Metering Rock Concert - Tips?

[akremer]

I've never done serious concert shooting and I'm not too sure how to meter it.

Planning on shooting one at the end of the month. It's a hardcore gig so the band's stage show will be pretty aggressive and wild. I'll have a bunch of TMax 400, G2 with 45mm f2 and the tla200 flash for some trashy flash snaps. The lights will be bright, plentiful and aimed at the band (no backlighting).

Should I take some readings off of the band in soundcheck to get an idea of the levels, or is there a better way to go about this..

Thanks

 

[Beemermark]

Never done a rock concert but generally people on stage are lit by high intensity lights. You need a spot meter to get a good reading or use the sunny F16 rule. Even though it looks dark as Hades the actually people are usually extremely well lit. You also need to bracket a lot.

 

[Richard G]

Some incident readings during sound check, writing down the various combinations, if you can talk with the lighting guy. Otherwise spot and bracket. I have found the M6 meter through a 135 mm lens remarkably good for well lit head and shoulders against a black background at concerts and lectures.

 

[Nokton48]

I'm not familar with the G2, but I use the Leica M5 all the time for available light rock concerts. It has a spot meter which is quite accurate. I tend to use very high speed lenses (F1.2 F1.5) and higher speed films. Most of the time the lighting is constantly changing, so it's a real challenge to get the correct exposure. Vantage point and all access is what is all about for me.

 

[akremer]

yeah the access isn't an issue.

i'm just going to meter a bit in sound check and hope for the best.

are you using 1600iso? I'll shoot at f2 and push to 1600.

 

[Nokton48]

1600 would be a good idea, especially at F2.
I like Delta 3200 and Presto Fuji 1600 for B&W.
Fuji Press 800 for color.

 

[akremer]

might even you some portra 400nc pushed a stop..oh no i didn't.

 

[Gallo]

I do rock concert photos for a living (digital camera, sorry) but maybe you`ll find this tips useful. If the gig is a big one (arena or something like that), I always start with 1/125 2.8 ISO 800 and then moving up or down with the lights. Spot Metering on the face of the singer/guitarist, etc.

If the gig has dull lights, well...you should go ISO 1600, wide open and wait for the better moments of light.

Good Luck!

 

[Leigh Youdale]

No flash. Performers hate it and venues often ban it.
Lens of f2 or faster.
45mm is OK if you're right in the front row - otherwise you might feel the need of something longer if you're at the side of the stage or a couple of rows back.
Prefocus.
1/60th or higher shutter speed.
ISO 1600 film (minimum) - even Delta 3200
If you have a spot meter, use it.
If you use an averaging type (even TTL) meter then reduce indicated exposure by one stop as it will have tried to 'average' the near-black back of the stage and result in overexposure of the performers.

 

[DriesI]

iso400 B&W film, 1/60th@f1.4, shoot and don't worry, latitude is your friend

 

[kkdanamatt]

Concert shots work best when they are are the dark side, IMHO. Whatever you do, don't blow out the faces when the spot lights are bright. I usually unnderexposure by one or two stops using a center-weighted meter, but I've never used a really good spotmeter. Fuji Press 800 generally gives me 1/60 at f/2.8. Tri-X in Rodinal is about the same.