Words of Wisdom: article layout in Digital Photographer magazine

About 6 months ago i got an email from writer/photographer Lisa Perkovic asking if i’d be interested in talking to her about my work for a story in Digital Photographer magazine. I’m always happy to talk photography, so over email i answered some of her questions, and now they’re in print in the current issue of the magazine.

The words are a little hard to read in the print layouts here, so i’ve reproduced the article, along with photos and commentary below.

Daniel Boud shares his secrets on shooting from the soul – on stage and in the studio.

Setting up boudist.com in 2003 was a life-changing move for then web designer Daniel Boud. A passion for photography, a knack for shooting live music gigs and a space for sharing his shots was a winning combination. Named as one of The Music Network’s Top 30 Under 30 in 2010, and currently Time Out Sydney’s chief photographer, Boud is living the dream – but hasn’t let it go to his head.

“A positive reaction to your work is always encouraging,” he says. “It reminds you that you’re on the right path. I’m always so critical of my work and see all of its flaws, so an outside boost can be welcome. But I don’t ever rest on my laurels, I’m always striving to do better.”

The self-taught photographer puts down practice as the key to success. “I bought a digital camera in 2001 and it just set off a switch in my brain where I became obsessed with documenting every little inane thing in my life. It wasn’t consciously a training exercise but the systematic process of shooting tens of thousands of pictures. And striving to get better each time meant I got many hours of experience under my belt.”

Tonight Alive: I’d just shot this band neck deep in Sydney Harbour, so they were all soaking wet. After hopping out of the water, I wanted to get a shot of them shaking off like a dog would, while letting the front woman look more composed in the middle. Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 16-35mm Specs: ISO 100, f/10, 1/200 sec, 32mm

With an instinctual style, Boud draws inspiration from everything around him – other photographers’ work, blogs, magazines, movies, cinematographers. Being creative is an important part of the job, but it’s also important his subjects are willing to be a part of that vision.

“My most recent subject was a musician named Devendra Banhart and he was awesome to work with. I had an idea to have him lie on the ground, surrounded by food and lollies. He was up for it and then amped it up by asking to have hundreds and thousands poured all over his face.

It’s really fun working with people who collaborate and aren’t afraid to experiment with things. I’ve photographed several drag queens and transgender people and that can be quite outrageous. Being in drag is an excuse to exercise parts of your personality you wouldn’t normally reveal, so drag performers can be very uninhibited.”

Amanda Lepore: I shot the famous transexual and muse of David LaChappelle in the lobby of the Sheraton hotel. I brought along my own wall paper to tape to the wall to add a classic vintage feel. Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 85mm 1.8 ISO 100, f11, 1/160sec, 85mm

Boud photographs a diverse range of subjects – everything from Sydney’s best burgers to some of the world’s best performers – but portraits still have a big pull.

“My first love was shooting live music but these days I find more satisfaction shooting portraits. There’s more of me in a staged portrait: I control the lighting, the location and can give the subject direction.”

Here he answers our questions on portraits, performances and post-production:

You do a lot of music photography: what are the issues when shooting musicians performing live?

There are several limitations when shooting live, which I actually find helpful. You only get to photograph three songs, so you have to have your wits about you. There’s little time to make mistakes. You have zero control over the lighting and zero control of your subjects. So it’s simply a matter of best documenting what’s presented in front of you.

Israeli punk band Monotonix performing at the Annandale Hotel in Sydney. They had such a crazy live show, with the singer spending most of his time in the crowd. I held my camera above my head to shoot this above the crowd. Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 16-35mm Settings: ISO 1000, f5, 1/160 sec, 16mm Lit by a Canon 580ex II on camera

How do you get your subjects to relax in front of the camera?

Like a good dentist or doctor, a photographer must have an excellent bedside manner. You have to instill confidence in your subject. If you’re having a tooth pulled, you want your dentist to act as if this is a really normal procedure that he’s done thousands of times before. It’s the same with taking a portrait. Talk to your subject about what’s going to happen, ask them questions about how they’re feeling, explain that this should be a collaborative and enjoyable experience. Use positive reinforcement. Some people are natural in front of the camera, but most people aren’t, so allow them time to warm up and realise that getting their picture taken really isn’t as bad as having a tooth pulled. And if all that fails, get them drunk.

What do you want from subjects?

I want them to relax and feel that they’re in a safe place where they can be creative, to think about what we could do together that would best represent them. I often tell people to not be afraid to act like an idiot. The worst that could happen is that the photo doesn’t work, but no-one ever need see that. They’ll only see the best shots, and to get them, you have to get some bad ones first.

Andrew WK: I shot Andrew backstage at the Sydney Big Day Out music festival. He’s got such a manic stage presence and I wanted to capture that on camera. I asked him to do a series of dramatic poses and only after the seeing the shots on my computer did I think to combine them into a shot with three of him. Lit by a profoto ring flash. Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 16-35mm Specs: ISO 160, f/6.3, 1/125 sec, 31mm

How do you pull energy from subjects and convey that in your work?

It can be a challenge if you don’t have much time or your subject is very uncomfortable. But simple directions, asking people to move or do something different, can be useful. You could ask your subject to jump on the spot, walk towards the camera, tell a joke, yell down the lens. They’re all things that allow your subject to be in the moment, rather than think about having their picture taken.

How much control do you get over what the shoot will look like?

Usually a lot. Sometimes a picture editor or magazine art director will be really specific with what they’re after if it’s for a cover, but otherwise I’m usually left up to my own devices.

Do you work with stylists on your shoots?

For the bigger music shoots with a decent budget I have. It can be a real help for people to have options for clothes and accessories to wear, but some people don’t like it because it feels inauthentic

Adriano Zumbo: I shot Adriano at my home studio. We bought along some of his famous macaroons to use as a prop. I challenged him by asking how many macaroons he could fit in his mouth at once. He was such a good sport and had no problems goofing around. Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 70-200mm ISO 100, f9, 1/125sec, 200mm

The Grates: Patience the singer has a lot of manic energy and I wanted to capture that so I asked her to scream at me. This is actually a composite shot, I did shoot them together but the art director liked two different shots for each of them so combined these for the cover. Lit from the front by a beauty dish. Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 50mm Specs: ISO 100, f/9, 1/125 sec, 50mm

How long does a shoot typically take?

It really depends. I’ve done shoots with stars in hotel rooms where I’ve had one minute to nail a portrait… but then I’ve also had all-day shoots with several different locations and many different set-ups.

Do you tether the camera to the computer to see the images as you’re working?

I have shot tethered but it’s not something I normally do.

Paul Dempsey: I was shooting some pictures of Paul for his record company to use as publicity, documenting his album recording process. He was recording in a country house, and sleeping in the same room as the studio. So this was a little unguarded moment as he strummed away, shot in natural light. Equipment: Canon 5D, Tamron 17-35mm Specs: ISO 800, f3.5, 23mm, 1/50 sec, 23mm

When you’re shooting on location, do you use available light?

Yes, but I will also often use lighting in addition to the natural light to give a bit more control.

What sort of lighting set-ups do you use at shoots?

All sorts. I’ve got no standard set-up, each time is different. I’ve also got a studio with all sorts of gear. If I’m going on location and the budget is amenable I’ll hire Profoto lights and modifiers.

When you’re shooting an event or a live performance, are you part of the crowd or apart from it?

Both. I shoot events best when I’ve got an emotional attachment to them, whether it’s a band I love or an event surrounded by friends.

What do you think about “party” and “gig” photographers?

It’s a real skill to capture those sorts of events well. It takes a mixture of really knowing your gear well and working in unpredictable environments, plus having the personality to be bold and interact with people to get the best possible pictures.

Are you a “get in right in-camera” or ‘fix it later on the computer” photographer?

Definitely an in-camera guy. If someone comes to me with a concept that requires a lot of retouching, I’ll usually look for ways to get a similar result in-camera. Otherwise I’ll suggest another photographer because I really don’t enjoy the post-production process.

Can you give us an insight into your post-processing techniques?

It’s pretty straightforward. Import the shots into Lightroom; do a first pass look to pick all the decent shots; then do a second pass with a more critical eye to be left with only the very best shots. I then only do minor adjustments in Lightroom. I very rarely touch Photoshop anymore. I may adjust the white balance, straighten the shot if it’s a little crooked, bring out a small bit of shadow detail, remove any sensor dust and make sure the exposure is bang on. That’s about it.

Who’s on your photography wish list?

Taking someone’s picture is often just a great excuse to meet interesting people. So if I was to aim for the stars I’d say someone like Barack Obama, David Bowie, Bono or Jack White.

 

Marieke Hardy and Anthony Hayes: Marieke wanted to recreate a photo of Derryn Hinch from the 70’s in a similar pose with a playboy model. We reversed the gender roles and modernised it with papers and magazines from that day. We shot it quickly in her hotel room. Lit by a bare strobe on camera left bouncing off a white wall. Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 50mm 1.4 Specs: ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/125 sec

A portrait of Wolfmother singer Andrew Stockdale. I arranged to shoot Andrew in a guitar store which I knew had some cool amps and guitars around. Lit by a single soft box Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II, Tamron 17-35mm Specs: ISO 100, f10, 1/160 sec, 26mm

Dan Sultan: This was shot in the same space as the Wolfmother photo, but decorated differently. I can't remember exactly what prompted Dan to give me the two finger salute. Canon 5d Mark II, Canon 16-35mm ISO 125, f5.6, 1/20 sec, 16mm Lit by a profoto ring flash

Top Boudist tips for Portrait photography

1. Be prepared.
   Have everything ready before your subject arrives so you jump straight into it and don’t have to adjust any lighting.
2. Have a conversation.
   Talk to your subject. Make the process collaborative.
3. Direct your subject.
   Don’t be afraid to tell someone how to stand, where to put their hands, what direction to look in or give them some motivation for their expression.
4. Have confidence.
   Your subject is looking to you for reassurance. It can be intimidating having your picture taken, so your subject needs to know you’re going to make them look amazing.
5. Positive reinforcement.
   Let your subject know how awesome they look. The ego boost will make them look better in pictures and enjoy the process more.

Devendra Banhart: Backstage at Splendour in the Grass, last shot of the day and I had all these sweets left over and wanted to find a way to use them in one shot. So I asked Devendra if he minded laying down surrounded by all the lollies. He was totally into it and was the one to suggest pouring hundreds and thousands on his face. Equipment: Canon 5DMkII, Canon 17-35mm Specs: ISO 200, f/9, 1/125sec, 25mm

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• Concert Photography Masterclass : Part 2
• Concert Photography Masterclass
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This is the second and final part of my guide to concert photography.

Technique

You can be technically adept but still take poor photos, the trick is knowing when to click the shutter. Watch the performance for a moment, where is the light on stage? You may have to wait for the performer to move into the light.

My favourite shots are ones that show emotion and energy. Go for a shot when the singer steps away from the mic, you don’t want it obscuring your shot.
Try and get one when the singer is "in the moment", reaching for a high note or gesticulating.

The other thing to remember is that shooting digital means you can take lots of photos. Go nuts.

Consider the background

While you’ll be concentrating hard on capturing the performer in the foreground don’t forget to keep an eye on what’s visible in the background of the frame. A simple backdrop is usually best, so position yourself to avoid getting the lighting rig or advertising banners in the back of your shot.  Any clutter in the background will just distract from the focal point of your shot.

One effect that can look good is backlighting the subject. If you spot a particularly bright spotlight behind a performer move around till it’s directly behind the subject. It’ll give them a warm halo of light. A solar eclipse-like effect.

The Atmosphere

While the action on stage is what you’re primarily there to record, don’t forget to look around you and capture other elements to the show.

Once you know you’ve got some great shots of the performance think about grabbing some shots of the crowd. If you can get the performer and the crowd in the same shot, even better.

If you’re photographing a festival, shots of the audience and the vibe of the day are particularly important. Think of Glastonbury, and it’s images of floods and mud soaked punters that come to mind before any particular performer.

A music festival is about a lot more than the acts on stage, and you ought to take photos to tell that story.

Editing, flash and ettiquette

After you’ve taken hundreds of shots at a show, cull them down to the best 20 or 30. Then cull that down to the best 3.

If you’re going to show other people your photos don’t show them everything, just the very best.

They’ll assume all your shots are that good.

Photoshop

Sometimes your photos may need a tweak in post-processing. This isn’t unique to digital photography, people have been tinkering in dark rooms forever so it’s certainly not cheating to adjust your images in Photoshop. I usually just adjust the levels.

To make the blacks really black, bring up the contrast a little. Don’t change too much though, it’ll just look obvious and cheesy. Plus photo agencies and publications may not accept images that have been overly manipulated.

Photoshop can also help you remove an overwhelming colour cast, which under stage light is often red. Try tweaking the curves and colour balance to find a level that looks natural.

Sometimes the colour of the stage light will be so murky and red that the image is almost unusable. In this instance try converting your image to black and white and the image may improve dramatically.

Be aware that very few publications will run black and white photos these days though.

For shots taken at high ISO values you may want to run your shots through noise reduction software. Noise Ninja and Neat Image are widely used and quite effective.

Flash and etiquette

Flash is generally forbidden in concerts but sometimes unavoidable to get a decent shot. I wouldn’t use an on-camera flash, an external flash will work much better.

If you’re in a small venue try bouncing it off a ceiling or wall – not in the performer or audiences face. Don’t go overboard with the flash, it’s distracting and quickly irritating, so if you have to use it keep it to an absolute minimum.

Etiquette

Be nice to those around you. If you’re shooting from the audience don’t just shove your way to the front.

If you want to get closer, tap someone on the shoulder, smile and ask if they mind you moving forward to take some photos.
If you need to stand right in front of someone ask them if they mind and promise you’ll only be there for a minute. Keep that promise and move on.

If you’re in the photo pit be considerate of your fellow photographers. Keep an eye out for them and never walk in front of a shot while they’re composing it.

Always respect security, if they tell you to stop taking photos it’s not worth the hassle to argue.

Just put your camera away and enjoy the show.

Well that’s my advice all wrapped up, i hope you found it useful.

If you haven’t seen the first part, check out Concert Photography Masterclass.

Related Posts

• Concert Photography Masterclass
• Tips for live music / concert photography
• Interview and portrait tips in Digital Photography magazine
• Interview with Tony Mott
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For issue 46 of Digital Photographer magazine i wrote an article about concert photography. It gives an overview of everything an aspiring live music photographer might want to know.

I republish it here across two posts. I’ll outline the preparation you’ll need to do before you get to the venue, the process for acquiring a photo pass, the gear you’ll need, the settings you might want to use, some thoughts on technique, etiquette and editing.

Imagine you’re at a concert and instead of finding your seat at the back of the arena or contending with hundreds of sardine-like punters, you’re ushered to the very front, right at the performers’ feet.

If you score a photo pass, that could be you.

But you’re not there for fun; you have a job to do: to quickly capture on camera the essence and energy of the performance.

Several factors make stage photography a challenge, including unpredictable action, low lighting, a moving subject and a restricted time limit.

If you have a photo pass you’ll likely be set with the industry standard ‘three songs, no flash’ rule. That gives you about 10 minutes to quickly judge the stage light and capture the action on stage. Without a pass you’ll be physically constrained and annoying other punters while you’re shooting.

The upshot is, you’re photographing a performance, which by its nature ought to be dramatic and visually appealing. The performer is on stage to entertain, looking their best under atmospheric stage light, giving it their all.

While this article is specifically geared to live music, much of the advice is applicable to any low light or stage photography.

Before the show and choosing gear

If you’ve never shot a live performance before, be hesitant before pulling strings to request or accept a photo pass for a big concert. Photographing action on stage is quite different to any other type of photography, and until you’ve practiced enough, you may not be ready for the big stages.

If you do get a photo pass for a big gig, you’ll have to work very quickly, in the dark, surrounded by other photographers, security and fans.

You’ll want to feel totally confident about your ability to choose the right gear and settings so you don’t stuff up a big assignment.

Spend some weeks (or months) shooting events at small, local venues.

You’ll have to get used to working with stage light and anticipating what makes a good shot before requesting pit access.

Getting a Photo Pass

Once you’re confident in your ability to take stage photographs you’ll want to aim to get access to the photo pit for bigger performances. It’s a tightly guarded area in front of the stage.

Access is usually controlled by the concert promoter, and can be gained from the band’s manager or the tour manager, but rarely the actual venue.

Your role as an accredited photographer is to capture the performance on camera in order for those images to be published.

You’re part of the give and take of the publicity machine; in exchange for access to a show it’s expected your photos will be published to further promote the act.

That means in order to request a pass you need to be accredited via a publication or photo agency. It’s unlikely you’ll be granted photo pit access as an unaffiliated freelance photographer.

If you don’t already work with a publication that could seek photo access, you may have to start at the bottom and begin sending your portfolio to different publications advertising your services as a concert photographer.

Many concert shooters start out working for free for online publications or street press before they migrate to more mainstream media outlets.

It’s probably the best way to start out and improve your skills.

Preparation

Being prepared doesn’t just mean having the right gear. If you’ve got a photo pass it means double-checking the pass is confirmed before you get to the venue and knowing the name and number of the tour manager or promoter should any problems arise at the venue.

If you’re anticipating having to change lenses, have the other lens out of your camera bag ready to switch. Some photographers shoot with two cameras slung over their shoulder, one mounted with a wide-angle lens, the other with a telephoto. 

You also ought to have a spare battery and flash card ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Gear

The Camera

Nearly all concert shooters work on digital SLRs. Because much stage shooting is in low light, you’ll often be using an ISO setting of 800 or above.

When choosing a camera make sure you get one that performs without too much digital noise in that range. The Canon 400D (aka Rebel XTi) or newer 450D (aka Rebel XSi) is very capable, as are most of the newer model SLRs.

Lenses

It all depends on the venue and the light but generally my preference is for large aperture (f2.8 or below) prime lenses. They’re the fastest lenses you’re likely to find and are often just that bit sharper than zooms.

There’s no excuse for not having a 50mm f1.8 lens in your kit, they can be found new for around $100.

Once you’ve got that mid-range covered you’ll want to look at the other extremes: a wide-angle and a possibly a telephoto.

Keep in mind that if you’re shooting from the front of the stage a long telephoto isn’t usually necessary and you’re better off with something wider. You’ll find yourself shooting less than 100mm most of the time.

Gear Guide

Here is some camera equipment that might come in handy shooting live music. It’s a mix a some high end professional gear and more affordable but very good mid-range gear.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
The ultimate festival or arena companion. It helps get closer to the action on the bigger stages, and the image stabilisation helps in the low light.

Nikon AF-S VR 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED
For the Nikon shooter who needs a telephoto zoom. With handy vibration reduction.

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
A great low-light performer with a wide aperture. The Canon 50mm f1.8 also offers excellent value for money.

Nikon AF 50mm f/1.4
Very good in low-light, which is essential for stage shooting.

Tamron SP AF28-75MM F/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF)
Much better value than the Canon or Nikon equivalent. This versatile lens covers the useful 28-75mm range.

Canon EOS 450D
You don’t need the top of the line digital SLR to successfully a capture live performance. This little gem performs well at high ISO’s necessary for low light shooting.

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III N
For the professional who requires a fast and rugged camera. This beast has 21.1 megapixels and shoots 5 frames per second.

Camera Settings

ISO

You’ll probably want to set your ISO level to 800 or 1600. At 1600 the images will be getting grainy, but that’s sometimes unavoidable. If you’re in a venue with plenty of light set your ISO lower.

Metering

If your camera allows you to change the type of light metering you should set it to spot mode if available, or partial metering if not. This gives a smaller defined area where your camera will evaluate the light, so the background light won’t affect an accurate exposure of the subject.

Aperture

To let as much light into the camera as possible you’ll need to shoot at relatively wide apertures, often f2.8 or lower. In that range there’ll be a smaller area that’s in focus, so you have to be very exact with your focus point.

Shutter Speed

In a low-light situation you’re going to need to shoot at low shutter speeds in order to get enough light in the camera. Remember the slower your shutter speed the more likely your shots won’t be sharp, either because the subject moves or your hands move.

Sometimes the images may be underexposed, but if the image is sharp and slightly underexposed it can be rescued in Photoshop. If the image is not sharp then there’s no amount of Photoshopping that can rescue it.

Also, if you’re using a telephoto lens you’ll need to shoot at a higher shutter speed, as camera shake from your hands will be more evident.

Aperture and Shutter speed combined

If you’re new to stage photography, set your camera to shutter priority or aperture priority and take some test shots.

Once you get to a setting that’s got enough light and is still sharp, stick with that. On shutter priority the aperture will adjust automatically depending on the available light.

Don’t forget to intermittently check your shots on the camera screen and have a glance at the histogram. You want to make sure they’re correctly exposed. If you have to, err on the side of underexposure.

You can always give the brightness a bump in photoshop but nothing will fix your shot if all the highlights are blown out.

All digital photos have Exif data stored in them, this records all your camera settings for each photo. When you’re reviewing your photos later look at the Exif data and note the aperture and shutter speed of your shots and you’ll begin to work out why the shots turned out the way they did.

That’s it for part one. See part 2 for tips on technique, editing, flash and ettiquette.

Related Posts

• Concert Photography Masterclass : Part 2
• Tips for live music / concert photography
• Interview and portrait tips in Digital Photography magazine
• Interview with Tony Mott
• Temper Trap, Tinie Tempah and getting paid

UPDATE

I’ve published a revised, expanded and improved version of this article – concert photography masterclass.

I get the occasional email asking for advice on how to take better live music photos, so i thought i’d assemble a guide of sorts here. Consider it just my opinion, i’ve never formally studied photography, i’ve plenty to learn, but i have taken photos at a lot of gigs and taught myself a bit. So i figure i’ll share what i’ve learned. What follows is specifically thinking about taking photos at concerts but most is equally applicable to any situation indoors with low lighting.

The Camera

It’s going to be very tough without an SLR, you really need a camera that you can control the ISO settings and the aperture and shutterspeed. I use the Canon Rebel XT aka 350D (update: now upgraded to the Canon 5D).

The Settings

ISO

You’ll probably want to set your ISO level to 800 or 1600. At 1600 the images will be getting grainy with digital noise, but that’s sometimes unavoidable. If you’re in a venue with plenty of light set your ISO lower, you’ll get less noise.

Metering

If your camera allows you to change the type of light metering you should set it to spot mode.

Aperture

You’ll want a lens that has a wide aperture, f2.8 or lower. There are 50mm f1.8 lenses that are quite good and cheap these days.

At f1.8 you’ll be able to shoot at faster shutterspeeds because the camera is letting more light into the lens. But there’ll also be a smaller area that’s in focus so you have to be very exact with your focus point.

Shutterspeed

In a low light situation you’re going to need to shoot at reasonably low shutterspeeds in order to get enough light in the camera. But remember the slower your shutterspeed the more likely your shots won’t be sharp, either because the subject moves or your hands move.

I used to shoot as low as 1/40th – 1/60th second but realised i wasn’t going to get pin sharp images at that low shutterspeed. I now try to shoot at least 1/125th second or higher. Sometimes the images are underexposed, but if the image is sharp and slighty underexposed it can be rescuable in Photoshop. If the image is not sharp then there’s no amount of Photoshopping that can rescue it.

Also consider that if you’re using a zoom lens you’ll need to shoot at higher shutterspeeds as camera shake from your hands will be more evident.

Aperture and Shutterspeed combined

While taking photos i’m often switching between Manual, Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority in order to get the best result. If you’re just starting i’d set your camera to shutter priority, take some test shots and once you get to a setting that’s got enough light and is still sharp stick with that. On shutter priority the aperture will adjust automatically depending on the available light.

All digital photos have Exif data stored in them, this records all your camera settings for each photo. When you’re reviewing your photos later look at the Exif data and note the aperture and shutterspeed of your shots and you’ll begin to work out why the shots turned out the way they did. If you’re curious, all my shots in Flickr have this information available (for example).

Getting the shot

You can be technically adept but still take crap photos, the trick is knowing when to click the shutter. Watch the performance for a moment, where is the light on stage? You may have to wait for the performer to move into the light.

My favourite shots are ones that show emotion and energy. Go for a shot when the singer steps away from the mic, you don’t want it obscuring your shot. Try and get one when the singer is "in the moment", reaching for a high note or gesticulating.

The other thing to remember is that if you’re shooting digital you can take lots of photos. Go nuts.

Editing

After you’ve taken hundreds of shots at a show, cull them down to the best 20 or 30. Then cull that down to the best 3. If you’re going to show other people your photos don’t show them everything, just the very best. They’ll assume all your shots are that good.

Photoshop

Sometimes your photos may need a tweak in post-processing. This isn’t unique to digital photography, people have been tinkering in dark rooms forever so it’s certainly not cheating to adjust your images in Photoshop. I usually just adjust the levels. Make the blacks really black, bring up the contrast a little. Don’t change too much though, it’ll just look obvious and cheesy. Take a look at this guide to editing your digital images.

Flash

Generally forbidden and a big no no in concerts but sometimes it’s unavoidable to get a decent shot. I wouldn’t use an on camera flash, an external flash will work much better. If you’re in a small venue try bouncing it off a ceiling or wall. And don’t go crazy with the flash, it’s very distracting to the performer and audience, so if you have to use it keep it to an absolute minimum.

Etiquette

Be nice to those around you. Don’t shove your way to the front, if you want to get closer tap someone on the shoulder, smile and ask if they mind you moving forward to take some photos. If you need to stand right in front of someone ask them if they mind and promise you’ll only be there for a minute. Keep that promise and move on.

Don’t use flash, or if you have to, use it very sparingly. It’s distracting to others and will probably make your photos look crap anyway.

Respect security, if they tell you to stop taking photos it’s not worth the hassle to argue. Just put your camera away and enjoy the show.

Well there’s some of my homespun lessons on live music photography. Hope it helps some other amateur snappers.

If you want to share and discuss your concert photos the Concert Photography and Live Music groups on Flickr might be a good spot. But feel free to leave comments here too.

UPDATE

I’ve just published a revised, expanded and improved version of this article – concert photography masterclass.

Related Posts

• Concert Photography Masterclass : Part 2
• Concert Photography Masterclass
• Interview and portrait tips in Digital Photography magazine
• Interview with Tony Mott
• Temper Trap, Tinie Tempah and getting paid