Are you ready to become a ROCKSTAR PHOTOGRAPHER?
5 Secrets of Rockstar Photographers Matthias Hombauer presents
Gogol Bordello Nikon D700 150mm @ f2.8 1/200sec, ISO 1600
1. Pure aperture madness The best way to start as a concert photographer is to get a lens with a big aperture (small aperture number e.g. f1.4, f1.8, f2.8). One nobrainer is the 50mm f1.8 lens (available for all brands) which is lightweight, unobtrusive and cheap. The aperture of 1.8 will give you the ability to shoot in low light conditions and is just perfect for concert photography.
2. Freeze the action! Have you ever been on a concert where the artist was hyperactive jumping from one side of the stage to the other? To freeze these movements you have to use a fast shutter speed. In general I set my shutter speed at 1/200 sec or faster. In addition I want to remind you the rule of thumb: 1/focal length is the shutter speed you need to overcome camera shake (and therefore blurry images). So when using a 50mm lens you should at least have a shutter speed of 1/50 sec. Apocalyptica Nikon D700 200mm @ f2.8 1/250sec, ISO 3200
3) Film speed in the digital era? ISO or film speed refers to the sensitivity of an analog film. Today the term is used for the sensitivity of your digital sensor. The higher the ISO setting the less light is needed for a proper exposure, but the more noise you will encounter in your pictures. Depending on the ability of your camera a good starting point is an ISO setting of 1600-3200 for concert photography.
Fink Nikon D800 85mm @ f1.8 1/160 sec, ISO 3200
Atari Teenage Riot Nikon D800 50mm @ f1.8 1/250 sec, ISO 1600
4) Automatic or manual mode? As I started as concert photographer I used the Aperture priority mode (Av). In this mode you set the aperture and your camera will automatically set your shutter speed for the right exposure. In the beginning it can be overwhelming for you. Standing in front of the stage for the first time is great experience, but too many thoughts may be going on in your head. „Do I have the right settings? What is the artist thinking of me waving in front of him with my camera the whole time.“ So I would suggest to start out in Av mode and once you feel more comfortable with the situation change to manual mode which will give you even more freedom to set your exposure.
Amanda Palmer Nikon D800 85mm @ f1.8 1/320sec, ISO 3200
5) Click! Click! Click! The last setting of my choice is the multiple shot mode. The situation in font of the stage is really challenging for your camera. A low light situation and fast movements are not the easiest things to deal with, and therefore you need to take a lot of pictures during a concert. Using the multiple shot mode allows you to take 3-4 frames in a short time period which increase the possibility to get the shot.
With these 5 Secrets of Rockstar Photographers in mind you should be able to get pretty good results from your camera. This pages covers the main points for all kinds of low light stage photography and can be achieved by any digital camera (ISO setting of at least 1600) and a fast lens (e.g. 50mm 1.8) If you like this short tutorial visit: http://howtobecomearockstarphotographer.com/ and stay updated. Rock on! Best, Matthias office@matthiashombauer.com