Concert Features: Suggestions?

As I expand ishootshows.com’s content and think about improvements, I’d like to ask you, the readers, if there are any aspects of concert photography you’d like covered in show write-ups and other how-to/tips features.

For the show write-ups, the content breaks down into three primary categories:

1. The concert experience/narrative
2. The images
3. The shooting notes (lighting, lenses, positioning, misc. technique)

Some of the write-ups have a more organic format that mixes the three (like the recent Avenged Sevenfold post), while others are more distinctly separate (like the post for HIM).

Do you have a preference between the two? Also, is there anything else you’d like covered that I’m not already hitting?

And beyond concert-specific coverage, do you have any suggestions for articles you’d like to see on how-to or concert photography in general?

Thanks, I look forward to any suggestions you might have.

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About the author: Todd Owyoung is an internationally published music photographer specializing in concert photography and band portraits. He also grills a mean steak.

Contact Todd for image licensing and assignments wherever the rock show lives. You can also get in touch with Todd via Twitter.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 8th, 2007 at 10:20 pm and is filed under Music Photography and tagged with advice, concert photographer, concert photography, Music Photography, notes, photography, Photography Tutorials, tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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6 Responses to “Concert Features: Suggestions?”

1. Tor Arne says:

   November 9, 2007 at 6:51 pm

   You know I appreciate your write-ups, and I do read all of the sections :) Makes it more interesting if you can get to know a little about the band and the show too.

   As for special features, let me sleep on it… :)

   Reply
2. Todd says:

   November 10, 2007 at 10:17 am

   Hey Tor, thanks, I appreciate hearing from you. I don’t always know the music of the artists I photograph, but I try to do my homework to get a little idea of what I’m going to be up against in the pit. The element of surprise is OK, but if I can get an advantage over the other photographers who have seen shot these bands, I’ll take it.

   Let me know if you have any thoughts on anything that would make these write-ups better. Also, if there any special features that you think would be useful, let me know!

   Reply
3. Tor Arne says:

   November 11, 2007 at 2:33 pm

   An article about framing/composition would be cool. I know the old “no rules, go crazy” mantra, but I’m sure there are some do-s and don’ts when it comes to concert composition. Potrait vs. landscape, getting clean shots, how to deal with those pesky mike stands and monitors, getting shots of the drummer, +++

   Another thing, if one of the band members are in very tricky/low lighting and does not do anything active or interesting, just stands there, do you just ignore that guy? Or do you feel you have a responsibility to get a few shots of him too?

   Reply
4. Todd says:

   November 11, 2007 at 4:34 pm

   Hey Tor, thanks for getting back to me with suggestions, I appreciate it.

   I think that instead of a concert composition tutorial, what might be more interesting for readers may be to write a post about things I notice and how I respond to them.

   I could distill my preferences down to some simple guidelines, but I don’t think that would be quite so interesting. And, of course, I probably shouldn’t give away all my tricks. ;)

   So, I might pick a dozen images and pick apart what I like and don’t like about them. Or perhaps I can take submissions for this — care to help out?

   As for your question about uninteresting or unlit performers, that’s a good one. I just typed out an answer, but I suppose perhaps I should save it for the post!

   Thanks again, let me know if there are any other suggestions.

   Reply
5. Natalie says:

   November 11, 2007 at 8:22 pm

   Hey, Todd.

   I think we all know what is like to work in a regular venue: we have a pit, first 3 songs, no flash, a stage, jumping rockers, a variaty os lights.

   I’d like to know your experience form different and dificult venues and gigs. Like Girl Talk’s gig.

   Almost no lights on stage or no pit or no photo pass or the stage is too high. What do you do to get the job done? What was your creative solution to the problem?

   I think it would be fun and very interesting and I bet you have tons of history to tell us!

   Reply
6. Todd says:

   November 12, 2007 at 1:28 pm

   Hey Natalie, thanks very much for the input. I like your summary of the bigger/regular venues. You’re definitely right.

   I will try and put a bit more info on the unusual shoots like the recent Girl Talk show. One thing I’ve been trying to write about is any peculiarities a performer might have, as sometimes these nuances of mic-holding technique or preferences to play to one side or the other an be important.

   These subtle aspects of the show are probably where the intersection between writing for the fans and writing for other photographers occurs. Any photographer should notice these things and will probably deal with them, and I suppose fans might like to know how a musician carries himself/herself on stage.

   Thanks again for the suggestion.

   Reply