Shooting Band in Recording Studio...

[Creagerj]

Hello all,
I've got a big Saturday, and I was wondering if anyone had any tips for taking shots of a band in a recording studio. Some friends of mine are recording a new single and they asked if I would be willing to snap some shots. They mainly just want this service as a keepsake and I'm doing it for free. All the same I want to deliver good quality photos.

I'll be using my D200 with my 20mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2 50mm f/1.8 and 85mm f/2. I'm dragging along my n8008s as backup.

I'm also planning to use my M2 with 50mm f/2.8 Elmar.

I have some good bounce flashes at my disposal and a flash meter, but I don't think I will get to use them because the capacitors might make a lot of noise, so I can't just set them up and leave them. Just in case I'm going to drag along some clamp lights for fill lighting with 2700k bulbs.

The lights are 75w rated, should I consider halogen instead of incandescent or florescent?

Equipment aside, I'm going to shoot fuji supera 800 for film, and digital. I know to expose for highlights with my digi and expose for shadows with my print film.

The studio itself looks like it has decent enough lighting to shoot at iso 800. Photo here http://mixonline.com/studio/design/Nettleingham_new.jpg

Anyway, I guess what I am asking is, does anyone here have any experience doing this? If you could do it again what would you do the same and what would you do differently?

EDIT: Shots from session lower in thread.

 

[ampguy]

Check with them ahead of time, I doubt they're going to be wanting you to be shooting during actual recording.

Don't take flash photos of powered on tube amps, or preamps.

 

[maclaine]

I've done this countless times with various bands I've been in over the years, as well as friends' bands. Here are some of my Flickr sets:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maclaine/sets/72157623764024270/ (shot with Lecia M4 and 50mm DR Summicron, and Olympus OM-10 with 24 f/2.8 and 50mm f/1.4. Film in the Leica was probably Tri-X at either 400 or 800, and in the Olympus was a mix of Tri-X and HP5+ at 1600)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maclaine/sets/72157623758525520/ (shot with an Olympus OM-4 with 50mm f/1.4 and a Canonet QL17 GIII. Film was Tri-X at either 400 or 800 in the Canonet, I bthink, and 1600 in the Olympus)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maclaine/sets/72157614626842972/ (shot with a Voigtlander Bessa R3A and 40mm f/1.4 Nokton Classic MC. Film was Fuji Neopan 1600)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maclaine/sets/72157604687496901/ (shot with a Canon EOS-3 and a 28mm f/1.8, 50mm f/1.4, and 70-200mm f/2.8L. The zoom was always used with a tripod. Film was HP5+, Tri-X, and Tmax 400 all at 1600)

The last set is lab scans before I started scanning my own, so the shadows and highlights are all blocked up, but the negatives were all exposed properly.

Having been in many a recording studio, I wouldn't let the picture of where you're going to be fool you. Musicians like things dim, dimmer, dimmest. With digital, you could correct the color, I guess, but since there's such a great history of black and white recording studio photos (by the likes of Jim Marshall, et al.), I like it better in black and white. That also allows you to jack up the ISO, get some more grain, and still have it look good.

You definitely don't want to distract anyone while they are laying down a crucial part, and you certainly don't want to make any noise. Be as discreet as possible. Go for candid moments, or get moments when someone might be in an isolation booth where they are less likely to be paying attention to you.

Speaking for myself, I never minded if someone was around taking pictures while I was recording (although I was usually the one snapping away). Being in the studio has a way of getting you into a weird, timeless zen state since you're hyper focused on your part, the song, whatever, and there are no windows and few clocks to let you know what time it is. Having said that, I would say using flash is a big mistake, unless you take pictures during moments when no one is recording anything crucial. If that's the case, though, then it's a whole lot of effort to drag those things along and hardly use them. I say leave them at home.

Hope this helps.

 

[Creagerj]

I think the flash will make it so you can't see the glow of the tubes. I can't think of any other reason. What is the reason? Are they photosensitive?

I don't plan to shoot while tracks are being laid down, just the in betweens and warm-ups.

As for lighting, supera does pretty well with indoor lighting. I've used it a lot. I know that the lights are 2700K in the studio since they are non-filtered halogen bulbs. If I use 2700K bulbs in my clamp lights everything will look pretty normal. I know the musicians personally, and I don't think that they really care how the lights are, and I don't think they will mind if I use a little fill light.

I'll probably brings some hp5 as well just in case, I would be wise too at least. B+W does have a nice touch. Maybe I should just shoot B+W on my m2 and use Supera on in my n8008s as a backup for color shots. The main reason I plan to shoot color is because the artists like color, the name of their band is a color (Ruby Red) so they like to dress for the occasion. Also I plan to shoot color because its just so darn contentment, I can't do my own scans right now so it takes a lot of the work out of it. On top of that, I really like color as of late.

I really like some of those shots though, if I can get some results half as good I'll be pretty happy I think.

 

[Creagerj]

Check with them ahead of time, I doubt they're going to be wanting you to be shooting during actual recording.

Don't take flash photos of powered on tube amps, or preamps.

They don't use tube amps, my guess is everything will be DI.

I used to run sound, I know the drill and I won't be shooting during the actual recording times, but there is always warm ups.

 

[ampguy]

right

right

If you flash one of these amps on the tubes while operating, you'll hear it. Flashes many feet away from the tubes are fine.

And why is that?

Played through an Ampeg SVT, B-15 Portaflex, and Fender Bassman 100 for years. Lots of flash photography back in the day. From fans with flashCUBES on their instamatics to the stills guy on the TV or video set.

 

[Creagerj]

I did not know that. That is good info for the future. I take it the speaker pops?

I don't think I'll have to worry about it for this event. I'm pretty sure the musicians will be going the direct input rout with the exception of drums a flute and vocals of course.

 

[sepiareverb]

Mixing can also be a great time to shoot.

I spent three days shooting the recording of an album for a Geffen signed band at some big studio with fancy grounds (pool, lawns etc) back in the mid 80s. What I can remember of it was great fun. Enjoy.

 

[ampguy]

yes

yes

the flash right on a power tube, like within a foot or two, causes a pop. Most commercial amps have the power tubes out of sight, but a few out there are exposed - trentino, and emory come to mind, also hi-fi amps, same thing - hk citation amps, mcintosh, dynaco, eico, etc. will pop when you flash at the power tubes.

I did not know that. That is good info for the future. I take it the speaker pops?

I don't think I'll have to worry about it for this event. I'm pretty sure the musicians will be going the direct input rout with the exception of drums a flute and vocals of course.

 

[Creagerj]

Okay, I grabbed myself some tri-x for BW. I think 3 36 exposure rolls should do it. Without a doubt, I have all the equipment I will need.

Does anyone have any other advice?

 

[maclaine]

Okay, I grabbed myself some tri-x for BW. I think 3 36 exposure rolls should do it. Without a doubt, I have all the equipment I will need.

Does anyone have any other advice?

The two most important things I forgot to mention:

- Have fun!
- Bring earplugs!

 

[Creagerj]

The two most important things I forgot to mention:

- Have fun!
- Bring earplugs!

No worries there, I used to run live sound so I know how loud it can get.

 

[Creagerj]

At long Last, the Results.

At long Last, the Results.

I'm on the fence about how I feel about these photos. Some are pretty decent I suppose, but I feel like I didn't walk away with very many keepers. Here are are a few I thought were decent, let me know what you think. Any advice is welcome and encouraged.

A part of me really would like to ditch digital altogether, buy a film scanner and just shoot B+W.

 

[pachuco]

Nice work! Are you in Portland?

 

[Creagerj]

Nice work! Are you in Portland?

I'm glad that you like it. How did you guess? Was it the Music Millennium shirt? Actually I'm not in Portland but just north of the Columbia river in Portland's largest suburb. The shots are of a local band known as Ruby Red.

 

[johndan]

Great shots. Possibly crop shots 1 and 7 to remove around 20% of the left.

Not sure if this will improve the shot, because cropping them will weaken the isolated sense of the singer in the current versions--if you were looking for that vibe, maybe crop some on the right side by 30% instead to remove the ambiguity.

 

[sjw617]

The color shots are good. The B&W shots are all soft. The focus points are not on the faces and the one of the room, the focus is past the drums which makes the room out of focus. There are are also exposure issues. #1 and #7 are too dark, # 2 is very uneven but probably due to lighting. #9 has the whole board and 'monitiors' very over exposed.
I woulld stick with the D700 and convert them if you like B&W.