People often ask me for advice on photographing concerts. I get questions ranging from which lenses to use, how to get published, and how to improve technique, among others. All good, fair solicitations.
But, the single best piece of advice I can give to any concert photographer? Please: wear earplugs.
If the bass speakers up at the front of the pit are already shaking the floor, jiggling your bones, and otherwise helping you digest dinner with their sonic vibrations, imagine what they’re doing to your ears.
According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), sound levels for rock concerts reach an average rating of 112 dB, to which safe exposure is measured in minutes. Not like 20 or 30 minutes, but one or two. That won’t even get you through the a full song in the pit, let alone the full set.
With repeated exposure, all those unchecked decibels translate into permanent hearing loss. That ringing in your ears is not a badge of honor, it’s tinnitus.
I’ve tried all manner of earplugs, but I recommend two products in particular: the ER-20 and the Hearos Ultimate Softness Ear Plugs.
Etymotic Research ER-20:
The ER-20 are made by Etymotic Research, which made its name in audiophile-quality ear-canal headphones. Just like their earphone offerings, the ER-20s are positioned as a high-fidelity product that allow for natural sound at lower, safer levels, making them well-suited for concerts.
There’s no longer the excuse that the music “doesn’t sound as good” when you have these earplugs as an option. Unlike conventional earplugs, which can produce a muffled hearing experience, the ER-20s lower noise levels more evenly, rendering more clarity at safer sound levels.
Pros: Great clarity without the muffled sound of conventional earplugs; they’re easy to wash for repeated use.
Cons: The effective 20-dB rating isn’t as effective for very regular or extended gigging as higher ratings. The comfort of these plugs isn’t cut out for long events, but then again, neither is their dB-rating.
Hearos Ultimate Softness Ear Plugs:
They look like most any other cheap, foam earplugs, but I was pleasantly surprised by the Hearos Ultimate Softness Ear Plugs. Not only do they live up to their name, but you’ll wonder where the ringing in your ears went after a few shows.
While the polyurethane Hearos can’t claim the hi-fi pedigree of the ER-20s, what they lack in finesse these earplugs make up for in stopping power with their 32-dB rating.
Thanks to the comfy fit, these easy-wearing ‘plugs are especially nice for long bills and extended sets.
Pros: They’re dirt cheap, super comfy, and do a great job at blocking ear-killing squeals.
Cons: More muffled sound than the ER-20s; slower, more finicky insertion. Not made for repeated use.
The above two earplugs are just products I’ve tried and recommend, but whatever you use, just stick something in those holes. Your ears will thank you for it.
This entry was posted on Thursday, May 29th, 2008 at 9:23 am and is filed under Photography Gear and tagged with concert ear plugs, concert photography, concerts, damgage, decibels, ear damage, ear plugs, ear protection, hearing, hearing damage, hearing protection, loud, noise, prevention, rating. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
[...] Concert Photographers: Wear Earplugs [...]
Live music public service announcement: Please, wear earplugs: http://bit.ly/Z1Qcf
Live music public service announcement: Please, wear earplugs: http://bit.ly/Z1Qcf (via @toddowyoung – couldn’t agree more)
Live music public service announcement: Please, wear earplugs: http://bit.ly/Z1Qcf (via @toddowyoung – couldn’t agree more)
[...] pair of earplugs. A quick Amazon search and at the cost of a crap 80s hits collection on sale I got the advise and bought a pair of [...]
Welcome to ishootshows.com, the premier site for music photography featuring daily concert coverage, portrait features, and photo advice from professional music photographer Todd Owyoung.
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My name is Todd, and I love the rock show. My work has appeared in publications such as Rolling Stone, SPIN, the New York Times, Alternative Press, Metal Hammer, Entertainment Weekly, and Billboard Magazine. I'm available for worldwide travel for editorial and commercial assignments.
I always wear earplugs now. After you do 3 or 4 shows at night in a weeke you start to realise that these sweet tunes really do you arm.
I use foam earpllugs but i will look into these ER : i feel that sometimes i’m really to isolated with foam ep especially when the sound level lowers.
Anybody knows about other products?
I saw a soundtech guy once wering molded ep with a filter that “closes” above a certain (dangerous) amount of noise.
Good post though it’s so important to remind people that ears never fully recover from a sound injury (parts of the internal ear just die and can’t grow back)
Hey Xavier,
Wearing earplugs can be a bittersweet thing, as I think most all concert photographers get into the scene for a love of music and want to hear it at its best.
The Etyplugs (ER-20s) are a nice balance between nothing at all and more robust protection. The protection rating is modest, but certainly better than nothing at all.
The soundtech you know might be wearing custom molded plugs that use this technology:
http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/honobr.html
I’ve been interested in trying these plugs and will probably order a pair. Sounds great in theory.
I love my ER-20s but they just aren’t good enough for hip-hop or metal shows!
Chris, I felt the same way. The ER-20s are great, since they are much more transparent with regard to the music and listening experience, but sometimes they’re just not strong enough.
I paid all of $1.99 for four pairs of the Hearos; I’d give them a try next time you go to photograph the crushing metal.
Hey. Great advice. Since I was the one who (kinda) inspired you for this post, I’d like to share my experience too. I used the ER-20 before and it did a good job. But when I lost my pair, I choose to try another one and found those: Music Safe III.
I cannot compare the sound of those two because I never owned them at the same time. The Music Safe is a little smaller than the ER-20 and much more comfortable. The plug is softer and feels better in my ears. I even sometimes use it when sleeping at a loud location or on a plane/bus. I barely ever did this with the ER-20. The Music Safe also has a much bigger versatility, because it comes with a bunch of different filters that allow you to choose one with the right amount of filtering for whatever show you are going to. It’s sold in a nice box with some extra stuff. If I remember correctly the price was about the same as the ER-20, but you get more for your money. I highly recommend those.
Hey Marc,
Thanks again for the feature recommendation, I’m going to incorporate a mention of earplugs into the Gear Guide for ISS, too.
I’ve seen those Music Safe earplugs online and was thinking about trying them out, so it’s nice to hear the positive endorsement and info.
The ability to put in different filters for various sound levels is a great option. One thing I dislike about the Hearos above is that, while they offer a lot of protection, it’s all or nothing. Thanks again for the recommendation.
Hey Todd,
If you ask me, earplugs are THE most important piece of gear for concert photography (and attendance). It’s nice to see that you, too, have found Hearos. I’ve tried a lot of different foam earplugs over the years (no pun intended) and Hearos seem to be the best around in their category. They don’t quite live up to custom earplugs or ER-20s in terms of sound transparency, but they’re extremely comfortable, have a high rating and come in a nice inconspicuous colour. Most foam earplugs seem to have a horrible penchant for flashy neon colours.
One thing I’d like to add is that Etymotic Research also have a variation of the ER-20 model called “BabyBlues”, which is made for people who, like myself, have smaller ear canals. The regular ER-20s are way too large and rough for my ears, but the ER-20 BabyBlues fit in rather nicely. I’m still considering the option of getting custom made Musicians earplugs, but Hearos and ER-20 BabyBlues fill in the spot quite nicely at the moment.
Earplugs aside, I just have to tell you how much I love your work as a concert photographer. I’ve been reading your blog for a while and I’m always amazed at your photos. Hmm, have you tried using the Tokina ATX Macro for concert photography yet? ;)
João! It’s great to hear from you! I was just thinking about you the other day, as I almost photographed Nightwish. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out, but perhaps another time.
The Hearos are a recent discovery. I’ve worn earplugs to every single concert I’ve attended over the last several years, and even then, I’m sure I have minor hearing damage. I simply go to too many shows.
My brother uses the Baby Blues and recommends them. I haven’t tried them myself, but I should check them out.
I’ve also been considering some custom-molded earplugs, but haven’t had the time to look into getting a pair made.
I haven’t used the Tokina for any concert shots – maybe some day!
Again, it’s great to hear from you, it’s been a while. I’m glad you found ISS, as I know you’re a huge music fan.
Are you shooting concerts now as well?
About the “better than nothing” : i once lost an earplug in a crowd and then just stuck a piece of clean paper tissue in my ear : not as effective but definitely better than nothing !
Keep it in mind : it’s a long time investment to protect our ears.
Hello Mr. T. (hope you caught the Sweeney Todd reference there xD)
It’s a pity that you didn’t manage to shoot Nightwish. I’ve seen them live with their previous singer and they put on a truly fantastic show. They played here in Lisbon about a month ago but I didn’t manage to catch them either. Queensrÿche are also playing here in Lisbon this weekend but I won’t be able to attend the show because of my university exams. :/
The BabyBlues are quite nice, but not nearly as comfortable as Hearos. I use Hearos when attending most loud concerts and the BabyBlues when playing an instrument myself or attending a rather quiet concert or show. The thing I don’t like about the ER-20s are the two sticks protruding out of my ears. :P I recently caught a Cirque du Soleil show here in Lisbon and forgot to take my earplugs along. Damn, the crowd clapping was loud; it’s a good thing that it only went on for a few minutes at a time.
Custom Musicians earplugs are really enticing because they’re supposed to be really comfortable and you can go as low as 9db or as high as 25db of quite transparent noise suppression.
It’s been quite a while since we last talked. I stopped going to the dpreview.com forums since I couldn’t stand the environment and the usual topics there, but I recently went back, checked your profile and noticed that you had new website. I now track this blow through my RSS feeds. :)
I haven’t been shooting concerts myself, but it’s something that I’d really like to get into. There are a few minor barriers to it though. First, it’s difficult to start when you don’t have any contacts who might be able to get you a photo pass. Secondly, my digital camera is still a D70—not particularly known for its high ISO performance—and my fastest auto-focus lens is the 50mm f/1.8. I’ve been considering some faster lenses and I’m long due for a camera upgrade, but getting a use Hasselblad kit is really tempting as well. Ah, priorities… :P
While on this subject, is it realistic to try shooting concerts with manual focus lenses or do you generally rely on autofocus for this type of photography?
Hey João,
I actually didn’t find out about the Nightwish show until just before tthe event. Perhaps next time they tour, or on a later date.
For custom plugs, I think that I’ll go as high as possible with the attenuation. 25dB sounds like a nice compromise to me.
I haven’t been on DPR very much lately, though I have kept in touch with just a few people. I still get e-mails about the Tokina 90mm f/2.5, if you can believe it. Anyway, nice to have your comments now on ishootshows!
You should give concert photography a chance, I think you’d really enjoy it.
I know some people who shoot shows using manual focus. It all depends on the type of music/band and how long you have. Personally, I always use autofocus. The first gig I shot was with the D70 and 50/1.4 , so I wouldn’t write off that kit for this kind of photography.
earplugs are a must. I started to wear them about a half a year ago and it’s a pitty I didn’t earlier. It’s really a must and many people forget about them..
I really don’t understand people who don’t wear them..especially at hardcore gigs. Man, the noise made there is sometimes louder than on a stadium….
Anything with the -core suffix, metal, and hip hop are some of the loudest shows, I’ve found. Especially the latter.
It was after being front row for a performance by the Roots that I decided I needed something more than the 20dB attenuation of the EtyPlugs.
Yes, earplugs are the most important thing in your bag. After checking out a dozen of different plugs i now use the Music Safe III. Reusable, compact and very comfortable. Another thing for hardcore gigs: Wear some additional ear muffs like the Elastocaps, they are excellent and worth every cent.
Greets from Germany,
Peter.
Hey Peter, nice to hear from you. Another vote for the Music Safe plugs – I’ll have to check them out.
I’ve seen quite a few security managers in the pit wearing similar earcups to those Elastocaps you linked, so they must be good.
By the way, is your blog still up?
I’m a lot happier now that I wear earplugs at every show. I wish I’d realised how great they are earlier — could’ve saved myself 12 years of damage.
Better late than never, Rachel!
Hi Todd,
no, the blog is down – and probably will stay down due to time limitations. But i hope i will manage to relaunch my personal website in a few days with zenphoto which makes it more comfortable to update. So my pictures will be up the next day after the show and not just once every two months, hopefully ;)
Greets,
Peter.
I have the ER-20s too and love them. The same company makes earphones that are basically the same. They block out so much noise you can keep your iPod volume on super low. They’re fantastic!
Hey Laura, thanks for the comment. I have noticed that the flanged tips for the Ety earphones are very similar to the earplug tips.
I also have some canalphones, and the isolation is great. I agree, in addition to great sound, being able to listen at lower volumes is a definite plus.
I didn’t sift through all the these responses, but I recommend Docs Pro Plugs.
http://www.proplugs.com/
Their reusable plastic that really contour to you ear / inner ear. Comfortable. Work really well.
I had to get these because I started dj’ing. I have a pair with a “vent” and a pair completely closed. The vent lets me talk to people and hear certain music sounds while the vent provides more protection. I like them cuase they are fully reusable and functional. Something people might try.
Hey Keith, thanks for the recommendation for the ProPlugs. I hadn’t seen those before, but they look like an interesting option.
Picked up 10 pairs today! I’m never going through another concert without them again!
Chris, nice to hear you’ve learned your lesson after just your first gig. Your ears will be happier for it, trust me.
@ Peter: Do you wear those Elastocups together with the Music Safe?
Also: Zenphoto is great! I have been using for a bunch of months now and it really makes managing my gallery a lot easier. And the pages load fast too.
@Marc, yes both Music Safe and Elastocups if the show is reallyreallyreally loud ;) Sometimes i wear the elastocups only, because i don’t like it too much having things in my ear ;)
i’ve got my own since al ot of times now.
i cannot going to a gig without that :&
I’ve been wearing plugs for years (much to the amusement of my friends) but I would seriously be screwed without them. I always have a pack of the 33db Hearos on me and love them. Sure they sound muffled, but for the price ($5 for a set of 7) and their effectiveness, you can’t beat them.
Laura: do they have a model of those earphones for smaller ear canals, kind of like the ER-20 BabyBlues?
I usually forget to put ear plugs in. But I was at Gwar last Thursday (photos on my site *cough* ha) and the music was really loud. I tried to put these long earplugs in my ears but they always pop back out and I look like Frankenstein. So I use tissues more, at least it’s something :)
Bryan: are you using foam earplugs? You’re probably forgetting to pull the ear up while inserting the earplugs. Pulling the ear up, is a very important step as it expands the ear canal and allows you to put the earplugs much deeper.
I try to twist the foam ones, and try to jam it in there. But for some reason I can’t get them in there good enough. my ears are big but for some reason I can’t wear ear plugs and I can’t wear those headsets that you stick in your ears as well. They always fall out. Maybe my ears are deformed haha.
Hey Bryan, regarding the foam ones you’ve tried, how soft is the foam? The Hearos that I use are compress down to about 15-20% of their expanded volume.
I roll the plug between my fingers until it’s a narrow cylinder and then insert them into the ear canal. As João suggested, you can pull up on your ear with your other hand while inserting for a deeper fit. Lastly, I hold the plug in my ear while it expands, ensuring that it doesn’t push out of the ear canal.
The foam of the Hearos is, as advertised, super soft; I’d give them a try, they’re only $2!
Yeah I try to hold them in there as it gels into my ear, but it pops out. maybe i got too much wax lol. i’ll check out those other ear plugs tho.
hey todd, who would have thought you’d get 30 something comments on ear plugs :)
What can I say, people love earplugs. But really, I think it’s great to have so much discussion from different concert photographers. This is the sort of interaction I’d like to foster with ishootshows.
João- Yes. You buy the same earphones and you can get baby blue eartips for them separately.
Todd, Bryan, the way I get a better fit from using the Hearos is that when I insert them I raise my eyebrows and open my mouth (moves the jawbone down). Then its quite snug.
Between the music on stage and crowd noise a little muffle doesn’t bother me. cheers!
Hey ww, thanks for the tip about lowering the jaw while fitting earplugs. Just tried that trick with the Hearos tonight at a show and it produced a great fit. Thanks!
Todd, I’m glad that helps.
I’m in my rookie season as a concert shooter. Lemme tell you, your advice is right on.
Last night’s shoot was at a punk rock house party, and oh, were those earplugs a nice thing to have. In fact, one of the partygoers saw the plugs and said, “You’re smart.”
Oh, one more thing. If you ever find yourself at a punk rock house party with a camera, be warned that slam-dancing can break out at any time. It did during the final set, and I had to yield my photo-spot to the slammers. It was either that or get pummeled.
Hey Martha, glad to hear your experience. I think smaller shows can be the hardest on the ears, because the acoustics are already primed for ear-damage. That, and they’re loud!
I keep swearing my shows of shooting in a rowdy crowd are behind me, but who knows…
Great post! And, indeed, you’re right: wear earplugs!
Definitely. If you’re bang at the front, especially at a festival, you’re going to be thundered with the bass bins for a start.
I always wear earplugs – Elain moulded ear plugs with ER15 inserts. You can replace them with different filters depending on the decibel level you want.
ER-20′s for the win. Not only do I photograph bands, but I sing in two of them. And the practice spaces are tiny and the alternative, psychadelic, jam band is VERY loud…
The ER-20′s don’t muffle the sound or distort it… it just picks it up like a puppy and sets it farther away. :)
Those Z II Elastocaps look slick. If you are interested in Er-20s and are not sure whether to get the smaller baby blues or the standard fit then maybe consider http://www.er-20.com (the unofficial blog). There is comparisons and fitting information among other goodies.
What?? I can’t hear you?
Seriously, this will help me out big time at Warped on Sunday. I just went to Rite-Aid and got some Hearos and I’m ready for battle. They are sure a pain to get in there but with a little practice and making some funny facesthink I’ve got it.
Thanks for the heads up, I’d never have thought of this till I got there and then it would be too late.
Hey Michael, have fun at Warped. For all-day festival shoots like that, I think earplugs are even more essential. Your ears are getting pounded for hours on end, so ‘plugs are a must-have.
Shoot me a link to your Warped shots, especially the backstage stuff, I’d like to see what you come back with.
thanks for this.
I was after a good suggestion about earplugs for a while.
I hate the foam ones and often get rid of them.
I just ordered the ER20 from amazon.
The ER-20 are nice. I’ve got to get another pair for concerts I stay for. Lately, I’ve just been using the Hearos, but they’re not the best for music I actually want to hear clearly.
I’m going to a concert tomorrow night and I’m wearing earplugs. I’m not a concert photographer or even a frequent concert-goer. I’m not taking any chances whatsoever. I like my hearing, and I am going to do everything possible to keep it that way and still have fun at concerts.
Thanks for putting this article up. Earplugs make a huge difference in your enjoyment of a show, too. I shot a show once and realized that I forgot mine once it was too late, but I didn’t leave the show. I regret it because my ears didn’t stop ringing until 4 days later when I went to another show with earplugs this time. You don’t lose any of the sound quality with earplugs as so many claim. I like my hearing, and as a photographer lower volume of the music allows me to focus more on the act while still being able to hear the music to anticipate the crowd and artists. I’m certainly glad to not be the only photographer who highly recommends wearing earplugs.
-Leslie
Todd, have you tried the Hock’s Noisebreakers? I used them a few years ago and they were amazing and MUCH more comfortable than the ER20s that I’m using now. I wore the ER20s for about 6 hours last night and ears still hurt from them.
Hey Richard,
I haven’t tried the Hock’s Noisebreakers, but I’ve always wanted to see how they worked for concerts. Seems like a great idea.
You’re right, the ER-20s aren’t that comfortable for extended use – but then again, they also don’t attenuate the volume enough to be used safely for that long, either.
These days, I’m mostly using the Hearos – they’re comfortable and they reduce a ton of sound.
I started wearing the ER20s for my motorcycle but really hate the way they feel. The Noise Brakers I used in the past were the 6 flanged kind and worked well for smaller ears. The silicone is very soft and I like the NRR21 rating. I’m looking at getting custom molds in the future but that’s quite an expense.
Richard,
Are the Noisebreakers available in more than one size? I have a rather small ear canal and generally use a set of ER-20 Baby Blues, but they still get quite uncomfortable after a while. The standard ER-20′s are just way too big for my ears.
Couldn’t agree more Todd.
Guess for some people it’s not hip to wear earplugs (the “My Bloody Valentine” mentality). However it’s sad hearing musicians say how their hearing has suffered and I guess Photographers & venue staff are the next in line.
As an update to this, you may be interested to know that Alpine also make another set of earplugs that let you choose between medium and high protection.
I got a set (branded as “MusicSafe Classic”). They let you change an insert depending on what attenuation you want. Here’s more info:
http://www.snorestore.co.uk/acatalog/musicsafe-classic-earplugs.html
I shall be trying them out this weekend with 65 Days of Static:
http://www.65daysofstatic.com/
Just to let you know I tried the Alpine MusicSafe Classic earplugs last night and they were fine:
- I had them in for around 3 hours and they were comfortable
- They look like the Etymotic Research ER-20 earplugs but have two soft flanges instead of the three
- They cut the volume ok (though the bands weren’t mega loud)
- The quality of sound remained pretty good
Hi! I just ordered an ER-20 set (because your recommendation), but it’s noise reduction rating is only 12 dB-s. I think it will be useful for normal use because easier handling. But for more noisy events I will use the 3M Safety Disposable Foam Ear Plug NRR 29 dB, because it’s also cheap and I can buy it at any drug store.