Mastering Live Music Photography \u2013 Insights From A Concert Photographer\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n
By Scott Diussa<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n
Live music photography is a medium that combines artistry, technical skill, and passion. With over 30 years of experience capturing live music, I\u2019d like to distill some of the best lessons I\u2019ve learned in this discipline. After all, photographers only have a certain amount of time to get their shots, whether based on the length of a set or the time frame a venue allows. So, let\u2019s talk about live music photography and the things you need to consider when shooting that will translate to great images when it\u2019s all said and done. In this article, we\u2019ll discuss the importance of your gear, the camera settings that help make your shots, and how to best prepare for the shoot.<\/span><\/p>\n
The Importance of Knowing Your Gear<\/h3>\n
When it comes to gear, I emphasize the importance of knowing your equipment’s limitations and capabilities. This rule applies to all experience levels, even beginners starting out in small venues like local bars. Top-of-the-line equipment isn\u2019t always an option for those with starter budgets, but making the most of your equipment is understanding its strengths and weaknesses to capture optimal performance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
While smaller venues may require practical gear, such as compact camera bodies and lenses, larger concerts may warrant higher-end equipment to capture the energy and atmosphere of the performance. Lenses play a more significant role than camera bodies in live music photography. With advancements in camera technology, many modern camera bodies offer excellent high ISO capabilities with minimal noise. This means photographers can achieve impressive results without necessarily investing in top-of-the-line camera bodies. Instead, I recommend acquiring high-quality lenses that allow versatility and flexibility in various shooting conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n
Cameras these days have such good high ISO capabilities with very low noise that you don’t have to buy the really expensive 2.8 fast lenses. But there’s one lens that I’ve been shooting with recently, the Canon 24 to 240 RF lens, that makes going to a show with one camera very realistic.<\/span><\/p>\n
Other lenses on my favorites list are Canon’s F4 series lenses:<\/span><\/p>\n