Sound Check with Low Hums and Wild Powwers
Lesson 17 from: Getting Started in Music Photography with Red Bull Photographer Todd OwyoungTodd Owyoung
Sound Check with Low Hums and Wild Powwers
Lesson 17 from: Getting Started in Music Photography with Red Bull Photographer Todd OwyoungTodd Owyoung
Lesson Info
17. Sound Check with Low Hums and Wild Powwers
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
Sound Check with Low Hums and Wild Powwers
With Low Hums, one great opportunity that we have is to shoot sound check. Sound check is an important opportunity for a music photographer, because it allows you to get a feel for the space, for the venue, if you haven't shot there before. But it allows you to see how the band members are going to interact on stage. How they're positioned. You know, is the bassist or the guitarist stage right, stage left? Where the drum kit is setup. It allows you to test shooting angles. Ideally maybe even see what the lighting might be like. And really just kind of plan your shot list, plan your angle of attack, and all the strategy going into that real, live show. (bass strumming) (drumming) (bass tuning) (soft rock music) Again, this was a great opportunity because it allowed me to see not only the band's setup, which was crucial to planning my attack for these photos, but also to just chat with the band and get their buy in. So, for example, the drummer Mike, I was able to show him photos of wh...
at it looks like to use speed lights under a drum kit or just four small venue lights in general. Getting his buy in, him as drummer, and me being able to say, "hey, I love photographing drummers. "I want to nail great shots of you. "Here's what this treatment looks like. "It's going to be minimally distracting, "you're probably not going to even notice it." And he was like "yeah, these photos look great. "I want great photos of me, so let's do it." Getting that buy in, just being able to check with the band during soundcheck is a great opportunity to get them on your side. As a result you'll be able to get better access, make better images, and come away with something different that someone who is not having access to the band is not going to get. (loud rock music) ♪ You are the ritual ♪ ♪ The only one ♪ ♪ You are the ritual ♪ ♪ The only one ♪ ♪ You are the ritual ♪ ♪ The only one ♪ Can I get more mic in the fronts? Just on the drummer. I want more vocals of mine. I could use more drum vocals back here. As with the Low Hums, we had access to the Wild Powwers sound check, and this was a great opportunity once again because it allowed me to see their stage setup, get a sneak peak of the energy, which made me even more excited for the live show. Even having listened to Wild Powwers beforehand, seeing them live was a totally different experience. And just Lupe's energy on the drums was amazing, it was exactly the type of energy that a music photographer loves to capture. (rock music) In this shoot with Wild Powwers, one consideration is that they're a trio. Unlike the Low Hums with a three-piece band, they're going to have a much different stage presence than a five-piece band. They're much more spread out and so in contrast to Low Hums, where you could get multiple members in any give frame, it was much more of a challenge to get that full band shot with Wild Powwers. (rock music) ♪ And all its surprise ♪ Because of Wild Plowwers's stage setup, Jordan was a little bit closer to the front of the stage, and was kind of playing out a little more. Whereas Laura, stage left, was pushed back a little bit behind a mic stand. So there's a different level of dynamism, and kind of energy at play and so I personally favored shooting a little bit more from stage right. One tactic that I used for this was shooting with a bit of a wide angle, so that I could get the base of the guitar and kind of play with perspective distortion and put him a little closer in the frame. Play up that perspective. (rock music) ♪ Wherever you are ♪ ♪ When you're riding on yourself ♪ ♪ You can do it all but you won't ♪ ♪ You're riding on yourself ♪ ♪ You can do whatever you want ♪ ♪ You're riding on yourself ♪ ♪ You're riding on yourself ♪ (rock music)
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!