A guitar solo at the edge of the stage is just the sort of act that encourages fans to put down their beers and raise up their cameras. No frontlighting? No problem.
You’ve probably seen the effect – a serendipitous contribution of flash in one of your photos from some kind stranger who happened to snap a photo at the same time as you. This is catchflash. Here’s a look at this effect and how you can use it for live music photography and other events when flashes are a-poppin’.
Catchflash – n. The phenomenon of catching the flash from an external source in a photographic exposure. In live music photography, catchflash occurs most readily thanks to the flash from point and shoot cameras in the crowd.
The best part about catchflash is that it can create compelling, off-camera lighting and one of a kind images – basically lightweight, strobist-style goodness. The downside is that it it’s unreliable and can take a little planning to capture; it always takes a lot of luck. First, let’s take a look at how and why catchflash happens.
The Mechanics of Catchflash
So, how does catchflash work? Here’s the chapbook version:
The result is catchflash.
Catchflash and Your Camera’s Sync Speed
Shooting at or below the sync speed of your camera will deliver the best results and allow the caught flash to produce an even exposure. With most DSLRs, this is going to be 1/250 or slower.
If you’re shooting above your camera’s sync speed when catchflash occurs, you’re likely to get only a partial exposure from the flash – just like shooting above the sync speed with remote flashes or studio strobes.
Encouraging Catchflash
The best way to encourage catching someone else’s flash is simply to shoot when other people are popping their flashes. Beyond that, here are some suggestions for planning for catchflash.
Timing – Naturally, someone else’s flash is required for the effect to occur. Instances at concerts or other events where there are a lot of P&S flashes going off will dramatically increase the chances of catching flash.
Shutter Speed – If you think of crowd flash as drops of rain, using a high shutter speed is like trying to catch one of those drops in a thimble. Stretch out your shutter speed and you’re using a bucket.
Frequency – Sometimes, less is more. But at other times – and catchflash is one of those times – more is more. By increasing the number of images you shoot while flashes are going off, you’re also increasing the chances of bringing home the catchflash.
Examples of Catchflash in Live Music Photography
Here’s a selection of catchflash hard at work with shooting notes below each image.
This image was made at the end of the last song of the night, and Zach here was going big. Unfortunately, the light on him wasn’t, but catchflash saved the day.
This shot of Thom Yorke occurred just after Radiohead took the stage. With fans in the first few rows and beyond firing up their cameras – and their flashes – this greeting was the perfect moment for catchflash.
For shows with heavy backlighting and very little (if any) frontlighting, as with metalcore band Every Time I Die here, catchflash can produce just the light to help shed light on what would otherwise be dark faces.
With a legion of dedicated fans armed with P&S cameras, pop punk shows (Ryland of Cobra Starship pictured here) are a good bet for scooping some crowd flash.
This photo shows the light from two cameras, though only one real instance of catchflash (seen in the white light from camera right). The other light is the orange light of an autofocus assist light.
When Brandon Boyd of Incubus came to sit at the edge of the stage, there was no front lighting, but fans were eagerly snapping away.
Catchflash can be especially nice in treatment when it helps cut through mono-color washes, as seen in this shot of Bullet For My Valentine’s Michael Paget.
Catchflash on Jack Mannequin’s Andrew McMahon provides a little side lighting here, as well as bringing out details in his Baldwin piano.
Catchflash, due to the inverse square law, is an effect that is most readily seen at the front of the stage of concerts. However, through a combination of exposure and luck it’s possible to see it further back on the stage, as with this photo of drummer Scott Ellis of She Wants Revenge.
End Notes:
Questions, comments? Let ‘em rip. If you have examples of catchflash that you have, I’d love to see them, too.
This entry was posted on Monday, January 11th, 2010 at 6:34 pm and is filed under Photography Tutorials and tagged with advice, catchflash, concert photography, flash, music photography, strobist, tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Welcome to ishootshows.com, your source for music photography featuring daily concert coverage, portrait features, and photo advice from professional music photographer Todd Owyoung.
Support this site by purchasing your photo equipment through my affiliate links to B&H Photo Video or Amazon.com
Learn more about how you can support the features of ishootshows.com.
Photographing single concerts on a tour are hard enough. Add in to the mix unpredictable weather, mu…
I have some exciting news. I’m very pleased to announce that the band Slayer are licensing an …
This weekend, my brother Chris Owyoung and I will be shooting something a little exciting: a concert…
Photographing single concerts on a tour are hard enough. Add in to the mix unpredictable weather, mu…
I have some exciting news. I’m very pleased to announce that the band Slayer are licensing an …
Interesting subject and lot of examples, thanks! Will look out for those next time!
Hey Seb,
Thanks for the comment. Now, I’m always on the loop out for flash and timing those moments when it’s popping off in the audience.
WOW that was interesting. Will keep Catchflash in mind when I go to a concert.
Hi Haley & Megan,
Thanks for the comment – try it out next time you’re at a show!
Thanks for the pointers in regards to catchflash. I will be sure to keep them in mind the next time I’m shooting a show.
Hey Scott,
You’re welcome, I hope this article helps next time the opportunity for catchflash presents itself.
Hey Todd, from an earlier post of yours I tried this last Friday night (01/08/10). Although I had my shutter speed higher then my sync speed (getting a little wash so I convert to black and white) in all of them but the one linked below, they seemed to come out OK. It seems to give the photos an older feel.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/areacodegreetings/4261225026/in/set-72157623052327063/
Peace
Chandler
Hi Chandler,
Thanks for linking your sample of catchflash. The EXIF on Flickr says that it was shot at 1/160, which would be below the sync speed of 1/250 on the 50D, right?
Brilliant technique. When I am in the photo pit people in the front row are always snapping photos with the flash. The next show I shoot I will try to identify someone in the front and put their flash to work for me.
Great post – and this is why I look to your blog as a great reference (and linked it to mine.)
Thanks Todd.
Hey Greg,
Definitely try this out and let me know how it works for you, and thanks for the kind words. This “technique” is just something that I think happens to most live music photographers at some point, and I’ve made it a habit of trying to encourage the coincidence whenever possible.
I’ve gotten some catchflash, it’s funny how it instantly improves a photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelklayman/4173643162/in/set-72157622846643817/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelklayman/3504617946/in/set-72157617640408329/
Michael,
Yes, as long as the flash doesn’t blow out the subject, catchflash seems to help more than it hurts.
RT @toddowyoung No stage lighting? No problem. How-to & tips on the effect of "catchflash" for live music photography: http://is.gd/660wj
RT @toddowyoung: No stage lighting? No problem. How-to and tips on the effect of "catchflash" for live music photography: http://is.gd/660wj
RT @toddowyoung How-to and tips on the effect of "catchflash" for live music photography: http://is.gd/660wj
RT @toddowyoung: No stage lighting? No problem. How-to and tips on the effect of "catchflash" for live music photography: http://is.gd/660wj
Great tip and stunning photos have a read at this RT @toddowyoung: No stage lighting? How-to "catchflash" for live music http://is.gd/660wj
Hi Todd, Is the auto-focus turned on for catchflash?
Ritchie,
I’m pretty sure I used AF for all of these photos. There are rare instances when it’s super dark and nearly impossible to use AF, at which point manual override helps, but I generally use AF for all my live music photography.
guter artikel zum #catchflash – bei 3 songs klappts aber nur selten innerhalb der ersten drei songs in schön: http://f0t.de/22 #photography
Hi Todd,
Here’s a perfect example of catchflash from my photo of Gwar at Irving in NYC. Completely serendipitous but totally made this image. Shot at 1/125 f/2.8 ISO 800
Always love reading your how-to and tips, excellent article on backlighting too.
Been keeping in touch with your bro by the way…hope to assist him at a shoot one of these days!
Hi Matt,
The photo link didn’t come through, will you post again? Thanks for the support, glad you’re enjoying the articles!
Hey Todd,
You’re right. I captured four or five that night but the only one linked is the only one where I set it that low. Its a lot of fun trying to figure out when the folks are going to flash and getting a burst of three or four off to capture them.
Thanks for all the info you share with us, appreciate your efforts in sharing.
Peace
Chandler
Hi Chandler,
I’m happy to share the info. One thing that’s easy to look out for is a either the pre-flash (red eye reduction) or orange/red AF-assist light that will fire before the main bust of flash.
Btw, great site..Thanks
Thanks for the tips.. just need to look into my sync speed!
heres the pic I mentioned on Twitter earlier
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamchalmers/3906463535/
Hey Adam,
Your camera’s sync speed is probably around 1/250 or so. Generally they’re between 1/160 and 1/250, though the Nikon D70 and other cameras with a hybrid shutter can sync at 1/500 without any special mode/flash setting.
Thanks for linking your example of catchflash.
"Catch Flash" Using off camera flash http://bit.ly/7w3aOy #togs #photography
Sorry don’t know why it didn’t go through before, link directly to the Gwar photo by clicking on my name.
Here’s the address anyways: http://takktakk.carbonmade.com/projects/2514190
Best, Matt
Thanks for the link, Matt.
heres my examples of catchflash:
BMTH:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/justingeorgephotos/3939410691/in/set-72157622297370435/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/justingeorgephotos/3939413495/in/set-72157622297370435/
Note: the second one was a kind photog who was useing a diffuser dome hence the quality of the light!
and Every Time I die:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/justingeorgephotos/3940217658/in/set-72157622297418363/
note:also from another photogs flash
I love getting catchflash, i rely on it sometimes! at that particular show every teen girl in there was firing off her P&S camera!
also! perfect catchflash opp…look at all the P&Ss in the crowd!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/justingeorgephotos/3943185661/sizes/l/in/set-72157622297370435/
Thanks for this interesting howto (I’ve RT) !
We were talking about this tech with photographer friends last night at a concert…
Hi Clovis,
Thanks for the retweet, I appreciate it. In talking to other music photographers, it seems like catchflash is one of those effects that almost everyone has seen or has an example of.
Catchflash: Capturing off-camera flash http://bit.ly/8OTu7j via @toddowyoung
RT @toddowyoung Catchflash http://is.gd/660wj
Catchflash: Capturing off-camera flash | ishootshows.com http://ow.ly/WAik
Yep, whe they say, no flash, just look at the audience and try to calculate how much flash you see and shoot.
2 years ago http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2244/2658426216_10ddd51f9c_o.jpg
Hey Todd,
What aperture are you usually at for catch flash? I would imagine it would be tough to judge because of the uncertainty of the amount of light.
Thanks,
Ryan
OK, I practiced some Saturday night, and had no luck with the ones that I was trying to capture. But, like I often say I just close my eyes, point, cross my toes, and push the button, and with that I caught this one. ISO 3200 (Blues City Cafe is normally very red and dark) shutter 1/125 (which is below my sync speed).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/areacodegreetings/4282370535/
Peace
Chandler
[...] a crowd full of dedicated and enthusiastic fans, this show was ripe for catchflash in many respects. Here’s one example of Lips getting the benefit of flash from a P&S in [...]
[...] a blast photographing this concert. Any gig that involves Radiohead and catchflash is OK by [...]
Hey Todd,
I’m reading your blog from time to time. You always write smart tips for concertphotography, but this entry… I don’t know how to think about. From my point of view, catchflash is really a waste of time.
As concertphotographers we mostly have the time of three songs (sometimes less) and during this time of 10 to 15 minutes (depending on the bands song-lenght) I have better things to do instead of searching for fans with digital cameras (well, nowadays no prob…) and waiting for the musician to come over for a nice pose. Catchflash is more a thing of luck.
It is cool, to catch a flash, I agree. Last saturday I luckily caught a flash: http://www.flickr.com/photos/unki/4357081236/
Greetings from Germany,
Jens
Hey Jens,
Catchflash is a waste of time, but not when you have time to waste. I’m not advocating spending energy shooting for this effect when there’s a path of less resistance for powerful imagery. What this post is about is opening people up to the possibility of making images outside the conventions and giving them the tools to make it happen.
wow this is great.
i have a photo gig this weekend and have been told that using flash is not recommended.
but this article gave me great ideas as i have a wireless flash trigger setup and could throw in a little fill here and there because i don’t think the clubs lights will be to good. do you have any suggestions or info on using off camera flash for live shows.
thanks you are awesome
You will invent “guerilla-flashing” :D
But you have to make sure that no one of the securities catches your flash.
I love catchflash http://ishootshows.com/2010/01/11/catchflash/
Todd, Was not aware of the title for this phenomenon. Thanks to digital technology, we can shoot many frames and just delete the unwanted ones. Every now and then, there’s a jewel. I caught this one last year at ElMonstero. David Farver had just completed his bar walk around the dance floor. When he came full view, center stage, I turnrd the shutter loose. Luckily, a point ‘n shoot flash went off. The results were fantastic:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_7Tx99Lg5sis/Szflw8p_gxI/AAAAAAAAPfA/FbUX2sC7xqk/s576/IMG_5390.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_7Tx99Lg5sis/SzfKJxwz0cI/AAAAAAAAPLM/nlSYRHcngS0/s800/IMG_4567.JPG
Ragweed Rick
p.s.: Thank you for shooting the Cross Canadian Ragweed show.
aaaaw, reading about the inverse square law made me think of The Universe on The History Channel. even physicists love photography!
: )
I am assuming you shoot in either shutter priority mode or manual right? I am finding myself using shutter priority most of the time at live shows. I hate getting any motion blur (unless maybe I happen to shoot Townsend doing windmills) so I usually have the shutter speed at 1/500 up to 1/1000 for frantic stage shots and no lower that 1/250. Even at night. I learned very early on that anticipating onstage light action, is key. Familiarizing yourself with the bands and songs helps immensely. Knowing when solos come in, big endings, waiting on that final chord to play and the big jump at the end. But, I never put it together like what you’ve written here. Live stuff is always a crapshoot.
Anyways, my question is this: if I have to set my shutter speed below the sync speed of 1/250, unless the performers are pretty much motionless, won’t motion blur occur? All of the above shots are fantastic but, they are also what I would call “static” shots in that the subjects are relatively still. In cases where bands are in a chaotic state of movement, could you increase the sync speed so as to allow and faster shutter speed to work? Or is their a point of diminishing returns so to speak?
Great stuff here. I appreciate it very much.
Hi Greg,
In short, you can use the highest sync speed your camera allows to freeze motion and still get catchflash, but your chances are simply diminished, and you’ll have to be luckier. What using a slower shutter speed does is increase your chances of catching flash while the shutter is open. The shorter the shutter speed, the less likely it is that someone’s flash is going to pop off in that time.
Gotcha’ Todd.
I had one of those nights where after I went to bed, I laid awake most of the night running through settings and visualizing things in my head! Ha! But, even though it was a less than restful night, I “got” it by the time I woke up. It slowly sunk in and makes total sense. I think subconsciously, I might have been trying to utilize audience flash but, I was using too fast a shutter speed. I’m going all manual next shoot. I’m keeping things at f/2.8, nailing down the ISO and going to try and only deal with shutter speed in the midst of the madness that occurs!
Thanks for the reply. Continued success with everything.
Well, had a great time shooting Soulfest 2010 in Gilford, NH the past 4 days. I tried to apply the catchflash technique when in the pit. I’d switch from shutter priority during chaotic moments and when things slowed down, so did my shutter speed to less than 1/250.
Todd, appreciate your tips so much. I nailed a lot of shots during this shoot. Whereas I’d usually have 200 keepers (by that I mean killer shots) out of some 5000 shots I had much more this time. Don’t think I would have had this ratio without your help Todd.
Anyways, here’s a link to a shot of Kutless performing. This time I saw the kid to my right and thought “use the stage lights for my flash here” and I am pleased with the results. Adds an otherwise not often seen element to concert shots.
D700, 14-24 Nikon f/2.8 @ 7.1 – ISO 800 – 1/160
http://bit.ly/9yKzKn
All about looking around, anticipating, and thinking quickly but, clearly. Thanks again Todd. Credit to you for this one!
Wow! I don’t know why I never thought of that…I am truly speechless. Can’t wait to try it out!!!! :)
Thanks, Todd!
Vanessa M.
Man, I spent most of Tuesday night intentionally trying, and trying, and trying, and didn’t catch a thing. I enjoy following this thread and seeing the results. My catchflash successes always seems to be pure luck. But its fun trying.
Catchflash takes a lot of luck. Or a lot of P&S flashes, but still luck.
Hi,
I didn’t see this article before so thanks for reposting it as a year-end bonus.
Normally I don’t like the way catchflash shows up in my pictures, but I’ll start to take notice as of now.
Reminded me of a shot I took of 30 Seconds to Mars a few years ago. It is actually saved / made by someone’s flash. And the flash is even in the frame. My most viewed flickr pic.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jelmerdehaas/378777013/lightbox/
Best,
Jelmer
Not that you’re likely to be able to have much of a choice in most circumstances, but if you do get to move around and know where the other flash will be firing, think of the other camera just like an off camera strobe. A couple common setups that you might try are the 45 degree angle, the straight on fill, and the backlight.
Great article and your examples are phenomenal! Thanks for point out something I’ve never noticed before.
Check out this example of my catchflash! http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonsheaphotography/5446357990/sizes/l/in/photostream/
Is it possible to trigger the camera with an optical slave unit (not a flash, but a optical trigger used to fire flashes)? maybe with an adapter? so when someone fires a flash (or a hundred lol) the camera will fire?
Just curious