My Most Challenging Shoot Ever

[AcadieLibre]

Well tonight will be my most definite challenging shoot as a Concert Photographer. It is a well paid gig but I am donating half back to the charity which is for Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto. There are 18 bands playing over 6 hours. I have known about it for a few weeks now though I have not tried to give it any thought. Now is the day of the Reckoning,

I am used to bands playing 30 to 60 minute sets with 20 to 30 minutes in between them. Now I have 5 minutes to get ready for the next band and each set is 15 minutes, I and I have gone over every bands profile and listened to what they do, if they have live videos I have watched them. I have seen or shot about a third of them which means I know their stage presence and what to expect so they are the easy ones and I know the venue inside and out. It usually takes me on song or two to get what a band does, but if I wait that long tonight the set may be over.

So if anyone has any suggestions on something I may overlooked to prepare for it just throw them at me. I don't think there is anything else I can do but I may just be overlooking something, and lord I hope the old body can last 6 hours lol.

[kat]

Good luck!

Hmm..tips. I've never done anything like that before so I really can't give to much on the camera side but maybe this will help. No food or drink that will make your body crash within that 6 hours. Two tylenol before you go. Ear plugs to ease the sound in case it gets to be too much. I don't know..they really aren't of much help.

Good luck, can't wait to hear how you make out!

[Iguanasan]

Hopefully I'm not too late...saw this last week and thought it might be useful here.

http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-photograph-rock-concerts

[Marko]

I have full confidence in you A.L.

but just to be safe....
- Make sure you have an extra card(s) in your pocket for easy access in case the current card fills up or has an issue.
- Stay away from beer and coffee until after the show;)
- If possible have an extra camera body and flash.

That's all i got - I think you know the rest because you already have good experience.

Best!
Marko

[merman]

kat nailed it, ear plugs, dont under estimate how important these things are!
dont try to tough it out without them, your ears will thank you with many years of wonderful hearing.

couple of tips to make your ear plug experience better...
if you dont mind looking a little funny go with ear muffs, they are the best imo
if you go with a bud style ear plug then choose only neoprene foam ones (orange or blue, real squishy) the yellow chepo foam ones get really uncomfortable, and they are one time use so you have top keep them in all night, nooo good

and finally, overlooked alot. but very important, dont cram the crap out of them into your ear, you can damage your inner ear, it feels crappy and you can push wax deep into your ear causing a clog..

if used properly you wont even reall remember you are wearing them, and all the sounds will be soft and easily managable for hours and hours, and still socialize with people


damn this was a long post about plugs lol
imo its the very best and most important tip, give Kat cred for that lol

[AcadieLibre]

Thanks for the suggestion, ear plugs are out. I have been to over 1,500 concerts in my life (Approx. but probably more) everything from Stage Manager to the the unappreciated grunt the Roadie and get my hearing checked every year.

Marko the beer I had with you was the first one in 3 or 4 years ( more than likely longer, far to many other vices, one I just never picked up), see you turned me into a lush, think I am still buzzed from it.

Iguanasan thanks for that link, I am one gaining the reputation as one of the Best Concert photographers out of Toronto, so how to shoot is not the issue, just the physical part of it is the concern. Gee I am so old I still recall having to walk to school uphill both ways lmaoo.

Two bodies I will have , each with my one of each of my two go to lens. It is just more the physical toll it will take on me.

Thanks all for the ideas, but I am off so wish me luck, if you read in the paper, a photographers dies from thinking he was still 20, services will be held at ............ lmao

Since it is a Large Club venue I spend most of my time crunched darting in a squatting position, I hate blocking the view of others so I try to be considerate.

[Iguanasan]

Iguanasan thanks for that link, I am one gaining the reputation as one of the Best Concert photographers out of Toronto, so how to shoot is not the issue, just the physical part of it is the concern. Gee I am so old I still recall having to walk to school uphill both ways lmaoo.

Glad to hear it. It sounded very big for a newbie and I didn't really know your background. I hope it's easier than you think it's going to be! :D:goodvibes

[Mad Aussie]

Sounds to me like you have all the resources and experience you need AL.

Maybe take a small bottle of 'confidence' with you and knock their socks off! ;)

Wear black so you blend into the shadows.

Shoot and chimp ... shoot and chimp! :rolleyes:

[AcadieLibre]

Well it went great, I did not stop for the 6 hours and shot every band. And because the venue it does not have a media pit so I spent most of the time running around in a squatted position so not to block the viewers of the audience. I also had full access to the stage as long as I did not interfere with the band.

Each and every band interacted with me as I shot them and gave me some great shots. The only problem is that my legs and knees are so sore this morning I can barely walk. I was like running for six hours.

I also made a ton of contacts from the music business while I was there. I will be doing some more work for Sick Kids Hospital some paid and some I will donate my time for. It was a learning experience, I expected it to be hard on me body but I had to get down my stairs this morning I had to sit and lower my butt one stair at a time.

My concern was would I last the 6 hours physically, which how my knees and thighs feel it is still not a certain thing lol. Now the next issue is going through the 16 gb of photos I took.

[tomorrowstreasures]

way to go!!! that is exactly how i feel for most of my sessions.shoots due to the fibromyalgia. i usually sleep the next day.
can't wait to see some of the images if you can share!!!

[AcadieLibre]

I will post the ones I can. It will take me a few weeks to go through them. And I have a habit that I never look at the photos from a shoot for 2 or 3 days later, gives me some distance and I am less critical of the work when I have given some distance between the shoot and when I look at them, and anyone who hires me is very aware of this particular quirk of mine. In 4 or 5 weeks I will post a couple of samples. And my wife just informed it it was 8 hours and not 6, I started at 7 and it ended at 3 am.