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07/13/2011 11:53:51 AM · #1 |
| So I know I'm not the most active DPC user, but I was hoping some of you seasoned pros could help me out. I'm doing a photo session with a band for a newspaper profile on Saturday and for some reason they're giving me an hour to shoot. I'm not much of a portrait shooter–I don't even have a flash (other than my on-camera flash, but, you know). When I usually shoot bands for the paper, I just go to two locations outside and arrange them sloppily. Since I have a full hour, I'd really like to make the best of this, but I have no idea what to do other than sloppily arrange these guys at different locations outside. If anyone has some experience with this, I'd really appreciate some help! Thanks! |
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07/13/2011 12:58:40 PM · #2 |
Originally posted by JBHale:
So I know I'm not the most active DPC user, but I was hoping some of you seasoned pros could help me out. I'm doing a photo session with a band for a newspaper profile on Saturday and for some reason they're giving me an hour to shoot. I'm not much of a portrait shooter–I don't even have a flash (other than my on-camera flash, but, you know). When I usually shoot bands for the paper, I just go to two locations outside and arrange them sloppily. Since I have a full hour, I'd really like to make the best of this, but I have no idea what to do other than sloppily arrange these guys at different locations outside. If anyone has some experience with this, I'd really appreciate some help! Thanks! |
What type of music? Are they working on an album? Try something in theme with what they are doing. Thats what I would do. |
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07/13/2011 03:01:50 PM · #3 |
You dont light and pose a folk band as you would a death metal band. What they sound like is what they should look like.
Look at some of the stuff Joey is doing, a nice variety of styles to suit the artist. |
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07/13/2011 03:53:46 PM · #4 |
| They're a rock band. Sort of a hard rock/modern rock thing. It's just going to be for a profile of them in our local alternative paper. My first thought would be to shoot them in some kind of dark basement or something, but my lack of lighting equipment might hurt that. I actually thought of Joey immediately (quick side note: I stumbled upon an exhibit of his at a small, local art gallery a few months ago; totally random) but I'm not entirely sure how to get results like his without the equipment. I'm shooting with an old 20D, a 24-85/3.5 medium-grade lens and a tripod, I guess. Should I just go for long exposures in dimmer places? |
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07/13/2011 06:06:27 PM · #5 |
Does this band have any local gigs coming up before your deadline?
It might be nice to just shoot them in their element playing music. The 20D should hang in there for that, but with most venues you are going to want a faster lens. Even a "thrifty fifty" Canon lens for less than a hundred will do, or you could rent one. |
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07/13/2011 09:19:07 PM · #6 |
I know you said you don't have a flash... but if you could borrow/rent one... your options expand a TON. Zack Arias does exactly this- he very often uses one light and he shoots bands all the time. You should be able to find some suggestions on his site if you can swing that.
In any case, I'd recommend bringing a friend who can hold a reflector for you. Don't fret about buying one, you can make your own (there are tons of different ways to make one... check around online... I think Strobist might have some decent DIY references for this, as well). You don't have to make things super complex to make them look different. Remember, the sun serves as one source of light, and the reflector as a second source. If you add a flash, that makes 3 sources you can mess with. |
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07/13/2011 09:32:27 PM · #7 |
| If you have a halogen work light, that can work as a rock 'n roll light source, you know harsh and a bit over the top, but plenty bright. If you need a reflector a car front window shade will work. I have a few, one silver, and one gold. When they aren't needed for photography, they live in the cars and do the job they were intended for. |
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07/13/2011 10:07:15 PM · #8 |
You may want to convert some of the shots to black & white. It has better punch for people pix in some cases, esp if you can't get the color to look right in shots that are otherwise good.
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07/14/2011 06:00:04 PM · #9 |
| Thanks, everyone! I'll try to gather some stuff and play around it. |
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07/25/2011 04:02:23 PM · #10 |
I always shoot bands outside and pretty quickly. Here are some tips that I use.
Find the front man and put them in the front. I tell the front man to always look at the camera and most of the time I have the others look in different directions. If I am going to have them all look at the camera it is more of a face only shot and I am close up. But the key is that the front man stands out all the time. If you tell the band this they usually understand and it helps the shot look right because the focus of the image starts with the main member and the eye flows to the others.
 
Get creative. In one hour you can do lots. I rarely spend more than an hour or two with a band. I look for good diffused lighting and I often make the lead stand still while I tell the other members of the band to move. Then I shoot during the movements. It creates some cool effects that you don't really need to photoshop.
These suggestions might not help, but maybe they will spur your creativity which is really put to the test when shooting a band like that. Good luck! |
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