I need to speed up my act!

Well, I have been doing some research and my conclusion? I need to get a bit quicker!  ‘What the hell are you talking about now Iain?’ I hear you saying assuming I have kept your interest long enough to get this far into the column.  Well as some of you will know I am getting quite keen on the live band photography malarkey.  I have just received my first edition copy of Band Portfolio, a collection of prints from three bands at two different venues and I am reasonably chuffed with it.  It’s not perfect, some of the pictures I would probably change but on the whole presentable for its purpose – to show bands to get some more signed up.  You can preview the whole book on my Blurb bookstore.  OK, sales talk completed, to my point. 

A number of my friends have suggested using the flash to get shots but I have vehemently opposed this since starting this type of photography.  I have been to see bands were their friend or possibly even pro-photographer has snapped the night away with the flash acting more like a strobe effect than some of the on-stage lighting effects.  It is very annoying.  For me, getting in front of the crowd, getting down low to avoid spoiling peoples view while simultaneously trying to avoid a builder’s bum makes you self-conscious enough let alone having people suggest you are of low moral character because you have been blinding them all night. No, no flash. 

There is a technical reason for not using the flash as well.  It kills the ambiance on the stage by muting the stage lights. I have now pushed myself to having one of the best semi-pro cameras on the market to explore this photography more.  The old camera had a very low noise output allowing me to confidently run at high ISO settings, normally up to 1600, my new camera has demonstrated an ability to run 2 stops higher at 6400, taking a 1/30second exposure up to 1/125second and, as the advert says, every little helps.  I am also lucky enough to be using two fast f2.8 lens which combined give me a focal length anywhere between 24mm and 200mm.  Again, these fast lenses allow me to get some shutter speed range. The slower speeds often work best to get the blur of hand over the guitar strings or edges of the drumsticks.

I spot meter the subjects to get a more accurate exposure but you need to be careful, when the exposure is locked by half pressing the shutter the stage lights can vary quickly resulting in completely the wrong exposure, and if you are using autofocus repeatedly taking your finger of the shutter and back on again to correct the exposure can leave the lens hunting for focus like a lion that hasn’t eaten in a month.  Manual focus is best but the low light makes it very difficult to see the shot is sharp and the thing about musicians – the big thing about musicians is they dance around a lot!

But why do I need to be quicker? Oh good you are still with me.  I have found during the course of my research that event photography has a fairly strict and well adopted rule.  It is ‘3 songs, no flash’.  Apparently most venues will only allow you to photograph for the first 3 songs and you are not allowed to use flash photography.  It is a sure fire way to get yourself kicked out of the photo pit.  My avoidance of flash has put me in good stead for that local paper freelance job when I get it but 15 minutes to get the pictures?  2 hours in a pub is not usually enough!!!