Photographer for concerts

Let us rule out war documentary work, celebrity photography and volcano eruptions! A live concert is one of the hardest things to photograph. It is not only the technical aspects that make life hard for a concert photographer. And once the concert photographer has solved the technique, it is time to face the second biggest challenge. That is making your way through an ecstatic crowd and capturing the perfect shot of a constantly moving figure. In the dark.

A thorough knowledge of the camera and its capabilities is the key to great photographs in small, dark concert venues. Unfortunately for amateur photographers, the automatic mode on a camera is simply not worth much. Many beginning concert photographers therefore end right at this early stage.

Photographing a concert is one of the most stressful experiences I have ever had, but also one of the most fun, interesting and unique ones. I cannot imagine that I would have taken a quality series of photos in my amateur days.

In this article I will tell you why a professional concert photographer is an essential part of good photographs.

Concert photography includes photographing "loud" events such as rock concerts, festivals or political rallies, where the sound of the camera is not a problem. There are also other events, such as classical music concerts, dance performances or theatre, which are similar in terms of lighting and composition, but where camera noise will not be tolerated.

A professional concert photographer has the right equipment. A professional concert photographer has invested a lot of money in equipment. Not only in a quality camera, but also in a whole range of lenses, filters and lighting options to get the best possible photos.

At a concert you should expect short and extremely intense shooting over a few minutes, or at most up to an hour. This kind of shooting combined with a long focal length creates a "tunnel vision" effect. To solve this, a concert photographer must not focus only on the viewfinder, but check whether something interesting is happening at the other end of the stage. Only an experienced concert photographer can watch the whole stage constantly and be ready to capture a surprising moment.

Concert lighting is demanding, but it is designed to look impressive. So while it is easy to use it to create strong shots, it is not that simple. Flashing lights, changes of stage lighting, backlight and other attractions make life difficult for a concert photographer. For example, artificial smoke used on stage tends to reduce the contrast of photographs, so a photographer shooting a concert must also be skilled at retouching.

A good concert photographer should capture the energy and meaning of the performance.