The Work Routine: Part I

Tags

experience, gear, photography

I thought it might be interesting for some readers to see behind the curtain of concert photography by explaining my work routine.  I’ll cover it in three parts:  Preshoot, the Shoot and Post production.  Welcome to part one:  The Preshoot.

The Preshoot ritual is variable, depending on the venue, but here are my guidelines:

1~  When in doubt, pack it.

I like options and variations, especially with lenses.  Unless the shoot is from the soundboard at an arena, I like to have two lenses with me:  The 24-70mm and the 70-200mm.  These are my ‘go to’ lenses and even (sometimes often) if I only stick with one of the lenses, I like knowing that I have the other one with me ‘just in case’. 

2~  Make sure everything is in working condition and batteries are fully charged.  Yes, I’ve been to a concert only to realize that I forgot to charge my battery the night before.  It happens.  It’s important to go through your equipment before getting to the venure and making sure everything is fully charged and in working condition.  I learned my lesson!

3~  Have a spare.  I always carry a spare fully charged battery with me ‘just in case’.  If I don’t need it, no harm done, but if another photographer could use it, I’m happy to help them out.  I also carry extra SD cards with me, too.  Sometimes a ‘first three songs’ situation turns into being able to shoot the whole concert and by having extra SD cards, I know I have the memory to capture every moment.

4~  Showing up on time means you’re 15 minutes late.  To me, it’s so important to arrive to the venue a little early.  If my photo pass isn’t available, for instance, I have time to call the right people to get it.  Usually, it’s just a matter of Will Call not having the media list, but if the problem is bigger, arriving early give me time to fix the problem or come up with an alternative action plan.

Another benefit of arriving early is that I can usually recon the venue and find the best place to capture my images.  Of course, this is largely dependent on both the venue and the terms of the shoot, but I like to walk around and get a feel of the place when I can.

Finally, arriving early gives me the chance to introduce myself to ushers and security.  They will then know who I am, what I’m doing and how long I’ll be there. 

5~  Carry a point and shoot.  There is nothing worse than arriving to a venue only to learn that all media has been cancelled and photo passes are being denied.  It happens and it sucks.  But sometimes, the venue will release seats to the media as a consulation prize.  If you have a point and shoot camera with you, you may still be able to capture what you need.

6~  Relax and enjoy yourself.  Concert photography is fun and every photographer has a unique point of view.

Stay tuned for Part II:  The Shoot

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The Think Tank Trio

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gear

Like any other photographer, gear is important to me.  It’s more than camera bodies and lenses, straps and earplugs.  Those things are important, but just as important is how you carry your gear.  For that, I turned to Think Tank.

I prefer backpacks to messenger bags because I like to feel ‘balanced’.  My go-to backpack is the Think Tank Streetwalker backpack (right photo).  It’s big enough to hold my cameras with the lens attached, so I can just grab and go.  It isn’t bulky and doesn’t scream ‘camera bag’.  Inside my back pack I keep the usual suspects of extra SD cards, pens, business cards, extra charged batteries, my lanyard, sunscreen, a pack of playing cards (because there is a lot of ‘hurry up and wait’ with concert photography), a knee brace, a bandana or hat, and my Japanese sun-protection sleeves.  All Think Tank bags come with a rain cover, too, with is a nice bonus.

This Spring, I picked up the Think Tank Streetwalker Hardrive (left photo).  This bag has a lot more storage, though is bulkier.  However, it is still small enough to fit in a carry on bin.  It’s big enough to carry everthing my smaller backpack carries while having room for extra lenses and even clothes.  It also has a slot that can easily hold a laptop.  This bag is perfect for trips.  I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to pick it up.

Finally, I picked up the Think Tank Photo TurnStyle Sling camera bag (center photo) specifically for CMA Fest. When I was in Detroit for the Taylor Swift concert, I noticed my friend, Scott, had a similar bag around his waist.  He had papers and ‘guy junk’ in it and I was intrigued.  I asked him about it and he highly recommended it.  I picked up the Think Tank version and have been extremely happy with it.  I like that I can wear it around my waist or sling it over my shoulder.  It isn’t big enough to hold an extra lens (at least for me), but is great for when I need extra pockets, especially during CMA Fest.  Because it was so hot, I didn’t want to carry a backpack, but needed something to hold gear.  I wore my Op-tech strap and the bag around my waist.  Inside the bag I had my Coolpix camera for quick candid crowd shots, plus a poncho, sunscreen, deodorant, cooling wipes, my cell phone and my lens caps.  It was the perfect arrangement because I had everything I needed without feeling bogged down.

Camera bags come in all shape and sizes.  It’s important to pick one (or two, or three) that will fit your needs and still protect your gear.  Think Tank is the perfect system for me and I highly recommend them.

 

Product Review ~ The Op/Tech Strap System

Tags

gear, photography

When I first started out as a photographer, I was very proud of my ‘Nikon’ camera strap that hung around my neck.  But after a few months, the strap became uncomfortable and I wanted to get something that would let me shoot as long as I wanted to, without having neck or back pain from the camera.

I started looking at other photographers’ straps and realized I wanted a strap that could handle two camera bodies.  I didn’t know exactly what I wanted, but I knew without a doubt what I didn’t want:  A camera strap that attached to a camera body’s tripod mount.

Most concert photographers I knew had a camera strap that attached to a camera’s tripod mount.  It seemed the norm.  But I didn’t like it one bit.  A tripod mount is designed to attach a camera to a tripod – not to support a camera and a heavy lens.  In fact, as I was researching camera straps, I came across an uncomfortable amount of reviews for tripod mounted straps that stated that the strap had failed, causing damage to thousands of dollars of camera equipment as it hit the floor.  Nope, tripod mounted camera straps were not going to cut it.

Luckily for me, I discovered Op/Tech camera straps.  This was the perfect system for me because the straps are made here in the USA and are made from comfortable neoprene material.  The system looked very customizable, too.  This is great because as camera needs change, so could the strap.  Best of all, the strap attaches to the original camera strap mount and not the tripod mount.

I decided the Op/Tech Double Sling camera strap would be the best option for me and I couldn’t be happier with my decision.  It’s easily converted to a single camera strap if needed and the connections are very secure.  Because the strap connects to your camera’s own strap mounts and not the tripod socket, your camera remains balanced, without any additional or unwanted strain placed on it.  I’ve used it for everything from a D3000 and D90, to a D90 and D4, complete with professional lenses.  I’ve had two cameras on the strap for many a long day but never felt any chaffing or experienced any ‘shoulder dents’ once I took it off.  It is very comfortable and I feel my equipment is very secure with it.  Whether I’m carrying one camera or two, the weight is distributed evenly on my shoulders and is balanced.

The male/female clip connectors are very secure yet very easy to operate.  But if you want extra security, or extra piece of mind, consider the Secure-Its.  These simply wrap around the clip connectors for extra security.  In fact, they are so secure, they were able to keep a D4 with a f/2.8 70-200mm lens attached to the strap without the clip connectors connected.  (To be sure, I held my camera above my bed just in case).  But, in the unlikely event of the clip connectors becoming unclipped ‘in the field’, the Secure-It ties could save the day. And lots of expensive equipment.

Op/Tech provides a variety of straps, pouches and accessories that are completely customizable to fit your needs.  The neoprene padding is super comfortable and I love that the products are made here in the USA.  Buy their straps.  Your back and shoulders will thank you.  So will your camera.

Product Review ~ The Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro FX Lens

Tags

gear

This past weekend, for the Herbie Hancock/Chick Corea concert, I decided to rent a wide angle lens as I do not currently own one.  Lensrentals.com is my favorite go-to camera rental source and for the Chicago trip, I picked up the Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro FX lens.

Being a wide angle lens, the lens is fatter than my 24-70mm, but was able to fit in my Think Tank backpack without having to re-adjust the configurations on the backpack.  It was easy to handle and weighs 2 lbs.  When we arrived in Chicago, I attached it to the D750 and we went exploring.  Here are some sample photos from over two days use:

As you can see, I tried to capture different vantage points in different lighting situations.  The lens worked wonderfully on landscape photos like the top photo of the lake, to intimate photos of the pub glasses, and everything in between with ease.  The photos are sharp and I was able to capture images like the pub glasses, without having to switch to my point and shoot camera.  I didn’t use the lens for the concert but I can easily see it being a valuable asset to capture big stage productions and candid back stage images.  The lens has a permanent hood and the zoom and focus rings were easy and comfortable to use.

The only thing I didn’t like about the lens was the lens cap.  I know it sounds silly but Chuck and I began calling the cap The Ashtray because it literally looks like an ashtray one would find in a seedy bar back in the 1970s.  It was bulky and unwieldy.  I’m used to flat lens caps that slip easily into a back pocket when not in place.  With the Ashtray Cap, I had to either hand it off to Chuck or make sure I had big enough and deep enough pocket to hold it in.  I’m sure for normal photographers, this wouldn’t be an issue.  However, in a pit, space is limited and the temperature is usually hot.  I’m not really sure how I would handle a cap that isn’t flat and easy to slip into a pocket.  Have a special pouch that could be attached to my strap?  I’m not sure.

Despite the Ashtray Cap, I really liked this lens and will rent it again, especially for landscape and personal photography.  As a concert photographer who normally wears black Tshirts with black pants but no jacket, though, I would have to either conciously dress differently to accomodate the cap or rig a pouch to my strap to keep it in.  The sharpness of the images really outweigh the bulkiness of the cap, though.  And with a cost that is one third of the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, the Ashtray Cap easily becomes tolerable.

For more detailed lens specifications or to rent it for yourself, please click here.

Why I shoot with Nikon

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gear

A few days ago, a collegue asked me for advice on a new camera.  Without missing a beat I told her to invest in a Nikon.  Here’s why:

1~  It was very hard for me to make the jump from 35mm film photography to digital photography.  I thought using digital was akin to cheating, especially when used with Photoshop.  However, I realised film photography was dying out, and I wanted to invest in something that would last for years, and was ‘customisable’ to my needs. I asked a lot of photographers, both professional and hobbyst, which camera system they preferred (Nikon or Canon) and the results were very interesting to me. 100% of the professional photographers recommended a Nikon, while hobbyst recommended a Canon.  When I was buying a camera, I had no idea that I would eventually be a professional photographer, but I went with Nikon because it was the choice of professional photographers.  It was a decision I have never regretted.

2~  Nikon has a high reputation of lens quality with their Nikkor lenses.  Canon vs Nikon bodies is akin to Coke vs Pepsi in many ways, but the Nikkor lenses are sweet!  Another point to Nikon.

3~  Nikkor lenses (as well as Nikon compatible lenses) work on any Nikon body.  Canon lenses don’t.  Photography is an expensive hobby and if I’m going to spend my hard earned money on camera equipment, I want a system (camera body) that will support any lens I buy or rent without having to buy an additional converter or adaptor.  My one friend didn’t heed my advice and went with an entry level Canon DSLR and bought several lenses to go with it.  She then wanted to upgrade her camera body and did, but then realized her lenses wouldn’t fit the upgraded body without a converter.  A converter or an adaptor can cause as much as a lens!  It’s silly!  Meanwhile, I can use a $2,000 lens on an entry level Nikon body with no problem (expect it would look a little silly).  Unless money is no object, to me it made sense to go with Nikon because the system was most customisable as I grew into my niche.

4~  For completeness sake, it should be known that I don’t shoot video so I have no idea or experience with Nikon’s or Canon’s video capacities.  But as far as photography goes, I’m Nikon all the way.

Regardless of which camera system you invest in, photography is a great way to express yourself and create art.  I love my Nikons and happily recommend them to any photographer.

Sparkly Shoes!

Tags

gear, photography, shoes

I’m working on adding a page to my blog that list all the gear I use for my photography.  I wanted to quickly share this photograph of my new sparkly shoes, as fashionable footwear is just as important as a good camera, at least in my opinion.  These are Converse shoes and have a silvery sparkle to them.  They are surprisingly comfortable and I love them.

I’ll post my official gear page soon.