Mama Africa Photography's photostream  

Oh mirror mirror please let me see
All I want for me
Is to find my true identity
So show me
what I cannot see
The beauty of the girl
inside of me

Thank you for all your comments and visits, I appreciate it so much!

The last rays of sunlight on the Chicago skyline. This photo was taken at the Navy Pier in the city of Chicago, Illinois.

Thanks for Explore 7-12-2011 # 41

Take at the Allstare Arena, Rosemont Chicago Ill. on Nov 15 2011
# 316 on explore 26-11-2011.

Tutorial Concert Photography

With the big diversity on pocket cameras and mobile phones you see more and more people taking shots at concerts. Sometimes it even seems to me that people aren't there for the music anymore, but only for the photos.
But it is not as easy as it seems. The lights are never the same and you have to work with backlights, bright spots, smoke, almost no light, band members running around and a moving crowd.

I don't have an stand in solution for these circomstances but I can help you out a bit with giving you some directions to work with. These are no guarantees for the perfect shot, but they can be good guidelines.
It is mostly forbidden to bring an SLR camera inside to a concert but pocket cameras and bridge cameras are mostly allowed. So you can use these guidlines for these cameras as well. I used a Panasonic Lumix FZ18 to take my shots. A disadvantages to these kind of cameras is the small sensor and the amount of noice that comes with it. But you can find some software to reduce the noice on the internet if you want, f.i. neat image.

Here are my guide lines:
* use a camea that has both wide angle as zoom, so you can shoot both what's happening on stage
as well as close ups.
* Choose the Aperture priority, because you would want to controle the amount of light and also
choose a large lens aperture (a small aperture number) like F 1.2, F2.8 or F 3.2 to capture as much
light as possible.
* Choose a high Iso like 400, 800 or 3200. This helps you with a high shutterspeed, so you will reduce
the movement in your shots, but this is also where the amount of noice sets in. Don't change the Iso
to much inbetween taking the shots.
* Whitbalance : "Daylight" and "artificial light" are mostly the best choises for your camera settings
during concerts. During the performance they work with different colours and lights and the AWB will get
confused.
* Take your pictures in RAW if possible so you can adjust them afterwards.
* Light metering: chooce the option for centre weighted: the camera will calculate the average of the
overall shot.
* If possible use the burst shooting option on your camera so you can make a series of photos.
* Choose only 1 auto focus point (the middel) , so you can aim and shoot. When you choose the
automatic autofocus your camera will get confused by the movement of the light and bandmembers
and will focus on the wrong point. With only 1 focus point you aim at the subject you want to be
sharp and than click the button.
* And most importantly : chooce your shots carefully. Take your time there will be enough chances.
Keep in mind that the band is there for the fans and music. Don't be rude and use your camera all
the time. Take some shots, enjoy the concert and maybe later take some more shots, and put the
camera away again!! And Dont Use Your Flash!!!!

Camera Panasonic DMC-FZ18
Exposure 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture f/3.6
Focal Length 68.4 mm
ISO Speed 800
Exposure Bias -1 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire
Copyright © Yvonne de Bruijn Fotografie
Exposure Program Aperture-priority AE
Metering Mode Center-weighted average
By-line Yvonne de Bruijn Photography
Rights © Yvonne de Bruijn Fotografie
Sidecar For Extension RAW
Flash Mode Off

Back home from our trip to Chicago!!!
We saw it all, the Sears (Willis) Tower, Lake Michigan, Navy Pier, the blues clubs, Rush Street, The Loop, Macy's and Shedds aquarium.

But the highlight of this trip was ofcourse the concert of Guns n' Roses at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. It was unbelievble and awesome!!! Have been standing right in front of the stage and didn't miss a beat. Axl's voice was killing and he was dancing and jokin' around. I'm on cloud 9!!!
More photos about Chicago and the concert will follow.

thank you all for all of your tips, you were such a great help in giving us a wonderful time on our first trip to the USA!!

Published on the official DJ Ashba facebook page

Went into the woods to get some fun with the creations of Autumn.

I will share my tips with you:
1. wear some old clothes, you have to lay down on the floor a lot!
2. wear a neckbrace, you'll need it
3. use some coloured leafes and wave them behind your subject and use the 2 seconds timer on your camera. This is how you get the movement in the background.
4. use another leaf in front of your lens to get the unsharpness in front
5 try, try harder, try again and you'll succeed!
6. Most of all have fun!!!

Camera Canon EOS 7D
Exposure 0.4
Aperture f/18.0
Focal Length 100 mm
ISO Speed 100