Taking Concert Photography

Part of enjoying music is watching music. So for us, going to shows is a regular thing. We've written articles on the shows we've been to, all indie bands that have played locally at some club or bar. Over the course of these shows, we've been taking pictures of the bands, slowly learning how to take great pictures at these types of venues.

First off, you don't need a sick nasty SLR. I had been using a Canon Powershot SD1100, a point and click for most people. If you understand the connection between aperture, ISO, and shutter speed, you'll take awesome pictures. I'll talk more about these cameras in a minute though.

Don't be shy. Step up to the stage, make your way up there through the crowd. If you can get right next to the talent, you will have great angles and you'll be able to play with light a little more. Take a few pictures with flash on, you'll be able to capture a lot of expression and movement. Just keep in mind, if you want to capture more atmosphere in your photos, flash will kill all the lights in the room.

So take pictures with your flash off. If you are using a SLR with an extended flash on it, turn it away from the stage. This is where your ISOs and aperture matter the most. If you can capture pictures when the light is right, you can keep things pretty normal, ISO 400-800, with only a little extra exposure.

You will need to play with it. Practice at home in low lit areas and just take pictures on different settings. Just remember the exposure triangle.

If you don't have any equipment and you are interested in shopping around, I suggest these four cameras to start with looking. They are all under $600, just take a look at the used prices. These are all excellent cameras.