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how do you set focus to another button anyways, never did find that option on my xtis menus.
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# ? Apr 16, 2009 18:26 |
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# ? May 16, 2024 18:31 |
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Bottom Liner posted:how do you set focus to another button anyways, never did find that option on my xtis menus. On the 20D and 40D I believe it's a custom function. It might be something similar on the xtis. I can't even deal with the shutter button focus. Every time someone changed one of the cameras at the newspaper I worked for to that setting I wanted to kill them. Having it set to the shutter button makes focusing on anything not in the center of the frame a bitch. It's ridiculously hard to shoot sports on that setting when someone is moving side to side quickly. Seriously once you try it for a while, you will never go back.
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# ? Apr 16, 2009 20:13 |
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Bottom Liner posted:how do you set focus to another button anyways, never did find that option on my xtis menus.
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# ? Apr 16, 2009 23:00 |
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I shot my first live show last night and hated it. Definitely not my thing. I was contacted last minute and asked if I wanted to shoot so I gave it a try. The opening act was "The big take over" Followed by Jefferson Starship. Some backstage hangin' out shots. RAW saved these images. I don't usually shoot RAW but stuff like this it's almost a must.
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# ? Apr 17, 2009 15:21 |
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Zoowick posted:I shot my first live show last night and hated it. Definitely not my thing. I was contacted last minute and asked if I wanted to shoot so I gave it a try. The opening act was "The big take over" So exactly what about it did you not like? I'm just curious as a guy that started in concerts and is expanding into portraits whereas you're the opposite. Was it the lack of control over the environment? Your shots turned out about as good as anyone could ask for. And yeah, now you see why we're all baffled when you say that you shoot JPG all the time.
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# ? Apr 17, 2009 15:31 |
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The show's I shoot are mainly smaller (local) shows. I've done promo shots once and it was sort of a last minute thing. Some examples are below (not recent, I haven't uploaded those ones yet). I might be shooting a show tomorrow in a Newbury Comics
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# ? Apr 17, 2009 15:49 |
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There's a couple great pics there pr0digal. I wish the local venues had lighting decent enough to pull that kind of rear curtain antics.
evil_bunnY fucked around with this message at 15:58 on Apr 17, 2009 |
# ? Apr 17, 2009 15:55 |
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HPL posted:So exactly what about it did you not like? I'm just curious as a guy that started in concerts and is expanding into portraits whereas you're the opposite. Was it the lack of control over the environment? Your shots turned out about as good as anyone could ask for. The lack of control. I feel uncomfortable in that kind of environment as well. I'm not much of a schmoozer so I end up in a lot of awkward conversations. I just felt like I couldn't be my normal artistic self, to much going on.
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# ? Apr 17, 2009 16:16 |
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Zoowick posted:The lack of control. I feel uncomfortable in that kind of environment as well. I'm not much of a schmoozer so I end up in a lot of awkward conversations. I just felt like I couldn't be my normal artistic self, to much going on. I think the thing is that at a concert, you're more capturing and documenting something instead of creating something from the ground up. A lot of the creativity comes from interpretation, like which lens you use, which angle you shoot and which moment you choose to freeze since there's not much else you can control. Sometimes it can be incredibly frustrating if the lights are poor, the band just stands there doing nothing while they're playing, there are tons of microphone stands in the way and it's difficult to move around because there are so many people or there are so many restrictions put on when and where you can shoot. Other times it feels like the shots are just coming to you instead of the other way around. You might want to try shooting at a smaller, more intimate venue. The atmosphere will be much more casual and you'll most likely have more fun. I find I have more fun shooting at small clubs because I don't have to deal with paperwork, media reps, barriers blah blah blah and instead I can just get down to taking photos. Shooting at larger venues just feels like drudge work with all the BS you have to go through. Yeah, I get photos of bigger names and get more press, but it's not as much of a creative outlet as it is a trade. A good thing to do is strike up a conversation with the band. Once they find out how good a photographer you are, you'll find the band starts playing it up for you more on stage and you get those great shots that really show the personality of the band.
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# ? Apr 17, 2009 17:56 |
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HPL posted:I think the thing is that at a concert, you're more capturing and documenting something instead of creating something from the ground up. A lot of the creativity comes from interpretation, like which lens you use, which angle you shoot and which moment you choose to freeze since there's not much else you can control. I agree with this. If you're a person who's used to promo shoots and control, concerts aren't going to be for you typically, especially not doing them regularly where you don't know the band or their music. I like to think of it more as photojournalism. You're there to try to re-create visually that show for people who weren't there, or for people who were to re-live it, so you're looking to capture the moment. It honestly takes a lot of getting used to a crapload of practice before you're really happy with your work. I don't think I was really content with my shots for about a year. It helps when you like the band you're shooting too. If you know the music you tend to get in a groove and can predict where you need to be during a certain song to get the best photos. It also helps when the band likes to ham it up for the photographers. I love this. It's great to get those solid action shots and sweet poses and moments, but some of my favorite photos come from guys I know doing particular things around me when I'm shooting. My friend Sonny used to do this all the time. It's even cooler if they're not looking right at you. Because then they do goofy poo poo like this.
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# ? Apr 17, 2009 18:41 |
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Alkali Flats: I had a great time shooting those fools. Death Letters: Those guys were pretty fun. Full of teenage energy. evil_bunnY fucked around with this message at 20:45 on Apr 19, 2009 |
# ? Apr 19, 2009 20:41 |
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pr0digal posted:The show's I shoot are mainly smaller (local) shows. I've done promo shots once and it was sort of a last minute thing. Some examples are below (not recent, I haven't uploaded those ones yet). I might be shooting a show tomorrow in a Newbury Comics What method are you using to get 2nd curtain on your Xti? It's something I'd like to do too but I'm screwed until I get a TTL flash or some special pocketwizard.
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# ? Apr 23, 2009 22:54 |
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I took some pics of a Flaming Lips show on New Years Eve this year. Here are some of my faves. The rest are here. It would be cool to get some feedback on some of em.
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# ? Apr 24, 2009 03:55 |
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Haggins posted:What method are you using to get 2nd curtain on your Xti? It's something I'd like to do too but I'm screwed until I get a TTL flash or some special pocketwizard. You should be able to do it with the onboard flash, its under one of the custom function menus...I forget the exact one. Also, I am not using second curtain. Second curtain causes the flash to fire twice, I use first curtain sync
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# ? Apr 26, 2009 00:19 |
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pr0digal posted:You should be able to do it with the onboard flash, its under one of the custom function menus...I forget the exact one. Cool, I'll have to try it next show. I think what I'm doing now is getting stale and I need to try new things.
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# ? Apr 28, 2009 23:55 |
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Some misc photos I'm just now going through. Haha. Most of them are Chiodos Anberlin
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# ? Apr 29, 2009 20:25 |
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Had another promo session today. I wish I could do these full time.
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# ? May 1, 2009 04:14 |
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If the post processing weren't so intense, I'd really like the third one. Nice contrast between the sky, band, and trees.
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# ? May 1, 2009 13:55 |
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I think I'm doing this right The venue wasn't particularly great, most of the audience concerned themselves with packed lunches and bingo. Social clubs aren't exactly dance halls. However, the performance was pretty good all things considered. Poor lighting made auto focus a nightmare and, as someone earlier in the thread noted, picking AF-points gives you more chance of taking a successful photograph.
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# ? May 3, 2009 12:31 |
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Couple. Still have more coming. This was more a photographic documentary if anything. We've been meaning to meet up and do a couple promos but our schedules conflicted. Then by some random miracle our schedules collided. Bad side is that I didn't have all my equipment and they wanted to jam. Only light was from a single light bulb dangling from a cord in the middle of them. I had my 40D with my 17-85 4.0/5.6 so my lighting was limited. Bumped it up to 3200 and shot at like 1/40th to 1/80th with IS on. I think I might have pushed these a bit far.
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# ? May 4, 2009 06:31 |
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shudder posted:Couple. Still have more coming. This was more a photographic documentary if anything. We've been meaning to meet up and do a couple promos but our schedules conflicted. Then by some random miracle our schedules collided. Bad side is that I didn't have all my equipment and they wanted to jam. Only light was from a single light bulb dangling from a cord in the middle of them. I had my 40D with my 17-85 4.0/5.6 so my lighting was limited. Bumped it up to 3200 and shot at like 1/40th to 1/80th with IS on. I think I might have pushed these a bit far. You underestimate the appeal of grainy band shots. They're not perfect, but given the conditions, they're pretty good.
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# ? May 4, 2009 13:20 |
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Nihiliste posted:You underestimate the appeal of grainy band shots. They're not perfect, but given the conditions, they're pretty good. Well I look at them and I think that they are decent and I'm pretty happy with them. I know grainy band shots work well, and I know that the band likes them and they want me to do more for them because this impressed them, it was more so from a photographers standpoint my question is - are these good photos? can the viewer look at these and see and feel at least a little bit of what I did when I was shooting them. I've been doing band photography on the side now for awhile and I haven't quite figured out my "technique" for them, though I really like this way, so I'm hoping these are considered at least decent.
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# ? May 4, 2009 16:05 |
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Zoowick posted:Had another promo session today. I wish I could do these full time. First two are good, not digging the rest mostly due to the post processing.
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# ? May 7, 2009 18:00 |
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Still processing, but wanted to get it off my chest: gently caress ELETRONICA BANDS. I actually enjoy most bands I go to, but there will always, ALWAYS be some loving gear in the way. It get a little better if they're at/below your level because then you can get keyboards etc not to look awful, but drat.
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# ? May 7, 2009 19:00 |
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Tincans posted:I think I'm doing this right I like the first one the best. The smug smile just screams: "drat right I'm the loving King!" evil_bunnY posted:Still processing, but wanted to get it off my chest: gently caress ELETRONICA BANDS. Yeah, whole group shots are almost impossible. It helps big time if you can get around to the side of the stage though:
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# ? May 7, 2009 20:53 |
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wow, awesome thread. dont know how ive missed reading this for so long. Ive been thinking about putting my contacts to good use. Im a stagehand in Central NJ, so I know most security guards at venues in the area. I lost my steady job a few months back and have been looking at extra forms of income and this keeps popping in my head. I finally bit the bullet and ordered a few used lenses for my sony a100 (a 50mm f1.7 and a 100-200mm f4.5... the 100-200 was $70) and am hoping to make some headway with selling myself... and if not, at the very least learn a thing or two. Keep the good advice coming! thank you everyone!
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# ? May 8, 2009 20:00 |
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This looks fun, but I don't own a flash (I don't use it enough to justify an external and the XTI onboard sucks) but my Sigma 30mm 1.4 should be pretty good right? Anyone used it in this kind of setting? My other 2 lenses are Canon 100mm and 50mm 1.8 which people in this thread have been using so at least I can fall back on those. I just wish I had an XSI, its a lot better on higher ISO's than the XTI (which gets grainy as all gently caress) Thanks for the guide
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# ? May 9, 2009 01:09 |
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Alctel posted:This looks fun, but I don't own a flash (I don't use it enough to justify an external and the XTI onboard sucks) but my Sigma 30mm 1.4 should be pretty good right? Anyone used it in this kind of setting? My other 2 lenses are Canon 100mm and 50mm 1.8 which people in this thread have been using so at least I can fall back on those. No post outside of some minor brightness tweaking with the stock Canon software (and the b/w filter on the first, he was solely under a red stagelight)
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# ? May 9, 2009 01:54 |
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Alctel posted:This looks fun, but I don't own a flash (I don't use it enough to justify an external and the XTI onboard sucks) but my Sigma 30mm 1.4 should be pretty good right? Anyone used it in this kind of setting? My other 2 lenses are Canon 100mm and 50mm 1.8 which people in this thread have been using so at least I can fall back on those. The 30 and 50 are about the best two lenses for a inside show you can get.
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# ? May 9, 2009 15:18 |
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Alctel posted:This looks fun, but I don't own a flash Alctel posted:I just wish I had an XSI, its a lot better on higher ISO's than the XTI (which gets grainy as all gently caress)
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# ? May 9, 2009 18:12 |
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Zoowick posted:Would you clone out the light stands in the back in the final one, or leave them in? I don't think I would have noticed them at all if I wasn't trying to dissect your lighting setup ("hey they're sidelit but casting shadows forward!") The post-processing on most of them isn't really to my taste but I can see how bands/other people would like it.
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# ? May 10, 2009 00:32 |
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Life Is War posted:I just started trying my camera out at concerts and I have a similar setup, I'm using a Sigma 50mm 1.4 with my XSI and no flash. These are a couple of my faves from my 2 whole attempts so far. Protest the Hero are the poo poo. I'm sad I missed their show this week. drat YOU COMPANY BEING IN TOWN!
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# ? May 10, 2009 03:56 |
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I drove 3 hours for them and they didn't show up
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# ? May 10, 2009 05:17 |
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As usual the light was a complete pile of doodoo.
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# ? May 10, 2009 12:59 |
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some messing around from last night at a venue with dismal lighting. the band's not exactly dynamic, so i tried to make them come off that way. to be more precise, i was trying to go for something like my bloody's valentine's cover art. i'm pleased with the first (even though the composition could be better), the others, well, not as much. i have more normal shots i have to get around to processing. i'll probably post those later. Bottom Liner posted:I drove 3 hours for them and they didn't show up that blows. sorry man. guidoanselmi fucked around with this message at 00:18 on May 11, 2009 |
# ? May 11, 2009 00:15 |
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Love this one. That cord in the air is so perfect, you couldn't have Photoshopped it any better. =========== Here are some pictures I took last week of Flight of the Conchords. I was stuck in row G, so there are no close ups to speak of, but my 100mm/2.8 wasn't the worst lens I could have been stuck with. Less noise than I would expect there to be at 1600. And here are some from an Old 97s show a while back. Better position in the crowd, but less knowledge of my camera by far. (No exif on these, sorry.) Looking back, I don't know why I was so crop-happy that day. Eh: Critiques welcome, I'm really trying to study up and get better.
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# ? May 12, 2009 19:05 |
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I've never really taken pics at concerts, but once saw this local fellow and couldn't help myself.
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# ? May 14, 2009 06:16 |
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So these are some ones for my friends Winner Takes All at McDunnas in Chicago. In all brutal honesty... I've stared at these way too long. Are these even good? The band likes them, but the more I look at them I hate them.
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# ? May 14, 2009 07:14 |
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I personally like to capture stage lighting and i think the flash over powered it, otherwise they're ok (some are a bit better than others). why are you shooting with a f/4-5.6 zoom lens? was the lighting especially good?
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# ? May 14, 2009 15:51 |
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# ? May 16, 2024 18:31 |
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guidoanselmi posted:I personally like to capture stage lighting and i think the flash over powered it, otherwise they're ok (some are a bit better than others). There weren't really any stage lights and I brought my 50 1.8 and used it though I had to stop down to 1/30 to get anything. So I decided to stick with using my flash and my 17-85 4.0/5.6 because of how wide it gets, plus I had a polarizer on that lens. My 24-70 is great but I felt it was too documentary like rather than energetic and fun/cool looking.
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# ? May 14, 2009 16:07 |