Music Photography (Techniques:1)

I'm writing this article due to the lack of articles explaining music photography, or in specific, concert photography techniques. I must profess that I myself am an amateur in this realm, being newly introduced into photography myself. Whatever I post on this blog is initially only for my own reference as I progress, but I'll be more than happy to help should anyone wish it.

Low Light Photography

Probably the very basis of music photography lies in low light photography techniques. Many a times we find ourselves in dark pubs, night settings in outdoor stages. The main difference of music photography and other events photography is the lack of ability to engage the use of flash photography.

This basically bars us from a very powerful tool in sculpting our art. No matter! Most of the time even if we are allowed, I would think it only respectful to not stun the performing artist with more sudden onsets of lights.

This leaves us with 3 options. ISO, shutter speed, and aperture size. Allow me to list the advantages and disadvantages of engaging either of the abovementioned.

ISO

This awesome tool allows us to capture more light in the absence of ability to use a larger aperture or slower shutter speed. The reason for ISO as the first mention is because this is the main advantage of digital photography (or so I would like to think). Gone are the days when we're restricted to only 1600 being the maximum ISO on film. With the newest technologies, we're scaling numbers of 102,400! That's almost past our ability of our eyes to witness light!

The relevance of this to music photographers? GET A NIKON D3S! No, I kid. Hahaha... Not all of us can own a Pro level camera such as the above, but let us at least learn what we can do with what we're given with.

On my D90, I've got ISO levels up to 3,200. However, if I want quality pictures (ie. fit to be posters), personally I only accept the noise levels of up to 800. Anything above that is rather noisy. Especially so if you are shooting a lighted subject against a sea of darkness. The black won't be as smooth (albeit you can photoshop it off, I'm more keen on getting it right off the bat).

At this point in time, I would advice for users to check with some test shots at which level ISO can you accept the noise level. The higher ISO noise you can accept, the faster your shutter speed, the greater your f/number (hence more things being sharper).

Shutter Speed

This is another issue that plagues music photographers. There are 2 types of musicians.

1. Those that stay still
2. Those that CAN'T stay still

The former is easy enough, allowing for slower shutter speeds, hence greater f/number, and lower ISO (less noise). But there is also a limit to this. I find that I can safely take a non-moving musicianship at around 1/50 of a second most of the time. If I'm lucky, and they're seated or something, 1/25 to 1/30 of a second. This allows me to lower my ISO to around 400 whilst keeping my aperture at f/4 (somewhat lit situation).

The latter won't be as easy. To freeze action, I find 1/100 as the bare minimum. Optimum for me being 1/125. As a result, it is inevitable that the ISO must rise, either that or setting to a lower f/number to compensate.

Hence, shutter speed is basically very dependent on your target and the rate of movement.

An interesting effect I like to capture is when the rest of the instrument playing members are severely active with a rather passive singer, coupled with a slower shutter speed, does a lovely effect of freezing one yet showing motion and activity within the band.

Aperture

This is the most problematic one. A lot of theory and science revolves around this. In addition, its rather late into the night (ie. I'm sleepy), thus I shall continue another time. In the meantime, here are a few read-up articles for reference before diving deep into the subject.

• Aperture (Wiki)
  
• Depth of Field (Wiki)
  
• Bokeh (Wiki)