Camera settings for concert photography
Camera settings for concert photography
Settings are an important part of taking great concert photos, especially in low light conditions. If you get your settings right, the results will be fantastic. But what if you get them wrong? Your photos will be blurry, awkward, and just plain bad. Each situation requires different camera settings based on countless factors. How much light is there? Is the subject moving? How much depth of field do I want?
For concert photography you’ll obviously need a fast lens with a bit of a wide field of view. But is that all you need to know? If you have a DSLR camera and are interested in learning how to control your camera’s settings to capture accurate and quality images at concerts or relatively dark events, this tutorial might be the way to go.Music photographers in particular are often asked, “What settings do you use?” Any concert photographer, or any photographer in general, knows that the answer to this question won’t be very helpful, as your settings will constantly change depending on the situation. What’s helpful is getting a basic understanding of how each setting works, how far you can push each setting, and a base to start shooting at.
Camera settings for concert photography
All of your camera settings combine to produce a properly exposed image. It’s important to have a basic understanding of the exposure triangle, and it will help you understand how to adjust your settings for each situation. In fact, the exposure triangle describes how to get the correct exposure depending on three things:
ISO – How sensitive your camera sensor is to light
Shutter speed – how long the shutter stays open to let light in
Aperture – The size of your lens opening, which lets in light
In concert photography, you are constantly trying to let in as much light as possible. So you want the aperture wide open, the ISO high, and the shutter speed low.
- Use manual or aperture priority mode
Aperture priority works well. It’s great for beginners because it partially automates the exposure process. Manual mode also provides high flexibility in settings for the photographer. So depending on your level of experience and comfort, choose one of these two options.
- Use the widest aperture of your lens
Set your aperture to the smallest f-number your lens will allow, that way, as much light as possible hits your sensor. A wide aperture is especially important in low-light concert photography. If possible, shoot with an f/2.8, f/1.8, f/1.4 or f/1.2 lens.
- Use a fast shutter speed
In some concerts, the artist is running and jumping from one side of the stage to the other. This kind of action makes for great photography – but to freeze such movement, you need to use a fast shutter speed.
- Increase the ISO
The higher your ISO, the less light you need to get the right exposure – and in concert photography, where light is generally limited, this is a key setting to get right. Your camera’s ISO range probably starts at 100. But if you’re shooting a concert in low light, I’d recommend shooting this up to 1600, 3200, or even 6400. Otherwise, your photos will be too dark.
- Use spot photometry
Spot photometry limits your camera’s exposure reading to the center of the scene – allowing you to determine exposure based on a small subject (for example, a face). It works especially well when your subject and background are differently lit. And when shooting a concert, the artist is often lit by spotlights while the rest of the stage is dark. So here’s what you do: First, switch your camera to spot photometry mode.