Ok so I'm looking for some advice on what all I need to have some success at an upcoming concert I will be attending. This will be a large scale concert and I got lucky enough to get seats in the front row so long range isn't really all that important and it is a group of 9 artists on stage. I currently have the 550D with the 17-55 2.8 IS which I love and the 50mm 1.8. So I'm just going to ask everyone for advice on what else if anything I would need to come home with great shots ie Flash? Different lens?? I am also would love to hear what everyone thinks for shooting set up's such as aperture and shutter speed recommendations. The concert is still a few months away which gives me time to get any needed gear. I am pretty new to all of this is and I must say I am absolutely loving it so far! And naturally all of this is resting on weather or not the security staff is even going to let me in with my camera in the first place!!!Thanks in advance,Rookie321

I currently have the 550D with the 17-55 2.8 IS which I love and the 50mm 1.8. ie Flash?Flash would be great, but it is generally frowned upon at concerts. Even if you can, it takes away from the mood lighting.Different lens??I would start with the 50mm f/1.8 shooting at f/2 and whatever ISO gets you 1/80 to 1/100th of a second. Probably ISO 800. Be very careful of the shallow depth of field. When you get focus confirmation shoot immediately or release and refocus. Any movement between subject and camera (even a head bob) may throw off the focus.I am also would love to hear what everyone thinks for shooting set up's such as aperture and shutter speed recommendations.50mm f/1.8 at f/2. If they have very bright stage lighting with spot lights, maybe ISO 400. More likely ISO 800.If you shoot with the 17-55mm f/2.8 IS, then shoot at f/2.8 with IS on. Still need at least 1/30th of a second minimum to try and stop subject motion so you will probably be ISO 400. I would shoot ISO 800 for 1/60th minimum to try and stop subject motion.The concert is still a few months away which gives me time to get any needed gear. I am pretty new to all of this is and I must say I am absolutely loving it so far! And naturally all of this is resting on weather or not the security staff is even going to let me in with my camera in the first place!!!Shoot some natural light photography and practice! Get out to a night club. Shoot some in your house. Shooting shallow depth of field natural light takes some practice.I don't think you need any more gear. It might be fun to get an 85mm f/1.8 where you could shoot at f/1.8 at a little more range than the 50mm, but that is just if you have the $$$ burning a hole in your pocket.http://www.pbase.com/citylights/playsI have not shot a concert, but have done plenty of theater with a 70-200mm f/2.8. Check the link for pictures and exif settings.Good luck!

CityLightswrote:I currently have the 550D with the 17-55 2.8 IS which I love and the 50mm 1.8. ie Flash?Flash would be great, but it is generally frowned upon at concerts. Even if you can, it takes away from the mood lighting.In short flash wouldn't be greatYou take away mood of the lighting and annoying the performers, though many will take a p&s and use flash too so that might not be a huge problem.Different lens??I would start with the 50mm f/1.8 shooting at f/2 and whatever ISO gets you 1/80 to 1/100th of a second. Probably ISO 800. Be very careful of the shallow depth of field. When you get focus confirmation shoot immediately or release and refocus. Any movement between subject and camera (even a head bob) may throw off the focus.I am also would love to hear what everyone thinks for shooting set up's such as aperture and shutter speed recommendations.50mm f/1.8 at f/2. If they have very bright stage lighting with spot lights, maybe ISO 400. More likely ISO 800.If you shoot with the 17-55mm f/2.8 IS, then shoot at f/2.8 with IS on. Still need at least 1/30th of a second minimum to try and stop subject motion so you will probably be ISO 400. I would shoot ISO 800 for 1/60th minimum to try and stop subject motion.The concert is still a few months away which gives me time to get any needed gear. I am pretty new to all of this is and I must say I am absolutely loving it so far! And naturally all of this is resting on weather or not the security staff is even going to let me in with my camera in the first place!!!Shoot some natural light photography and practice! Get out to a night club. Shoot some in your house. Shooting shallow depth of field natural light takes some practice.I don't think you need any more gear. It might be fun to get an 85mm f/1.8 where you could shoot at f/1.8 at a little more range than the 50mm, but that is just if you have the $$$ burning a hole in your pocket.http://www.pbase.com/citylights/playsI have not shot a concert, but have done plenty of theater with a 70-200mm f/2.8. Check the link for pictures and exif settings.I agree on other all point, though from a front row seat I'd just stick with the 17-55mm. Front row seat isn't the best to get good shots from people, ie shooting from a low angle upwards using wide angle if they are really close isn't going to do any favors to the human figure (at 17mm it can disproportionate a lot).A lot will depend on the size of the concert. Large ones will be well lit so you can shoot at 1/200ss f/2.8 iso 1600, with a follow spotlight on white clothes it can reach even 1/800ss f/4 iso 400. That's something to be aware of when shooting in M or Av mode, when they'll switching follow spotlight on/off you should check your settings and change them, or make sure Av mode will use a fast enough shutter speed when follow spot is off. Use spot metering of course.Smaller concerts drop off rapidly by using fewer stage lights so that'll be a challenge. Bump up iso as far as you need for good exposures.Singers usually don't move around a lot so you can get away with slower shutter speeds CityLights indicated. For faster action (slower dances) 1/200 is the minimum. To freeze jumps and stuff you'd need 1/400-1/800ss.85mm will be handy for performers at the other end of the stage but this will be harder to shoot when others get in the way.Shooting from front row is great to get the lighting in the frame so use wide angle in portrait for some nice lighting beams etc.Have fun! -- Kind regards Imqqmihttp://www.pbase.com/imqqmiThe DSLR jargon cheatsheet: http://www.jmbfoto.nl/dslrcheatsheet.pdfSunset blending tutorial: http://www.jmbfoto.nl/tutorial/blendingTutorial01a.pdf

if you are sitting in seats i'm going to assume that the venue is large enough that a flash wouldn't have the effect you want it to have.i would not take the 50mm f/1.8 personally. you have 55mm f/2.8 with IS. why also bring a 50mm f/1.8? DOF is so thin at f/1.8-f/2.8 anyway, and that is not enough of a speed difference to justify bringing a whole other lens. just increase ISO.i don't know where numbers like 1/30s @ ISO400 and 1/60s @ ISO800 are coming from, nobody has seen the venue or the lighting that will be on stage, so any numbers are just assumptions. all i will say is do not hesitate to shoot as high ISO as you need to get the shots. a lot of people (especially tech guys on these forums) are super-anal about not getting any noise in their photos. i've actually seen people who prefer blurry, useless photos shot at ISO400 over sharp, clear photos with noise taken at ISO1600. it boggles my mind. a blurry photo is trash. a noisy photo is still a useable photo.so don't hesitate to go to ISO3200 or above (my camera goes to 6400) if you need it for the shot. and you don't have to take EVERY picture at high ISOs. maybe you can take some shots at 1/30s, maybe take some shots at 1/125s. maybe shoot at f/8 and high ISO for a few shots and then go back down to f/2.8 and lower ISO for some others. mix and match.as far as gear goes i don't think you would need much else. a telephoto would be nice, but you are looking at a 70-200 f/2.8 or a prime 85mm f/1.8.. this is going to cost some money.

Phone the venue to find out what sort of cameras they allow. Some don't allow any cameras at all. Some allow cameras as long as they don't have a "removable lens" (e.g. no DSLRs) and others allow DSLRs but you can't have a lens greater than some length (strangely they go by inches instead of focal length... e.g. I've heard "no lenses longer than 6 inches in length")If you know the band they can often set you up with a photo pass (I've done a few of these where the band would actually LIKE to get fans to submit their photos but the venues don't want to allow the cameras. But usually the band can put your name on a list.)As far as gear goes... skip the flash. But do get lenses with f/2.8 or faster focal ratios. They often have light shows with highly variable lighting and during the "dimmer" moments getting enough light for a reasonably fast shutter speed can be a real challenge. Image stability helps for your movement but it doesn't do thing to help if the subjects are moving (and usually they are.)Avoid automatic ... it'll probably lie to you anyway. Evaluative metering makes the camera think it needs to boost the exposure to get the shadows brighter and this just blows out the lighting on the talent. I'd switch to spot metering. You'll probably find that shooting a bit below what the light meter suggests looks better (also it means you can set the shutter a bit faster which will help freeze the action). But as lighting is so variable you'll really just have to test that. Just be ready to check it, peek at your histograms.Good luck!

Yes find out first what the rules are for photos. Nothing worse than bringing your gear and then having to take it back to the car.Also you might want to think about renting a lens for the night if you do not have the spare cash to buy it or if you just do not think you would use it that much. The Canon 70-200 2.8 IS II would be a grest lens to have at the concert. --I took a course in art last winter. I learnt the difference between a fine oil painting, and a mechanical thing, like a photograph. The photograph shows only the reality. The painting shows not only the reality, but the dream behind it.