# Advice needed band photography



## rich-hill (May 13, 2008)

Hi All,

A friends band is playing in the local pub and they have asked me to take some shots of them playing. I have never done shots like this before so need a little advice.

Its in a pub, so i wont be too far away from the band playing, i have the following equipment

Canon 400D
Speed lite 430 EXII
10-20mm Sigma f3.5
60mm Canon F2.8
Kit lens 18-55mm 

which lens would be best suited? Im thinking probably the 60mm due to the low F stop.
Also do yuo think i wil need the speed lite? If so what sort of settings and where should i bounce the flash?

Any help would be briliant as its only this evening i will be doing this.\\Thanks
Rch


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## Brazo (Oct 27, 2005)

60mm for close ups of band members and 10-20 for group shots


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## rich-hill (May 13, 2008)

Okay i will take both with me.
I guess its a case of try and shoot as wide open as possible?
If i have to use a flash what should i be doing with this?


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## Brazo (Oct 27, 2005)

I'm no expert in flash photography but suspect it would kill the 'mood'? 

Crank up the iso and enjoy the noise/grittyness!


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## Multipla Mick (Feb 5, 2006)

I'd go with the Siggy 10-20 as the main choice if it were me. I've never photographed a band or anything like that at all, but a bit of experimentation with the flash could give good results, like using second curtain sync and zooming or moving the camera during the exposure. They may not like you using flash in a pub though as it will probably be at close range, so the light maybe challenging. Depends on what they play and how they perform I suppose too. If they're heavy metal types and leaping about then you want to capture movement in your shots. If they are a bit quieter and less animated then more usual portraits would be the way I suppose. Like I say, I've no idea really, but those are what thoughts would be going through my mind if I were doing it.


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## rich-hill (May 13, 2008)

Multipla Mick said:


> I'd go with the Siggy 10-20 as the main choice if it were me. I've never photographed a band or anything like that at all, but a bit of experimentation with the flash could give good results, like using second curtain sync and zooming or moving the camera during the exposure. They may not like you using flash in a pub though as it will probably be at close range, so the light maybe challenging. Depends on what they play and how they perform I suppose too. If they're heavy metal types and leaping about then you want to capture movement in your shots. If they are a bit quieter and less animated then more usual portraits would be the way I suppose. Like I say, I've no idea really, but those are what thoughts would be going through my mind if I were doing it.


Okay - only concern wit 10-20 is the lack of f stop. The 400D isnt great with high ISO but i think i'm just going to have to deal with it. Would bouncing the flash off the ceiling be a little less distracting? If i bring the power down?

Whats second curtain synch?


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## Multipla Mick (Feb 5, 2006)

rich-hill said:


> Okay - only concern wit 10-20 is the lack of f stop. The 400D isnt great with high ISO but i think i'm just going to have to deal with it. Would bouncing the flash off the ceiling be a little less distracting? If i bring the power down?
> 
> Whats second curtain synch?


Second curtain doo dah creates those light trails in flash shots when the camera is moved during the exposure. The flash fires just as the shutter is about to close rather than when it opens, but how the hell that makes the difference it does is beyond me  You see it on shots of cars where the camera is panned with the car but the headlights leave a light trail behind them, that kind of thing. I've not tried it yet myself, so could be, and most likely am, talking a right pile of cobblers, but it's something I do want to try and it would lend itself to an energetic band shoot I think. Easier to imagine and describe than to achieve as well I daresay 

Bouncing off the ceiling could work well, it'd diffuse harsh light, but if it's a coloured ceiling it'll either absorb the light or colour the flash, which may not be a bad thing either. If it's a ye olde type pub with wooden beams bouncing the flash may not work at all. Sticking a paper tissue over the flash with a rubber band is an old trick apparently for diffusing the flash if you haven't got a Stofen thingy. The pull out diffuser spreads the flash out too, ideal for using with a wide angle as it sets the zoom head at 14mm automatically.

Like I say, I've never shot a band, so could well be talking crap, but the main thing I suppose is to ask the band what they want, and how long their set will be so you've an idea of how long you've got for playing around etc.

This might give you a few ideas too http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=pub bands#page=4

Edit - Not the best example, but an idea of what second (or rear)curtain synch can do in blurring light and so on

__
https://flic.kr/p/4434744105


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## alexj (Apr 12, 2012)

Bands dont generally like flash photography, it blinds you after a while ! 

In the major venues you only get the first three songs and no flash.

The 60mm f2.8 will be useful as it lets plenty of light in. 

You will probably have to wack the ISO up, depending on how dark it is.

Watch your shutter speeds settings, a minimum of 100 to avoid camera shake, 

faster if you can. Last thing you want is blurred images.

Good luck dont forget your earplugs and thats not a joke.

Pardon ? ?


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## lobotomy (Jun 23, 2006)

Flash will kill the mood, unless you have it off-cam and set on manual maybe with a snoot to isolate a specific band member? singer/drummer? This might take a few placements. Maybe get some gels for this too. If they're using Lighting, the flash will give you the extra light and the gels will keep the "feel"

If it's a local gig in a small pub I don't think they'll be too bothered about a couple of flashes but I'd try just a few, then go wide open and up the ISO, if all fails do a B/W conversion and ISO won't matter lol  "Gritty"


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## lobotomy (Jun 23, 2006)

alexj said:


> Watch your shutter speeds settings, a minimum of 100 to avoid camera shake,


General rule of thumb I was always told was 1/focal length (remember crop factor) for shutter speed to try to eliminate hand/telephoto shake.

Then you'll need to balance off the exposure with aperture, wide open you still might need >ISO1600 for low light like gigs.


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## alexj (Apr 12, 2012)

lobotomy said:


> General rule of thumb I was always told was 1/focal length (remember crop factor) for shutter speed to try to eliminate hand/telephoto shake.
> 
> Then you'll need to balance off the exposure with aperture, wide open you still might need >ISO1600 for low light like gigs.


The EFL, thats Equivalent Focal Length would be around 90mm so 100 would be the lowest shutter speed to avoid camera shake !

You will have to see what the light levels are, you cannot start saying it will be a certain ISO beforehand. The rule for camera shake stands anywhere, except obviously when using a tripod.


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## lobotomy (Jun 23, 2006)

alexj said:


> The EFL, thats Equivalent Focal Length would be around 90mm so 100 would be the lowest shutter speed to avoid camera shake !
> 
> You will have to see what the light levels are, you cannot start saying it will be a certain ISO beforehand. The rule for camera shake stands anywhere, except obviously when using a tripod.


Jeez Louise! I'm just saying from experience taking photo's in small gig venues. I've always had to use >ISO1600 - It's a just a tip, no need to get shirty.

Also if he's looking for advice you just say shoot 1/100 or quicker... that's great but I just thought to give him the reasoning behind it, so he might learn something! If he whacks on his 200F2.8, 1/100 won't cut it, and he won't know why cos you said shoot at 1/100.


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## alexj (Apr 12, 2012)

lobotomy said:


> If he whacks on his 200F2.8, 1/100 won't cut it, and he won't know why cos you said shoot at 1/100.


The lens is a 60mm f2.8 fixed

not a 200mm f2.8

(EFL approx 300mm so 1/320 minimum to stop camera shake)

EFL is around 90mm for the 60mm when you times the sensor size by the focal length

So shooting at 1/100 or faster would hopefully stop camera shake and get sharp images if you do everything else correctly.

I made my original post presuming that the OP has some knowledge, and if he wanted it explained further would get back to me. I dont like to be patronising and give loads of information all in one post.

Hope the OP gets some great shots and shows the results on here.

Over and out !


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## stuart.cameron (Apr 10, 2011)

Use the 60mm f/2.8 with no flash with something like 1/50 sec shutter.

The 10-20 with a little flash f/7, ISO 200 and something like 1/8 sec shutter.

I do a bit of music photography with both flash and no flash! (www.stuartcameron.com)


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

*if* you can balance the flash against the rest of the lights, then it might work. It might not. It's a huge balancing game. Don't leave the flash on TTL, you'll have the singer in the light and not much else.

f3.2, f3.5, as slow as you can go without movement (try a monopod!) would be my suggestion. But it depends an awful lot on the lighting.

- Bret


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## rich-hill (May 13, 2008)

I think this album is public so people can view it. Here are some of the shots I got.

Lighting was really tough, using the flash bounced off the roof with the 60mm gave best results. Can't remember shutter speeds off hand, most shot in ISO 1600 which the 400D doesn't like very much


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## rich-hill (May 13, 2008)




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