Comments on: Mastodon @ Mayhem Fest

By: Disturbed @ Mayhem Fest | ishootshows.com: Concert Photography

Disturbed @ Mayhem Fest | ishootshows.com: Concert Photography — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 03:54:16 +0000

[...] high-energy sets by Mastodon and DragonForce on the main stage, Disturbed brought their heavy sound to the roaring masses, [...]

By: Matthew Howe

Matthew Howe — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 01:01:01 +0000

Todd –

I love your site. I also love the way you’ve started a dialog among concert photographers and are willing to help us newbies out. I’ve just begun shooting shows in a serious way. I started with the D300 (The three major 2.8 zooms and a handful of fast primes). Just upgraded to the D700, best body I can afford.

In that vein, a few questions.

What is your approach to focus?

How much post-shoot color-correction/sharpening do you do?

What size/compression raw files do you shoot?

Any thoughts on flare?

Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated. By the way, I really love the wide angle distortion in these shots. It adds so much life and puts you right there in the middle of the action.

Thanks!

By: DragonForce @ Mayhem Fest | ishootshows.com: Concert Photography

DragonForce @ Mayhem Fest | ishootshows.com: Concert Photography — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 04:25:04 +0000

[...] the stage after Mastodon, Britain’s DragonForce picked up the metal hammer and took it soaring with soaring vocals, [...]

By: Todd

Todd — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:23:40 +0000

Stopping blur really depends on the performers, and it may take anywhere from 1/160 to over 1/500.

For the most active bands, I’ll go to 1/1000 and up if I can.

By: Keath

Keath — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:13:34 +0000

Thanks Todd! I’m shooting Projekt Rev this weekend so I’m trying to gather tips on reducing blur in my shots. The advice and amount of time you spend here helping all of us out is much appreciated, believe me!

By: Todd

Todd — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:31:04 +0000

Hey Chad, thanks for the comment. Glad to hear your thoughts on the wide shots.

ISO 1600 on the D3 is my favorite sensitivity right now. The files are just so clean, it’s easily 2-stops better than my D2x at the same setting. The noise-reduction setting for this ISO is zero in regards to user-selectable NR.

ISO 3200 and 6400 are very nice, but ISO 1600 on the D3 is just beautiful.

I’ll do a post on high ISO noise in the near future where I can post some 100% crops and such.

By: Chad Fahnestock

Chad Fahnestock — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:06:06 +0000

Nice shots as usual Todd. I love the perspective on those wide angle shots.

That’s ridiculous that you can get clean shots like that at 1600.

By: Todd

Todd — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:19:15 +0000

Hey Keath, thanks. I’ll have to look back at the exact exposure, but I was keeping the shutter speeds plenty high for this set.

I was probably somewhere around 1/500, f/3.5, and ISO 1600. The shutter speeds could have been even higher.

ISO 1600 is so clean on the D3 that I have no problem what so ever using it for well lit gigs like this because I know the boost in shutter speeds is necessary.

By: Keath

Keath — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:30:27 +0000

Fabulous shots! I’m beyond impressed with how clear you were able to get these with the obvious amount of movement the band was making. Was that all shutter speed or did you have some additional tricks up your sleeve?

By: Todd

Todd — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:15:21 +0000

Hey Jason, I’m glad to hear that, as a fan of these guys, you approve. Hope you get to see them live, they put on a fantastic performance. The energy they put into their set is mindblowing.