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What’s your favorite lens to photograph concerts?

Concert photography: The versatile 24-70mm lens reigns supreme!

The question is, what's your favorite lens to photograph, concerts? And I've looked this up in Lightroom, which lens do I use the most, and it's my 24 to 70 2.8. It's an RF Mount. I'm a Canon shooter and I shoot, the are six in, the are five, but I don't want to stop there. There are three lenses. The Trinity that I carry two all concerts and that is the 15 to 35 2.8 24 to 70 2.8 and the 70 to 200 2.8 because you never know how high the stage is going to be, how far back the drummer is going to be. You never know where you're going to be shooting from, at least in some cases. And again, that's not all the lenses I use if I'm shooting from a soundboard. I use a sigma 150 to 600 its variable aperture which I don't like, but it gets me the reach if I'm halfway back in Arena and then I also carry the sigma 15 mm fisheye, which is also a 2.8. But the answer to your question, 24 to 70 is one of the most amazing versatile lenses for live music. Thanks for the question.

My favorite lens to photograph concerts is the 24-70mm 2.8 RF Mount. It is a versatile lens and it is part of my "Trinity" that I carry to all concerts, alongside the 15-35mm 2.8 and the 70-200mm 2.8. I also carry the Sigma 150-600mm variable aperture lens for more reach and the Sigma 15mm fisheye lens.

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My favorite lens to photograph concerts is the 24-70mm f/2.8. It's an RF mount lens, and as a Canon shooter, I use it with my EOS R6 or EOS R5. However, I don't limit myself to just one lens. I typically carry three lenses, known as the Trinity, for concert photography: the 15-35mm f/2.8, 24-70mm f/2.8, and 70-200mm f/2.8. These lenses cover a wide range of focal lengths, allowing me to capture various perspectives and adapt to different shooting conditions.

In some cases, when shooting from a soundboard or if I need more reach, I also use the Sigma 150-600mm lens, despite its variable aperture. Additionally, I carry the Sigma 15mm fisheye lens, which has a wide aperture of f/2.8.

Overall, the 24-70mm f/2.8 is an incredibly versatile lens for live music photography. However, I rely on a combination of lenses to ensure I can capture the best shots in different concert scenarios. Thank you for the question!

Which concert venue have you found the most difficult to shoot in, why, and how did you work around the issues?

Conquering Difficult Concert Venues: Tips from a Pro Photographer

So the question is, which concert venue have you found the most difficult to shoot in why? And how do you work around it? And I love this question because there's no easy answer here. Every venue that I've shot in has things that you got to work around and it also has strengths, right? Some venues, you're shooting from front of house or soundboard, instead of right in front of the stage in a photo pit if you're shooting at soundboard. Yeah it's more difficult your farther away. But at the same time your angle is been cut down. You're not shooting up on people's faces. Sometimes you're in the photo. It, but it's too narrow or too crowded or dangerous other times. You have to be way the far left or far right of the stage. So in my case I'm going to do two picks. One of them is when I photograph the Roger Waters, the Wall tour at the LA Memorial Coliseum, and it's the LA Memorial Coliseum. It's huge stage was set up at the 50-yard line and it's the wall. So it's a huge wall that they build. And at times Roger Waters in the band is way up high. The stage of X was 20, 30 feet high, And you're shooting almost straight up on them. So if they backed up, you had stage cutting him off here. If they move forward, you were shooting straight up on their face. It was very, very difficult. But again, the the fix for that is to understand that the angles the geometry of it move to the sides and try and cut the angle down the problem here. Was, when you move to the sides, you increased the presence of the stage, that one was a really difficult one. Other than that, I'd say where I used to be the house S photographer, which was San Manuel, Indian, Bingo, and Casino. It's now called Yamaha and still owned by the same, San Manuel tribe, but I loved shooting at that place. The stage was amazing, the sound was amazing, but it was also their bingo room. And you know, that where the audience was and they would change that into a three Sout, 3000 seat, concert venue. And the problem with that is, if you're shooting from the crowd, everybody's at the same height, it's not tiered, and there was no photo paper. So, the tribe members, the owners would sit in the front and you had to kind of work around them, dancing and singing, that was probably the most difficult. And again, it all comes down to angles. Craig, thanks for the question.

The most difficult concert venues I've shot in are the LA Memorial Coliseum for Roger Waters's the Wall tour and San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino. In both cases, the geometry of the stage and the crowd made it difficult to get a good angle and shot. To work around this, I moved to the sides and adjusted my angles accordingly.

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The most difficult concert venue I've shot in is the LA Memorial Coliseum during Roger Waters' Wall tour. The stage was set up at the 50-yard line, and the massive wall created challenges in capturing the performers. At times, Roger Waters and the band were positioned high up on the stage, making it difficult to capture their faces without the stage obstructing the view. Shooting straight up or having the stage cut off the performers was a constant struggle. To overcome this, I had to adjust my angles and move to the sides to minimize the impact of the stage and capture better shots.

Another challenging venue was the San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino, where I used to be the house photographer. The stage and sound were fantastic, but the venue was also used as a bingo room. When transformed into a concert venue, the lack of tiered seating and a designated photo pit made it difficult to shoot from the crowd. The tribe members and owners would sit in the front, requiring me to navigate around them while they danced and sang. Again, finding the right angles was crucial in working around these obstacles.

In both cases, the key was understanding the geometry of the venue and finding ways to minimize the challenges posed by the stage setup or audience layout. Adjusting angles and positioning myself strategically helped me overcome the difficulties and capture the best shots possible.

What band, in what year, did you first photograph?

Capturing the Electrifying Energy: My First Band Photo with Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience

So the question is, what? Band in what year did you first? Photograph in the answer would be Jason Bonham's, Led Zeppelin Experience, I think it was 2010 and it was at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside, California. I have photographed that show a number of times since then and highly recommend it. Jason Bonham on drums is something else, the entire band actually, super tight. James Dylan on vocals is just absolutely amazing. Now, the first probably well-known International bands or show that I shot was shortly thereafter. It was He's probably also 2010, maybe 2011 and it was at the now long gone Universal Amphitheater in LA, and it was heart and Def Leppard most Peterson. Thanks so much for the question.

Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience was the first band I photographed in 2010 at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside, California. The first well-known International bands or show that I shot was Heart and Def Leppard in either 2010 or 2011 at the Universal Amphitheater in LA.

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The first band I photographed was Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience in 2010 at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside, California. I've had the opportunity to photograph that show multiple times since then and highly recommend it. Jason Bonham on drums is truly impressive, and the entire band is incredibly tight. James Dylan's vocals are absolutely amazing.

Shortly after that, probably in 2010 or 2011, I had the chance to photograph Heart and Def Leppard at the now-gone Universal Amphitheater in LA. It was a memorable experience.

Thank you for the question!

How do you handle the fast-paced nature of concerts and capture the perfect moment?

Mastering the Art of Concert Photography: Research is Key

How do you handle the fast-paced nature of concerts and still capture the perfect moment? The answer is research research research. If you don't know your subject in any genre of photography, you're at a disadvantage So for example, I will Google images of band X live So that I see what they look like on stage where the band members are how somebody holds a microphone Do they switch hands? How do they turn at the microphone stand when they have a guitar? Are there multiple pictures of a certain band member climbing up and jumping off of amplifiers or something like that? So that I can prepare for that. I generally only get three songs to photograph a band so knowing my subject in advance makes it easier for me to forget the technical and Just watch and be aware of what's actually happening with the band so that I can get that key moment to tell the key story research research research

Research is key to capturing the perfect moment for concerts. Knowing the band members, their movements and positions beforehand will help you anticipate and be aware of what's happening on stage so that you can get the key moment to tell the story.

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To handle the fast-paced nature of concerts and capture the perfect moment, thorough research is key. Knowing your subject is crucial in any genre of photography, and concerts are no exception. I start by Googling images of the band performing live. This helps me understand their stage presence, where the band members are positioned, how they hold a microphone, and even if they switch hands or turn at the microphone stand while playing guitar. I also look for recurring moments like a certain band member climbing up and jumping off amplifiers. By preparing in advance, I can focus more on observing and being aware of what's happening with the band during the limited time I have to photograph them. This allows me to capture that crucial moment that tells a compelling story. Thorough research is the foundation for successfully navigating the fast-paced environment of concerts and capturing those perfect moments.

How do you handle shooting concerts with multiple photographers in close proximity to each other?

Respect is Key: Navigating Close Proximity in Concert Photography

How do I handle shooting concerts with multiple photographers in close proximity to each other? We normally photograph from something called the photo pit, which is that area between the audience who are held back by a barricade and the stage. There's security walking in there, you know, catching crowd surfers or preventing people from climbing on the stage. It's a great place to be. And sometimes there's only two or three of us in there or five of us in there or 10 of us in there. I've had times where there's probably 50 or more of us in that photo pit. And when that happens, it can get nuts. It can get so crowded, it feels dangerous and that you can't move. But the key answer to the question is, it's all about respect. If somebody is in that photo pit, regardless of their gear, their gender, their size, if they have a photo pass to be in that photo pit, they have just as much right to be there as you have to be there. Similar to a wedding, let's say. At a wedding, there's one guy in charge. The wedding photographer can tell guests, please don't shoot your flash off until I get the official pictures and then I'll hold the bride and groom here for you. Well, at a concert, there's not one person in charge. We all have equal rights and we all have to respect each other.

Respect is key when shooting concerts with multiple photographers. Everyone in the photo pit has just as much right to be there, so make sure you respect each other and take turns capturing photos.

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When shooting concerts with multiple photographers in close proximity, the photo pit is where we usually photograph from. This area is between the audience and the stage, with security present to manage the crowd. The number of photographers in the pit can vary greatly, ranging from just a few to even 50 or more. It can sometimes feel crowded and chaotic, making movement difficult. However, the key to handling this situation is respect. Regardless of gear, gender, or size, anyone with a photo pass has the right to be in that photo pit. Similar to a wedding where the photographer directs guests on when to take pictures, in a concert setting, there isn't one person in charge. All photographers have equal rights and it's essential that we respect one another.

What challenges do you face when shooting concerts and how do you overcome them?

Concert Photography: Overcoming Challenges with Skill and Preparation

What challenges do I face when shooting concerts and how do I overcome them? Well, they break down into a couple of different categories. Number one is the limited time frame. I'm allowed, usually just three songs from a photo pit, which is that space between the audience and the stage where security is catching crowd Surfers. And keeping people from climbing on the stage. Secondly, there is the positional issue. I may be able to shoot in the photo pit, but I may have to be all the way back at what's known as front of house. This is very far away in an arena. It's The soundboard is and I've got to be able to capture a wide shot like this. While also telling the story with a tighter shot of the actual performer, there's also the stage clutter issue. When you're working in concerts, you have a situation where a mic stand or a bass guitar, or a drum set might be coming out of somebody's head or the lighting, maybe unflattering on your subject to colors that don't look good in a frozen moment, even though they do as a scene unfolds in front of the audience, and Then there is the simple matter of fact of just being able to understand what you're shooting and capturing it when you need to Luke, Combs jumping in the air kicking a Diet Coke and Jack Daniels came off the ground. I couldn't catch this next to the stage so I ran up in the audience to be able to get him and his name on this stage. In this particular case, the bass player for Buckcherry putting his base right in my face. Well I had a 70 to 200 in my hand. I dropped it and it just so And I had a 15 mm ready to go on the other hip, which is the same thing that happened here with the lead singer jumping in the audience for Cage, the Elephant, the bottom line is, if you know your gear and if you are prepared, concert photography is challenging but it's a lot of fun.

Shooting concerts can be challenging due to limited time frames, positional challenges, stage clutter, and the need to quickly understand what you're shooting. To overcome these challenges, it is important to be prepared with the right gear and be able to capture a wide shot of the scene as well as a tighter shot of the performer.

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When shooting concerts, I face several challenges and find ways to overcome them. Firstly, there's the limited time frame. Typically, I'm only allowed to shoot three songs from the photo pit, which is the area between the audience and the stage. Overcoming this challenge requires me to work efficiently and capture the best shots within that short timeframe.

Another challenge is the positional issue. Sometimes I have to shoot from the back of the venue, known as the front of house, which is far away from the stage. This requires me to capture wide shots to show the entire scene while also focusing on tighter shots of the performers to tell the story effectively.

Stage clutter is another challenge. Mic stands, instruments, or lighting can obstruct the subject or create unflattering visuals. I need to be mindful of these elements and find ways to compose my shots to minimize distractions.

Lastly, there's the need to be quick and adaptable. Moments happen spontaneously, and I must be ready to capture them. Whether it's running into the audience or quickly switching lenses, being prepared and knowing my gear is essential to capturing those decisive moments.

Despite these challenges, concert photography is a lot of fun, especially when you are well-prepared and able to overcome the obstacles that come your way.

Steve Brazill answers your Photography questions. See all the advice Steve Brazill has and get answers to your own Photography questions.

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Steve Brazill is a music photographer based in Southern California. He is also the host of the Behind the Shot Podcast. Music has been a special force in Steve’s life for as long as he can remember. As a radio host, emcee, and voice actor, he’s been around the music and entertainment industry for many years. You can find him on air at KCAL FM where he also handles their concert photography. Steve is one of the photographers at Toyota Arena where his goal is to combine his love of music and photography and tell viewers a story about the show. 