Summer is here, ladies and gentlemen. And with it comes warm weather, trips to better shores and, more importantly, music festivals and concerts. Yes, with summer kicked into high gear, music lovers flock to open fields to hear their favorite artists jam out on stage in front of before thousands. Festivals like Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Glastonbury tout large crowds and endless obstacles that make it rightly difficult to get the shots you want. But never fear. We’ve talked to professionals to compile five tips for shooting live shows.
1. RESEARCH!!! Learn everything you can before start shooting. Know the times, know the stage, know the band.
2. Use fast lenses. Stage lighting is very low, which makes it hard to gain sharp pictures. Use a lens with a high shutter speed, like a 50mm lens with a 1.8 f-stop, a cheap lightweight lens built for low lighting conditions.
3. Improvise. Way back when, photographers were allowed to bring in all sorts of cameras and equipment. Today, however, DSLRs and the like are verboten for the general public. So instead, be prepared to use your iPhone smartphone or a mirrorless digital camera. They’re small and easy to carry and use.
4. More shots, the better. Music is always moving, and so are musicians. Be sure to use a multiple shot mode to get the preferred pictures. More recent smartphones come with this feature already built in.
5. Concerning Silhouettes. Silhouettes capture a dramatic tone that can add that extra “oomph” to your photos. Turn off you flash and take a wide shot for best results.
And there you have it: five tips for shooting concert photography. We can recommend an item that can improve concert photos. Our Selfie Handle can be used to go over your head pointed at the stage. With it’s built-in Blue tooth shutter release you can reach way over the crowd. As I mentioned in tip three, DSLRs have been drastically limited and strictly regulated. So be prepared to use alternatives. Have a good summer and happy shooting!
