I hate to use flash when trying to photograph a band in a dark club, but I haven't had very good results without it. I'd love to hear some opinions.
—Don
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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Surf Musician »
Flash Photography at Shows
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Joined: May 30, 2006 Posts: 746 Cool, CA 
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 11:35 AM
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Joined: Dec 12, 2006 Posts: 2681 Ventura, CA
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 12:11 PM
I'm all for using flash at shows but the results are usually terrible. I get better shots by using existing light and fixing them in Photoshop...it is hard if there are no stage lights. Flash shots look harsh and amatuer unless you have have a big rig and are bouncing the light off a wall or ceiling but that is difficult with digital cameras. Otherwise you get flare spots, washed out color and hard shadows. Digital cameras pick up low light and colors very nicely. Get a tripod. |
Joined: Feb 09, 2007 Posts: 917 Brew City 
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 12:51 PM
If someone likes our band enough to take tons of pictures of us using a flash I consider it flattering. —The Exotics 1994-Current |
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Joined: May 30, 2006 Posts: 746 Cool, CA
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 12:56 PM
I agree that flash looks harsh and prefer not to use it anyway. But when stage lighting is relatively poor and I can't use a tripod (crowd), the results are often too blurry to fix. That's when I wonder whether I should use the flash or just forget the pictures. —Don |
Joined: Mar 16, 2007 Posts: 1342 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 01:01 PM
If girls in the audience want to flash us, that's fine. Photographers too. — |
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 3832 netherlands
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 01:13 PM
I ticked "discretion" but that's more as an audience member - on stage it doesnt really bother me. But the ones we've got were either small cameras with integrated flash which you hardly see, or pro cameras where you dont need flash. I agree tho that best pics are made without flash. get an 800ASA film and set camera and have it developped as 3200 ... gives a great grain and contrast too. and ggood digital cameras can handle it too. Me personally I suck at taking pictures though. —Rules to live by #314: |
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 3758 tn
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 01:22 PM
Who cares? I love Elvis footage from the 70s when there are 30,000 instamatic flash cubes going off at once. It's awesome. http://www.satanspilgrims.com |
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 2063 Virginia, USA
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 01:30 PM
It's a rawk show not a funeral. Flash all you want!! —Paul |
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Joined: Dec 12, 2006 Posts: 2681 Ventura, CA
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 01:59 PM
Lots of flashing means they like you, deal with it. |
Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 1778 Star, Idaho. Formerly lived in Surf City USA.
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 02:31 PM
Some of the bands I have videoed recently were in clubs where the lighting was really poor. The resulting video was not very good. I do have a system that has a light on top of the camera but it is limited & I try to be respectful & not shine it in the performers eyes so I have rarely used it. When recording the show, I want to blend in as much as possible & not be part of the show or spoil it for others. I'd like to get some aux lighting I can use in dark clubs & not compromise the performance. |
Joined: Jun 20, 2007 Posts: 351 Toronto, ON 
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 03:44 PM
When you see someone taking a picture of you and your band with flash or without it, you sorta feel like a celebrity Augusto Vite |
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Joined: Mar 10, 2007 Posts: 286 Margaritaville, OR |
Posted on Sep 20 2007 03:52 PM
+1 Up until recently, we haven't had many live shots. One of my co-workers has been coming to gigs snapping pics like mad lately, so we have a pretty good archive started. |
Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19265 Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 04:07 PM
My wife has always felt terrible about flashing away at the shows, but it is the only way she can get a decent shot in those dark clubs. Often the band will ask the house to turn down the stage lights because they are too hot, or are in their eyes. And the band is wearing dark clothing, making pictures even harder to get. Oh well, I hope no band she has captured was upset with us. A few times she asked or asked me to ask if it was ok. The few times we did the bands always said "SURE!!!"...but she still felt bad about it...LOL. —Site dude - S3 Agent #202 "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea |
Joined: Aug 23, 2006 Posts: 2123 The jungle 
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 06:29 PM
When I am playing I hardly notice anything. Anyone else the same? Onstage is the most extreme case, but it is the same thing even when practicing at home. (I have had long, coherent conversations with my wife and remembered <i>nothing</i> of it. It has gotten me into trouble on a few occasions.) So I never notice the flashes much. I do notice the flash when other bands are on and it is a little distracting from an audience point of view. So what? It is rock and roll. Now, at the symphony, running up to the front of the stage and taking more than 3 or 4 flashes is rude, I think. |
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 08:15 PM
Take a handful of pictures with flash if you are doing because you enjoy the band. Don't sit and take a ton with flash. Most clubs have enough lighting to take pictures without flash if you know what you are doing with the camera. A picture with flash is going to look much more professional. |
Joined: Mar 15, 2006 Posts: 1487 San Francisco
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 09:57 PM
I do feel like a bit of a rockstar with some flashing going on during our set, but I agree that, given enough light, flashless pics almost always look worlds better. ~B~ |
Joined: Jul 23, 2007 Posts: 666 Oz
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Posted on Sep 20 2007 11:02 PM
Never been an issue with us, all the old girls go after our singer which is kinda amusing. I say flash em if you've got em. |
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Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19265 Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Sep 21 2007 12:10 PM
Contradictory statements? Anyway your first statement has been not true in our experience. They are mostly dark seedy dungeons. And my wife knows how to use a camera. —Site dude - S3 Agent #202 "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea |
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 3758 tn
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Posted on Sep 21 2007 02:27 PM
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Joined: Dec 12, 2006 Posts: 2681 Ventura, CA
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Posted on Sep 21 2007 02:54 PM
If it's a professional shot you shouldn't even notice if it's flash or not. I've been a professional photographer for the County Hospital for 15 years and I think I know what I'm doing with a camera, digital or film. If the light is too low it really doesn't matter if you know what you're doing or not, any good shots will be pure luck unless you like blur and grain. Of course, there are different ideas as to what a good shot is...Ansel Adams said he felt lucky to get one good a year. |
Just kidding. 
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