How to Do Music Photography
- 1). Obtain the camera and lenses necessary for shooting musicians at concerts. Shooting live music performances can be difficult because you are photographing in low-light situations with a lot of movement. Purchase a digital camera that can shoot at ISO ratings of 1000 to 1600. When choosing a lens for shooting live musical performances, focus on the speed of the lens rather than the focal length. Choose lenses that can shoot quickly at f2.8 and larger.
- 2). Practice using your camera and lenses in a situation similar to a concert or at a "practice" concert. Change the ISO and aperture settings frequently to familiarize yourself with the exposure and contrast capabilities of your camera. Document the aperture setting and ISO for each photograph.
- 3). Upload and view the photographs on your computer. Consider each image, the conditions it was taken in and the camera settings at the time you took the photograph. Observe the contrast, motion blur and image quality of each photograph. Determine which settings you used to get the image closest to how you wanted it.
- 4). Go to a concert and get as close to the front as possible. Using zoom lenses can distort the image and encourage motion blur. Use the settings you determined from your practice session photographs, but don't be afraid to experiment during the concert. Generally, photographers tend to take the most photographs during the first three songs of the concert, when the band is at its peak energy. Don't be afraid to experiment with different angles during the set.
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