 Melissa Clarke |
Taking Band Pictures In Low Light I am having trouble with my Canon A-1 figuring out how to take good indoor pictures inside a bar at night. What speed film should I use? What other settings should I use?
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Jeff S. Kennedy |
Color? B&W? What lenses do you have? What are you going to do with the images? Settings? I don't even want to go there.
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Melissa Clarke |
Hi--I am embarrassed to try to articulate my problem, but I looked on the site and I just can't figure it out--and I know the answer is trial and error, but, I want to use color film with my 210mm lens and I want to images to be clear (with moving targets) in a low lighting setting. I am afraid the pictures will be grainy because I have seen some with high speed film that are, but, how else can I get a fast enough shutter speed to catch the musicians looking still enough but besides high speed film? Should I just try the fastest shutter speed and the smallest number aperture setting (widest opening) and see what happens? Would a tripod help? The only pictures I have taken have been with a flash but they show too much bar clutter. I have been afraid to try without flash, but a photographer has been taking the promo pictures of a band I manage, and, they are just terrible--blurry, grainy, terrible--so I got to thinking I could try to take them myself. I apologize in advance for my ignorance and I totally understand if no one wants to deal with me!!!! :)
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Jeff S. Kennedy |
The thing is, when working with low light speed is everything. Not only do you need fast film but you need fast lenses. My guess is that your 210mm lens has a max aperture around f4.0 or 5.6. Unless the band is unusually well lit that's just not going to cut it (even with high speed film). A tripod might help keep the surroundings sharp but it won't help with movement of the band members. If you can catch them in a still moment you have a chance. There are a couple of good 800 speed color films available. Fuji NPZ (someone may correct me if I'm wrong on the correct letter designation on that one) and Portra 800 are both decent films. If you're serious about doing this you need to consider getting a faster lens that will be easier to handhold (seems like a tripod could be kind of unweildy in a bar). Something as cheap as a 50mm lens with f1.8 aperture or better would be fine. The kind of lighting you are talking about is tricky. "Settings" aren't going to help you. They will mostly be just hit and miss. I suggest taking a little time at the library or bookstore and doing a little reading on exposure.
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Melissa Clarke |
I really appreciate that Jeff. I actually do have a couple 55 mm lenses--I didn't realize that they are faster....I've just liked the 210 because, obviously, I can get closer. Anyway thanks a lot! I know I have some studying and practicing to do!
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Jon Close |
Very good advice on how to photograph a band onstage can be found at http://www.photo.net/concerts/mirarchi/concer_i
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Doug Vann |
My suggestion if you want to get clear pictures in low light is not to use the 210mm lens as it is too long. You need a shorter lens as Jeff suggests such as 50mm with f1.8 opening. I would also suggest using a good quality flash that is powerful enough to reach the band. If you don't use a flash to freeze movement you are going to have trouble getting clear pictures since band members usually move around. A tripod is also a definite asset.... Take lots of pictures and use the best of them.
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Leo Enriquez |
What about taking pics of every single individual in the band and make a collage!... If you do't have the lens, go ahead and try a different aproach like this! Use your flash and your 210mm lens, and use a photo software to make a collage!
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David Robinson |
Check that the proprietors of the venue allow photogrphy and that the band agree also
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John A. Lind |
I disagree with Doug V. about the use of flash. While it can "freeze" action, it also destroys the ambience of the stage lighting. The photograph looks nothing like the performance. "Stage" lighting in smaller venues is usually about two stops below the lighting level of a stage in a larger autitorium. Meter where you're intending to shoot to determine how much light you have! It can vary. Last year I did a series of B&W photo shoots of blues musicians performing in a small club using an 85mm f/2 lens and mostly TMax P3200 with a couple rolls of Delta 3200 shot at EI 1600 (to keep film latitude wider and contrast down). The focal length was chosen as it allowed tight shots at the working distances I could use. No tripod, it was all hand held! Performer motion makes tripod use impossible. The true speed of both these films is about ISO 800. If shot faster than that they must be push processed by a full-service pro lab (push 1 for both films at EI 1600). Aperture setting and shutter speed varied with lighting level which changes during performances. It hovered around f/2.8 to f/4 with typical shutter speeds of 1/30th or 1/60th. This is definitely outside apertures and shutter speeds that would be more reliable with both slow shutter speed and very shallow depth of field (often under a foot). It requires a very stead hand and taking solid shooting stances to prevent camera shake. Timing the shots for good composition without head motion is critical, along with maintaining very accurate focus. It took some practice to get decent yield rates. I've uploaded a some quick flatbed scans of proofs from one of the shoots last Fall. Look at where blur is from slower shutter speed, how shallow the depth of field is in them, and what shooting with available light does for them compared to what direct, frontal on-camera flash would do. -- John
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