The Quiet Place

The Charm of Concert Photography

There’s a certain charm to shooting live events. One might argue that it’s just the privilege of being up close and personal with stars and others might classify it as being cool.

I see things in a different light.

People who attend concerts are there for the experience. The music, the noise, the in your face attitude some bands pull of, hanging out with friends, singing till you have no voice and a multitude of other reasons. I am one of those. I like going home after a concert and being able to describe a show using no words. I like having a smile that’s enough to tell others about my personal experience. Or alternatively a set of pictures which can make me feel close to those euphoric moments that you feel for a nanosecond. The following set of images is all a tribute to my experience with Dubai Desert Rock 2007. It might bring you close to seeing how I smile every time I remember seeing some of my musical idols on stage.

The following are some technical and general tips for shooting on stage. They are by no mean a general guideline, but they will definitely come in handy.

1. If you are using two cameras, always make sure to have different naming conventions for files. I spent 2 hours renaming overlapping file names.
2. Never wear shades while shooting because you will overexpose your images if you are not careful.
3. Flash will ruin all your photos if you are shooting a stage with a great light setup. Never sacrifice ambiance over light.
4. Always check your ISO settings before shooting. I forgot mine on 1600 for the first two bands. Not too good.
5. 12-24/f4 Super-Wide lenses are the WORST option for a live stage during the night but with a hot shoe flash, it’s the best camera for shooting crowds.
6. 70-200 is your best range for shooting live events as it allows full body shots, close ups and the ability to reach the drummer at the back of the stage.

Until the next event, stay safe.

4 Responses to “The Charm of Concert Photography”

1. Iyadtb Says:
   June 9th, 2007 at 4:13 am

   Nice shots dude! i like…
   Today i went out for some photo shooting, i used my car as a model after a good fresh wash
   Photos came out gr8 actually after i learned how to control my D200! Still more to learn though

2. Peter Says:
   June 9th, 2007 at 12:24 pm

   nice pics!!

3. Barbi Says:
   June 27th, 2007 at 9:52 pm

   Mind blowing photos.
   I can feel the music.
   Keep it up!
   Cheers

4. Heba Says:
   June 30th, 2007 at 1:34 am

   Wow! Great job Joe!!
   We want more!!
   cheers

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