{"id":361453,"date":"2021-06-23T12:38:43","date_gmt":"2021-06-23T11:38:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/?post_type=learning-centre&p=361453"},"modified":"2021-07-05T09:58:28","modified_gmt":"2021-07-05T08:58:28","slug":"how-to-photograph-live-music","status":"publish","type":"learning-centre","link":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-gb\/learning-centre\/how-to-photograph-live-music\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Photograph Live Music"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Whether you\u2019re working in dark, grungy basement bars or massive sports stadiums, music photography is wild, unpredictable, and a whole lot of fun. And despite the massive variation between venues, performers, and types of music, there are a lot of hints and tips that are useful wherever you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the first things that music photographers think about is access at the venue. Without it, you are stuck photographing from the same position as any other audience member \u2013\u00a0which isn\u2019t the end of the world, but it does restrict your options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At small venues, some extra access isn\u2019t difficult to negotiate. The best thing to do is ask the band if they mind you getting up close by the stage \u2013 or even on stage, out of view of the audience \u2013 for a great angle. Most small bands won\u2019t mind at all, especially if you offer some pictures in return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At larger venues, it can be more difficult to get next-to-stage access, especially if you don\u2019t contact the organisers or band beforehand. If you are lucky enough to get an official photographer\u2019s pass, it will usually give you what\u2019s known as \u2018three songs, no flash\u2019 access in the press pit in front of the stage. Awesome views are guaranteed, but only for the first three songs \u2013 then you have to leave. You can\u2019t use flash either but, as we\u2019ll find out, you probably don\u2019t want to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do Your Research<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some singers close their eyes and sing with raw emotion, while others dance and thrash about with seemingly uncontrolled energy. If you want to know what to expect when you turn up at a gig, it\u2019s best to do some research on the band you\u2019re going to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Young\n
\u00a9 Nick Coury<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Watch some YouTube clips of previous gigs and look for the little details. Who are the most charismatic members of the band? Do they exchange smiles and glances at the end of every song? What is the best position to get an image of the whole band? It\u2019s best to be prepared so these things don\u2019t take you by surprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Right Settings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to camera settings, it\u2019s easier to photograph gigs using the manual exposure mode, since this stops the camera reacting to every little change in lighting. Set a high ISO and a wide aperture to enable you to use a shutter speed that\u2019s fast enough to freeze most on-stage movement, such as 1\/250 sec.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to white balance and Film Simulation modes, experimentation is the key. Try to pick a combination that matches the venue\u2019s lighting, but don\u2019t spend ages obsessing about this or you\u2019ll miss photo opportunities. Instead, record RAW files so you can adjust colour afterwards in post-processing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travel Light and Choose Fast Lenses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Be careful not to take too much gear to a gig with you. Don\u2019t be that person with a massive camera backpack that annoys everyone in the crowd. Wide aperture lenses are a really good choice, as they will let you work with fast shutter speeds without raising ISO too far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Set<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Check out the FUJINON XF23mmF2 R WR and XF50mmF2 R WR, which are a great pair of gig lenses. Keep one in your pocket and the other on your camera and you\u2019ll have most of your options covered, certainly in small venues. Replace the XF50mmF2 R WR with a telephoto zoom like the XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR if you\u2019re some way back from the stage or want to get good close-up portraits of the performers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A\n
\u00a9 Braden Gunem<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Use the Crowd<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s tempting to focus all of your attention on the stage, but take the odd moment to look over your shoulder at the people behind you, too. Try to frame the energy of the crowd and expressions on their faces, illuminated by the light reflected from the stage. It\u2019s all part of the live music experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way to involve the crowd is to take some steps back from the stage and photograph the band with a few layers of people between you and the action. Wait for cool-looking silhouettes of people enjoying the show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch the Light and Don\u2019t Use Flash<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In some respects, lighting is taken care of by the engineers at the venue, who have lit up where the band is standing and included effects to add some drama. But it\u2019s not quite as simple as photographing away with your camera without thinking about the light at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use spot metering to take a reading from a band member\u2019s face \u2013 that will give you a good starting point for your manual exposure. But you can also rely on what you\u2019re seeing in the camera\u2019s EVF as you\u2019ll have a constant live exposure preview and can make alterations accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Just don\u2019t use flash. You\u2019ll not only kill the mood the lighting engineers have painstakingly created, but you\u2019ll also get on the performer\u2019s nerves and, likely, be asked to stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Black & White Might Save the Day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gig photography looks great in black & white! Though it\u2019s best to create in colour and monochrome at the same time so you have the option of both. The best way to do this is to photograph RAW files so you can process black & white and colour JPEGs from the same master RAF file. Or you can use Film Simulation mode bracketing to create multiple JPEGs with different looks from every shot you take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Focusing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

X Series cameras are good at focusing in tough conditions, but the high-contrast, low-light environments of gig venues can present some problems, so it\u2019s worth practicing a few techniques. Face\/Eye Detection doesn\u2019t work well if the band member you\u2019re photographing keeps turning away from you, but regular subject tracking in continuous AF mode can give good results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n