193 replies to this topic

[Bellamy]

Every concert ticket print that. Nothing special.

[whineupemily]

Im pretty sure they mean no PRO. cameras, because i brought mine in, and the security guard said to me "On your way leaving the concert i wanna see at least one great picture you got of her!, have a great show" hahaha, i was like "Ill show you a video!" I stuck with my word!  He was amazed, he goes "Most of the time we are only aloud to stand at the doors, so my view of her is terrible, thank you for showing me the video"  Then i said "Do you get to meet her?" He goes "Some do, but those are the closer to the stage guards, so all i get is video" Aww, i felt bad hahaa!

But anyways, just bring it in, they honestly dont care, i mean how else are you supposed to remember this magical moment? By memory only? No way!

[Bralo20]

Nmj, on Sep 25 2008, 02:10 AM, said:

Thanks Koolan, but why do they even bother saying no cameras then?

It's still something from the past...  Back in the old days you weren't allowed to bring camera's inside because they wanted to be sure that none of the concerts leaked out.  Probably to make sure everyone was coming to see the concert rather then just looking at some pictures or video.  Back then thoughts were that numbers of visitors would decrease when pictures, video or audio leaked during the concerts and that less people would like to pay to actually see the concert.

It has worked for some years but since the introduction of digital compact camera's and even compact HD filmcamera's it was easier to smuggle camera's inside.  The quality of the (compact) camera's increased and decent photos and video footage appeared after concerts.  However the organisators and the artists didn't like this it became clear that it had totaly no effect on the ticketsales and that people still paid to see a concert rather than download a bootleg, see a video or look at some pictures.  So the last year several concerthalls, organisators and artists dropped the requirement to ban all photo and AV equipment.  However, although it is (officially or unofficially) allowed to take a camera to a concert it is still not allowed to take a professional camera to a concert.  This to protect the press and to prevent to everyone is starting to take high quality pictures to sell them afterwards for profit.

The USA was rather strict in the past while Europa was a big more lose to the use of camera's but I'm happy to see that also the USA is starting to allow camera's...

[bsj1701]

I was wondering if those of you who have had success in getting great concert shots, might share some tips. What ISO setting did you use? Did you just shoot on Auto, or did you go with shutter or aperture priority, (or something else.)

Thanks!

[ZoraSourit]

It really depends. It depends if your venue is outside or not; the place you are in. And also... the light pretty much changes through out the concert... If you are very far from the stage, the light during MHWGO makes it almost impossible to take a good shoot... But it depends. I recommend you to try out a few things during the 1st act and see what works better.

[KimboCosmo]

This is going to be so confusing for me...I have a new camera, and I have no idea how to work it...there are SO MANY settings and I have no clue how to use them!  I've been playing around with it, but it is hard to understand them when you don't know much about cameras.  

[ZoraSourit]

My camera was new also when I went to the first concert... I tried out a few things, I got some good pics and some are just crap hahahahahah I wish I could knew that much about photography to give you fantastic tips, but unfortunately I don't. If your camera is new, play around with it, get to know it well and then try out a few things during the first act of the concert. Then, just go for it.

Edited by ZoraSourit, 25 November 2008 - 08:01 AM.

[kathyc25]

Yes like Zora said you should try different settings during the opening act to see which works best. The setting that worked best for me was Program, 1 full stop exposure, ISO 400. I wouldn`t go any higher than that or else your pictures are going to be very grainy. And this is important: DO NOT USE FLASH your pictures will come out over exposed and just not good. The only flash you could use would be a detachable for a DSLR and you wouldn`t be able to bring that in without a press pass anyway, so just don`t use the flash at all. You can see my photos in the NY/NJ threads.

[ZoraSourit]

kathyc25, on Nov 25 2008, 03:00 PM, said:

Yes like Zora said you should try different settings during the opening act to see which works best. The setting that worked best for me was Program, 1 full stop exposure, ISO 400. I wouldn`t go any higher than that or else your pictures are going to be very grainy. And this is important: DO NOT USE FLASH your pictures will come out over exposed and just not good. The only flash you could use would be a detachable for a DSLR and you wouldn`t be able to bring that in without a press pass anyway, so just don`t use the flash at all. You can see my photos in the NY/NJ threads.

I didn't use flash either.

[ZoraSourit]

Here are some photos I took:

Berlin - outside concert:





Inside concerts:

Paris




Antwerp



Amsterdam





Good luck and let us know how it went! And don't forget to show us some photos!

[celinedream]

wow Zora those are great pictures!! How many Zoom X does your camera have?

[ZoraSourit]

celinedream, on Nov 25 2008, 07:31 PM, said:

wow Zora those are great pictures!! How many Zoom X does your camera have?

I used an Olympus UZ-560. It has an 18x zoom.

[browseceline]

your pictures are really amazing! wish I was that close to the stage...

Edited by browseceline, 25 November 2008 - 03:08 PM.

[celine_rox]

ZoraSourit, on Nov 25 2008, 03:24 PM, said:

celinedream, on Nov 25 2008, 07:31 PM, said:

wow Zora those are great pictures!! How many Zoom X does your camera have?

I used an Olympus UZ-560. It has an 18x zoom.

dang 18x zoom
i wish i had a camera like that

[j411celine]

Great pics how did you smuggle a camera in lol.?

[Koolan]

j411celine, on Nov 25 2008, 06:32 PM, said:

Great pics how did you smuggle a camera in lol.?

Most venues allow cameras as long as they are not the pro models.

[Chellbie]

good question!    I can use all the help too!

KimboCosmo, on Nov 25 2008, 01:57 AM, said:

This is going to be so confusing for me...I have a new camera, and I have no idea how to work it...there are SO MANY settings and I have no clue how to use them!  I've been playing around with it, but it is hard to understand them when you don't know much about cameras.  

kimtastic.. you better figure it out! lol.. I can't believe im saying this, but don't you wish you had more time to figure it out! Less than two months!

[ZoraSourit]

My camera can't be considered a 'small camera'. It has a big zoom, so it's kind of a big volume to hide in your clothes or something like that... So I had a little trick. I always carried my bag around, with lots of things inside: my personal stuff, my best friend's personal stuff, and also a little coat that I supposedly brought in case I felt cold lol. And I would put my camera inside of the bag. Also, it helps if you're bag has lots of pockets. In many concerts the security could almost felt the camera from the outside of the bag but didn't had the time to search for it, so I always got away with it.

The only time I couldn't manage to enter with the camera was at Arras... Mainly because it was raining like hell and we stood in the line for more than 8 hours... So I totally forgot about the camera.

[Bralo20]

The trick for taking decent pictures is the following:

1) DSLR camera (most preferred Nikon or Canon allthough Sony will do to )
2) ISO Rating 100 (depending on the camera you can go up to 800 or 1250 but I'll suggest this only with the newest camera's since they don't have a big "noise" problem anymore)
3) Lens with a low F number (lightstrong lens) for example F2.8 or lower like F1.8, 1.5
4) Speedsettings between 1/100 and 1/1250: depending on the situation
5) NO flash (mostly not allowed, even for press photographer, but also useless)
6) RAW images instead of JPG files, more corrections possible, but larger files
7) ...

But since this is probably not possible I'll suggest something different


Normally DSLR camera's will not be allowed during performances and certainly not during performances in North America.  In Europe it's also not allowed but it seems that the use of those camera's is more and more tollerated (used mine during a concert a couple of weeks ago, security in front of me and no problem).  However, with a DSLR you can only make decent pictures during a concert when you set your camera fully manual and not using the (sometimes available) autoprograms.  It's also preferred to be in the front rows. So we'll skip the part of DSLR's and we'll go straight to point and shoot camera's...

Now, you can certainly make decent pictures with "regular" camera but since you can't use a flash I'll suggest to operated it manually instead of using some of the programs.  The low light program for example can be found on several regular camera's and is designed to take pictures in low light environments, however this program works mostly only with a fixed stand where you put you camera on.  The problem with such a program is that it will use a large shuttertime only usable for static displays and not concerts since there is way to many motion to be captured with a long shuttertime.  The result will be blurred images with no detail at all.  We go for a manual setup...

First of all you'll have to know that small camera's (non DSLR's) are producing a lot of picture noice with higher ISO ratings.  When you get visible noice on DSLR pictures from 400 ISO or above you will start to notice noice on pictures from 100 ISO on pictures taken with small cameras...  Some don't mind some noice, I personally hate it

You'll start with a fixed ISO rating of 100 ISO.  Not automatic and not higher.  100 ISO it is.

Now that you set the ISO rating you'll have to chose a shutterspeed.  Not all camera's have this choice but most of them have it.  Set it, depending on you ability to keep a camera still, to about 1/15 or 1/30 of a second.  When you have the availability of a lot of light (stagelights) you can go to faster shutterspeeds.  You'll have to play a little arround to find the best setting for your camera and the concert you're visiting.  Every camera and certainly every single concert is different.  The more lights used, the better you're pictures will be.

The last thing is the aperture, the so called "F-numbers".  A lower F number means a bigger lensopening which means more light.  But since no regular camera has the posibility to chose your aperture we can forget about this.  However, when using a DSLR during a concert: be certain to chose the lowest possible F number available with your lens.

Just one thing: since you can't use the RAW format with regular camera's it's very important to use the highest quality available on your camera.  The higher the quality, the less compressing needed, the more detail you'll have in a picture.

During the concert in Antwerp, on May 14 from this year I took some pictures with a Panasonic DMC-TZ5 9mpix point & shoot camera with 10x optical zoom.  Not my best shots but I'm rather happy about it since I couldn't take my DSLR with me

Some examples:









And a general view from the stage:



More in this thread: http://www.celinedio...showtopic=24488 (pg 1 & 3)

Edited by Bralo20, 26 November 2008 - 10:20 AM.

[kathyc25]

I was hoping you would answer Bralo I`m dying for a DSLR...but just can`t afford one right now.

[Bralo20]

kathyc25, on Nov 26 2008, 06:42 PM, said:

I was hoping you would answer Bralo I`m dying for a DSLR...but just can`t afford one right now.

No problem   Since I'm rather busy during the months near the end of the year i'm not visiting this board regulary at this point (this will change in the future ).  However, someone give me a hint to visit this thread   Thanks Koolan!

DSLR's are getting cheaper and better by the day...  Just wait untill it's affordable and you'll have plenty of choices   And nowadays the DSLR's (at the bottom of the range) doesn't have to be more expensive than a decent point & shoot camera.  I think I've could have bought a DSLR with a kitlens for the price I've paid for my small Panasonic TZ5.

Just be patient and watch the ads

[KimboCosmo]

This is my new camera...any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!  If you know anything about it that is...  

http://www.bestbuy.c...d=1218012527719

[browseceline]

that is a great camera and I read a review about it, but - how are you planning to take this one to a concert? I mean, it is so ..big..

[Classical_Symphony]

Hello everybody!!

All those pictures are absolutely amazing!! I absolutely love them Thank you for sharing them. I'm going this december 13 to the concert in Monterrey and I do hope the Arena Monterrey allows cameras inside because every concert I've gone to they won't let you in with cameras So I do hope I can get some great pictures too...

[KimboCosmo]

browseceline, on Nov 29 2008, 08:43 AM, said:

that is a great camera and I read a review about it, but - how are you planning to take this one to a concert? I mean, it is so ..big..

In my purse, wrapped up...

It isn't THAT big...It doesn't fit in my pocket but I'll manage.  

[Bralo20]

Classical_Symphony, on Nov 30 2008, 05:37 AM, said:

Hello everybody!!

All those pictures are absolutely amazing!! I absolutely love them Thank you for sharing them. I'm going this december 13 to the concert in Monterrey and I do hope the Arena Monterrey allows cameras inside because every concert I've gone to they won't let you in with cameras So I do hope I can get some great pictures too...

Just put it in a bag or something

[celineangel7]

Does anybody have a Sony Cybershot camera? I'm so stuck on getting clear pics of Celine being in the front row this time. I don't want to get squiggles, blurry images, or anything to dark or grainy.
There are settings I don't understand like the lighting conditions and the - and + numbers.

[Kare]

...but how have so many pepole gotten so close to the stage and gotten these awesome shots of her? All I want is to have a picture or two of my own from when I see her in Atlanta in a few weeks. Any ideas for gettting pictures?

Kare

[Bralo20]

A question for those who allready attended a show in the Bell Centre in Montréal Canada:

What about security?  Is it thight or not?
I know that a small camera should probably not be a problem but I'm thinking about something bigger

[Edwin]

I used a Samsung L100R for KC but I'll be using a Panasonic Lumix TZ5 for my last two shows. I noticed this was what the6thday used to get those HD videos and that's what I wanted it for.