Research & Preparation
Lesson 5 from: Getting Started in Music Photography with Red Bull Photographer Todd OwyoungTodd Owyoung
Research & Preparation
Lesson 5 from: Getting Started in Music Photography with Red Bull Photographer Todd OwyoungTodd Owyoung
Lessons
Class Intro to Getting Started in Music Photography
01:13 2Live Music Photography
13:40 3Camera Settings
09:34 4Tip & Techniques for Capturing Live Music
09:14 5Research & Preparation
06:20 6Challenges & Pain Points
00:40 7All Access
16:29 8Shooting for Editorial
03:15Capturing Music Festivals
03:58 10Using Speedlights
07:44 11Photographing Drummers
07:44 12Gear
25:39 13Location Scouting
19:57 14Artist Portraits
06:56 15Artist Portraits - Stairwell
06:48 16Artist Portraits - Outside
12:04 17Sound Check with Low Hums and Wild Powwers
05:12 18Photographing Live Shows - Low Hums
06:29 19Photographing Live Shows - Wild Powwers
05:22 20Getting Started
10:15 21The Photo Pass
19:38 22Photo Pit Etiquette
06:29 23The Business of Music Photography
12:02 24Post Processing Workflow
26:02Lesson Info
Research & Preparation
Let's jump into the logistical elements of live music photography. First, research and preparation. Now, one thing you always advise new music photographers to do is to research your subjects. Knowing the music is going to prepare you. But also just knowing how the band moves on stage. So it's knowing the music but also- Look up YouTube clips of a live performance of the first three songs of the tour, for example, if you're shooting as an editorial photographer. That's going to give you insight into the production, the stage movements of the band, the general lighting and what you can expect. And it may be even how you can position yourself to get that opening shot or something that's going to happen on stage in the first couple of seconds or minutes, or those first three songs. And because, as a music photographer, you might not have amazing access at first, if you can do the research and preparation up front, you're going to set yourself up for success in having the best opportunity ...
to capture great moments on stage. Also, having a shotlist is going to be instrumental in allowing you to prioritize your time and maximize it. So it could be in having, one, drummer shot. Tight shot of the leader singer. Loose shot of the leader singer. The guitarist. Bass player. Group shot. Front of house shot. Crowd shot. Venue shot. Marquee. All of those kinds of little details, and just have that as a mental checklist so you can run through while you're shooting the show. And that's going to allow you to work more efficiently. And on that, once you have that shotlist, you can execute with purpose and know that you once you check one of these elements off your list, you can move on and not repeat shots. Moving on. Maximizing your best opportunities. Not every single second of a song or performance is going to have the same energy or kind of value photographically. There are slower songs. If you're photographing a ballad, for example, maybe that song is when you go up to the balcony or do that kind of establishing wide shot when action isn't happening on stage. Or it could just mean taking time to move from one side of the pit to the other side. Or change lenses even. But when a high energy moment does come up, shoot a lot. Work the moment. Work the frame. Explore your options both with lenses, composition, angles, all those things. Take advantage of those opportunities when they come up. Also, knowing when to move on is kind of the opposite of that. Sometimes you might be working a subject, and once you've feel you've nailed that one moment or the image you think you want, move on because, again, you have limited time as a live music photographer. So if you're in the pit, or even if you're shooting as a tour photographer, you only have those 70, 80, 90 minutes of the performance in which to photograph and capture what you want. And maybe you have multiple days, but again, every show is going to be different, so knowing when to move on, cut your losses if that's the case, or simply, "Okay, I got the shot. I don't need to continue working the subject. I've got everything on my checklist. I can something weird. I can get the thing I didn't plan for. I can make the one shot I didn't think I'd have time for." So simply knowing when to move is a huge part of maximizing your time. Now we're moving on to something I consider essential as a music photographer and that is hearing protection. Wearing earplugs. Now, a lot of new music photographers might consider this something they take for granted or think, "Oh, the music doesn't sound as good. I don't need it. I'm only photographing a few shows." But the reality is that your hearing is critically important, and once it's gone, once you have hearing loss, it's not coming back. The average noise level at a concert, the exposure time for safe hearing is measured in minutes, not even hours. It's so critical to just wear earplugs and protect yourself. Now in this graph, you can see the average rock concert is anywhere from between about 110 to about 120 decibels in volume. And it's a little bit in between a chainsaw and a jet plane taking off. And here you can see, at, let's say 115, the average safe exposure time for a concert is going to be two minutes. So you can take this and extrapolate. If you're in the pit for three songs, let's say that's eight to 15 minutes, you've already got hearing loss. Damage, I should say. And so, that makes it even more critical, if you're staying for the concert, to just protect your ears. When it comes to earplugs, there are a couple of different options. When I started the first photographing concerts, I'd use the cheap foam earplugs. You can get these at any pharmacy. They're a couple of bucks for a ten-pack. So extremely economical. The pros of those, they're going to be cheap, They block a lot of sound. You can get up to 33 decibel-reducing earplugs in that style. They're disposable. Cons are that the sound's going to- it's not going to be great sound quality. It's going to be a little muffled. And you have to buy more eventually. They are what's call Hi-Fidelity earplugs. And these are earplugs that are developed for musicians and stage performers. When they have an acoustic filter that basically attenuates a sound evenly as opposed to unevenly so that the sound levels are simply lowered and the music still sounds pleasing. It still sounds like music instead of just muffled. And... So these cost a little bit more. They might be $15-30. You have naturally sound is a pro. They're reusable. The con is that they're more expensive and they may not be as comfortable as the most comfortable foam earplugs. Then there's custom earplugs, and these are what I personally use. They're going to be much more comfortable. You go to an audiologist and they basically stick a cotton ball in your ear, shove it way down. Doesn't feel awesome. They inject expanding, hardening foam into your ear canal and it basically makes an impression of your ear. And they send these off. Have silicon molds made out of them. And then there's an acoustic filter, just like the hi-fidelity earplugs, that are put into them. And, it's more expensive. Mine cost about $120 including the doctor exam. But they're reusable. Super comfortable. Unlike foam earplugs, you can just put them in. You don't have to wait for the foam to expand. And if you're serious about music photography, even at a 120 bucks, 150 dollars, for custom earplugs, it's going to be one of the cheaper accessories you have as a photographer.
Ratings and Reviews
Alexandra U
I highly reccomend this class for any one who would like to get started or dip their toes in the concert photography scene. This class has many useful tips and trick for any level of photographer, not just beginners. I have been in the music scene for over 10 years and I was able to gather so much information in every chapter. Watching this video boosted up my confidence as a photographer because it validated that I am already succeeding in my concert career. Thank you for this amazing stream. It sparked my creative soul once again.
Kris Comer
Wow, this was awesome! I have been a concert photographer for almost 3 years now and I still learned some great tips! I loved that he covered different ideas for promo shots which is one of my weaknesses. Any beginner should definitely check out this course! It is straight and to the point with all of the most important steps.
a Creativelive Student
I have been taking Creative Live classes since 2010 and this is at the top with the best classes t I have taken. This may have been the first time Todd taught a class, but you would never be able to tell. He doesn't just brag about the high profile clients he has shot, he also makes sure to relate to the photographer just starting out. I really enjoyed the two live shows as well as the additional portrait shoots. His concepts on location scouting, playing with distortion, multiple poses in one spot, speedlights, etc. can be applied to all kinds of photography, not just music photography. Highly recommend!