Nikon SLR stage photography skills

The photography skills in the concert are very different because of the long shooting distance at the concert and the rapid and intensive lighting changes. Technology, equipment use and luck are all important factors in taking wonderful photos.

First, let's look at the equipment.

1. The camera/lens can usually shoot the whole body to the bust in about ten rows. If you choose the position in the back row, the DC with long focal length is also conducive to narrowing the viewing angle, focusing the picture on the stage and avoiding the audience from entering the mirror. On the other hand, recently, some telephoto DC with hand shock prevention function are also quite beneficial for shooting concerts. In addition to the focal length, the camera should also have basic manual functions, such as exposure locking and key metering. At least have ISO and exposure compensation adjustment functions. When shooting with a digital SLR, a long focal length lens is also essential. It is better to have large aperture and zoom function, and the composition is more flexible. Use a hood to reduce fogging (fog mirror) caused by backlight when shooting.

If the lens itself does not have an original hood, consider using some hoods installed on the filter adapter. It is better for the camera to have key metering and automatic exposure locking.

Step 2: tripod

Because telephoto shooting is often used, hand-held shooting is more likely to cause hand shaking, so it is best to bring a tripod to stabilize the fuselage. The choice of tripod is better, because the seat space is limited, it will be more convenient to hold up tripod than tripod. If you choose a larger telephoto lens (such as EF 70-200mmf/2.8L USM), most lens bodies will be equipped with a rotatable tripod joint ring, and the horizontal and vertical composition can be changed by rotating the joint ring, which is much more convenient than changing the angle through a tripod. Now, let's look at the technical aspects.

1.ISO400 to ISO800 sensitivity

Although the lights in the audience are dim, the lights on the stage are completely different. Under the spotlight, the performer's acceptance can be enough to shoot without a flash. If f/4 aperture is used, ISO400-800 can provide a shutter speed of1125 seconds or even higher in many cases, which is enough to freeze the actions of the performers without much change.

Focus on measuring light

Compared with the background, the performers on the stage have a high luminosity under the irradiation of spotlight, and the light difference between the subject and the background is very large. If you use the average metering preset by the camera, the metering will be affected by the dark background, and the subject is seriously overexposed. As long as you lock the performer's luminosity with key photometry, the problem can be solved. The method of locking exposure varies from machine to machine. For models with many automatic functions, half-pressing the shutter will lock the exposure, and most of them have no independent exposure lock button. You can lock the exposure before the official shooting, and then press the shutter after re-composition. be concentrated

At present, many digital cameras have multi-point autofocus function. Although you can set the focus position manually, you can use the camera's autofocus selection function when shooting a concert. Because the performer's luminosity must be the highest in the concert, it is unlikely that the camera will choose the wrong focus. Save the trouble of focusing, and everyone can concentrate on exposure and composition! 4. Pay attention to the white balance of sunlight.

The lighting and color matching of the concert is one of the most wonderful places. However, if you use the automatic white balance mode, the camera will make the lights in the scene white and the photos will be unrecognizable. You'd better use the daylight white balance setting, the color of the photo will look more original. 5. Pay attention to black and white clothes

Although it was mentioned before that people should use key metering, when performers wear all-black or all-white clothes, the metering system of the camera is misled and the photos are likely to be seriously exposed. Therefore, if the performers wear all-white clothes, everyone needs to increase the exposure by about 1 to 1.5 ev (i.e.+1.5 EV); If you wear black clothes, you need to reduce the exposure of 1.5. Turn off the flash

Because the distance is too far, turning on the flash is not very helpful for shooting the concert, but it will cause the reflection of smoke in the venue and make the photo gloomy. It will be clearer to turn off the flash.