Gig Photography

**Ogofmole** · #1 (**permalink**) 07-08-2008, 21:23

I am off to Brecon Jazz Festival tomorrow evening, and taking camera, as I have not taken a camera to a gig before. I wondered if I should take a 70-210 f2.8 lens or a 18-200 f3.5-f5.6 VR lens, thinking that the 70-210 is a big lump and maybe difficult to hold steady at low shutter speed (not taking monopod), or 18-200 VR which is small and light, and with VR I should be able to gain a few more stops of aperture.

Any suggestions welcome.

**f18** · #2 (**permalink**) 08-08-2008, 06:29

Hi Barry,

Have you been to the Brecon Fest before? I was there for one day a couple of years back shooting the RWCMD Jazz Ensemble but had a good bit of time to visit a few of the other venues as a 'punter'.

For me it would be a no-brainer, go for the fastest lens you have and take a monopod. Lighting could be great or a real bugger depending what venue you are in. Is this to be 'sitting in the audience with your significant others' or will you be in full togging mode and moving around the stage, long shots from the side/back etc?

**Eos1nrs** · #3 (**permalink**) 08-08-2008, 08:40

whats the d70 or d200 like at high iso? personally i would go with the fastest glass you have as Dave said but the vr might give the roughly the same if you prefer less weight..but try 800iso etc b4 hand

**f18** · #4 (**permalink**) 08-08-2008, 10:23

Just a bit more in case you haven’t been before, ignore if you have

The venues vary a lot from the smallest of pubs to a great big ‘main stage’ marquee and in between there are small halls, churches, small marquees in car parks, the local theatre house (where the box office is) + a small performance room on the side of it. It’s all within 10 mins walking distance

Lighting in the main stage marquee was very good (wide open you’d get a reasonable shutter speed & ISO). IIRC it was constant ‘white’ light with spotlights on the artist(s) + the audience were well lit as well …. not a rock band style moving coloured light show with the audience in darkness. There was plenty of room to move around the perimeter of the stage and the sides of the marquee. The stage was raised but not too high so that standing up should bring you level with seated musicians. The seats at the rear of the marquee were tiered so if I were sitting down, I’d head towards the back.

If you are in the performance room adjoining the theatre then I’d suggest it would be impractical to get any decent shots ….. it’s a crammed room for 60 or seated punters on standard stacking chairs with the artist (usually soloists e.g. jazz pianist) at floor level. It would be intrusive to the performance if (as a paying punter) you started clicking away and when I was there they were filming.

There was a medium sized marquee in a car park up nearer the town centre which had much poorer lighting but again plenty of room to move around and you could get right up to the stage front. There was also space to stand up on the sound/lighting platform at the back (the technician was very accommodating.

…….. At least that’s how I recall it all. Have a great time & a pint of Brains for me

**Ogofmole** · #5 (**permalink**) 08-08-2008, 12:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by f18

Is this to be 'sitting in the audience with your significant others'

Yes we have tickets so will be allocated to seats, we will be in the big marquee to see Cerys Matthews. So I will take the Sigma 70-210 f2,8 and D200, and just see if I get anything.

**cannockwolf** · #6 (**permalink**) 09-08-2008, 00:13

i used my 70-200mm f/2.8 at downloa and i wouldn't use anything else i know its chunky but its 100% the right choice!!

**Ogofmole** · #7 (**permalink**) 09-08-2008, 07:34

I went for my 18-200 VR lens in the end as I can hold that steady without a monopod, looking at some of the images quickly this morning, I'm pleased with a lot of them considering we were sitting only a couple of rows from the back. Off Mower racing now for the weekend so I will upload some images next week. If I had taken a monopod then I would have gone for the 70-210 f2.8, but as this was my first attempt at this type of photography i'm still learning.