice? No one posts as many opinions in the Whipping Post as you. Now I'm not saying you have to be god's gift to photography to comment here. In fact, you can learn a great deal from trying verbalize the aspects of images you see, but your participations seems awfully one sided. How can people judge the value of your opinion if they have nothing but your opinion to base it on?

[saurora]

Bummer! (Oh boy...let's go shopping!) I never realized how bad my monitor at work ( a nice looking little Sharp LCD) actually was until I got my Dell. Now when I view stuff at the office in my "spare" time, I wait until I get home and view it again to even comment. It's amazing what you "don't see" especially in the shadow detail!!! It just disappears. Glad it helped you discover what was hiding from you! :D

[SloYerRoll]

Hey SloYerRoll!
...your participations seems awfully one sided. How can people judge the value of your opinion if they have nothing but your opinion to base it on? Ahhh freedom of speech! Wonderful thing.

I do post allot more than create whipping post threads.
My critiques are geniune though. I have been studying photography for while now and am now at the point of light theory and bokeh (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh). Photography is really amazing to me.

I am definately no self proclaimed prodogy to photography. I'm just an avid enthsiast. I look at other peoples shots as if I took it and say what I would do to take my "after" shot.

I'll post a shot for you to beat up on right away. Don't ever want to be thought as a one sided person.

[Art Scott]

This is a great concert shot ..... It could have only been made better if you had been able to be a little more to you right and gotten a full or 3/4 frontal to go allong with the side shot......

Great shot, great lighting, great emotion...what more do you want.:bow:thumb:bow:thumb:thumb:thumb

[SloYerRoll]

Maybe its my monitor, but
I can see the his silhouette against the black background
quite well. Mabey it was my monitor. :rolleyes

[SpeshulEd]

ditch the bottle in the bottom left, and you're golden! :D

[DavidTO]

Hey SloYerRoll!

Do you actually take pics or just hang out here to give advice? No one posts as many opinions in the Whipping Post as you. Now I'm not saying you have to be god's gift to photography to comment here. In fact, you can learn a great deal from trying verbalize the aspects of images you see, but your participations seems awfully one sided. How can people judge the value of your opinion if they have nothing but your opinion to base it on?


Truth, I don't know how I missed this post, you must have posted on an off day of mine.

The answer to your question about the value of SYR's opinion is simple: read what he has to say and see if his track record has any validity for you. There are some great film critics who have never made a film. And some great restaurant critics who have never owned a restaurant.

Also, the Whipping Post is not just about getting images whipped, it's also about all of us developing our critical eye so that we can take or give criticism that is truthful and also kind. We're all here to learn. One of the things that we can work on here is how to deliver a truthful critique with tact. Think about it.

[Andy]

Truth, I don't know how I missed this post, you must have posted on an off day of mine.

The answer to your question about the value of SYR's opinion is simple: read what he has to say and see if his track record has any validity for you. There are some great film critics who have never made a film. And some great restaurant critics who have never owned a restaurant.

Also, the Whipping Post is not just about getting images whipped, it's also about all of us developing our critical eye so that we can take or give criticism that is truthful and also kind. We're all here to learn. One of the things that we can work on here is how to deliver a truthful critique with tact. Think about it.

I agree, David.

Truth, I've not seen a post that is more anti-social and against what Dgrin and the WP is all about in a long long time. This stinks. Can it, and can it now.

[surly]

WOW...I love the way the composition just fades to black
I wouldnt crop it at all

Maybe ditch the bottle and perhaps tame the glare

This would be on my wall if I took it

Very well done :bow