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>>2743414
Depends on the band

>Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Arctic Monkeys, Black Keys, The Decemberists, Belle & Sebastian and other like bands
Holga preferably beaten up and full of light leaks, Diana, Nikon Df, any camera than is 120mm or medium format

>Radiohead, Neutral Milk Hotel, My Bloody Valentine, Merriweather Post Pavilion, The Antlers, The Microphones
Potato camera

Get a fast prime lens (f1.2 - f2.8) so you can open it up and have as much light come in because more than likely there's going to be shitty production.

Don't be afraid to push ISO to 1600 - 3200 so you can get shutter speeds of 1/200 - 1/250 (you can fix the grain in post)

Two bodies, one wide zoom (16-35 2.8 is good), one short tele prime (85 1.4 or 1.8, 100 2) if in local bar type concerts, or a tele zoom (70-200 2.8) for stadium concerts in the photo pit.

Music and sports are two genres that you absolutely cannot skimp on fast pro glass, so if you're on a budget, it's going to really hurt trying to get the right gear to be able to take the best photos.

You can get by with a single body and nifty fifty, but you will be very limited in what you can take.

>>2743414
Before talking about gear, do you actually have access to bands? Because getting in, and getting into the pit, is a lot more important than what camera you're holding.

I've been shooting bands for about five years now, and have gotten enough good results for small publication to use at least five photos per artist per show since the start, and I've worked with an Xt with a 50mm f/1.8, a 40D, a 5Dc, a 5Dmk2, and now mirrorless.

Your results will rely more on the light in the venue than on your gear, but I'll tell you to seek out versatility, rather than specific gear. Zoom lenses with available fast apertures, an understanding of focusing concepts, multiple available metering modes, and a perfect knowledge of the capabilities of your focus system.

The most important aspects are the ability to find light, the ability to compose well, and then the ability to capture moments that express visually what was going on, and the level of energy on the stage.

>>2743687
These are all excellent points too. No one will care if you have a D5 and 14-500 f/1.2 lens, if you don't have bands to shoot for, you aren't a photographer.

Start with local "Red light" bands. You've seen them before; shitty local shows hosted in a bar that only uses red lighting for the stage. These are simple to get access to. Pay the $3 door charge, bring your camera in with you, and take pictures. Use B&W for these, because no amount of white balance will fix the colors.

Once you have some decent photos to start a small portfolio, reach out to some regional groups, who play your city, and up to a few hours away. They will play in slightly higher production venues, where you can start shooting color. Sometimes the venue will require written permission to shoot, or that you will need to be listed as a member of the band's support crew. Still pretty easy to get into with a couple if emails and a phone call. Build your portfolio.

Only after you have some 20-30 images that can, being as brutally honest with yourself as possible, pass your expectations of what can be printed in some magazines, should you start submitting yourself for press passes of stadium bands.

>>2743414

how hard is it to obtain a press pass? im not trying to shoot an arena, moreso clubs 500-1000 people.

what should i expect realistically in obtaining one?

>>2744276
it depends

>>2743490
>Don't be afraid to push ISO to 1600 - 3200 so you can get shutter speeds of 1/200 - 1/250 (you can fix the grain in post)

>not shooting raw at ISO 200 - 800 and adjusting the exposure on post prod

File: 1424854695523.jpg (49KB, 524x513px) Image search: [Google]

49KB, 524x513px

>>2746664

>shooting in low light at base iso with uniwb
>mfw someone asks to see a photo you just shot

>>2746665
>>mfw someone asks to see a photo you just shot
"No."