Capturing live performances such as music concerts or dance performances can get challenging. How do you capture that fast twirl of the dancer or the exact moment when the singer is in his element? More often than not, performance venues have fast-changing lighting and are unpredictable by their very nature. Here are some tips to make this exciting genre of photography a bit easier.
Get the right access: The most crucial aspect of covering any live performance is your access to the venue. Develop a good rapport with the organisers so that you can gain access to places from where you can shoot. Get to know the restricted areas in advance and know where you have access since you will have to move around the arena to take the best shots; make the best use of the access you have obtained. Shoot not just the on-stage performance but capture the entire venue, be it a stadium, a ground or an auditorium.
Get ready for dark lighting: Most concert venues and auditoriums prefer dark lighting. Modern DSLRs allow you to push the ISO. Sometimes ISO1600 works but most of the time it’s better to go higher if the camera allows you to do so, without getting grains. Lenses with a wider aperture like f2.8 or f4 can do wonders. These will help you set a faster shutter speed.
Prep the gears: Live events can be unpredictable. With excitement in the air, you will end up shooting more than 1,000 frames. So charge the batteries, and keep a couple of spare ones charged too. Carry extra memory cards. Since you will be moving around a lot, keep the bag light. It’s best if you have two camera bodies with one mounted to a wide-angle lens and the other with a telephoto lens.
Stay alert: With big personalities on stage, things can get very interesting. Like the lead singer jumping onto the crowd or a dancer jumping in the air or an excited audience member jumping onto the stage! Capturing these interesting aspects of the show is as important as the show itself. Catch the mood of the artist and the spectators. If a singer or dancer gets into the groove, the crowd can go crazy! Find interesting people from the crowd who are thoroughly enjoying the moment.
Respect the space: Having a camera means you have a responsibility to know the space you are operating in. Respect the artists’ space and the crowd’s too. Don’t be that “annoying” photographer who blocks views! Start off shooting small local artists in limited crowds to get a hang of it before shooting big event concerts.
Editing pictures: Dig into all the photo folders you just shot, and go through each frame. Not only to pick the best one but also to learn and understand where you went wrong. Understand why a picture is not in focus or how the exposure got too low or high — this will help you prepare better for your next shoot. Based on the purpose of the gig (commercial shoot or otherwise), you can choose the best 10-15 images and edit them by fixing the lighting, cropping, sharpness and saturation. Try to keep editing to a minimum. Pro tip: shoot in RAW format.
You may not have had the time to put the camera down and enjoy the concert but enjoy the process. The first gig might not be the best, but with more experience, you will hone your skills.
Lenscraft is a monthly column on all things photography — tips, tricks and everything in between. The writer is a photojournalist who tells stories with his pictures. Find his pictures on
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