How to take good pictures in a nightclub. Tips for every club photographer

Let me tell you about my first experience as a club photographer. Then for the first time in my life I had to shoot drunken first-year students in one of the nightclubs in St. Petersburg. And since I also studied at the university and craved bread and circuses, I liked the work and, most importantly, allowed me to get into the cereal establishments completely unhindered. And the best hobby is, as you know, something that brings pleasure, for which they also pay. But back to shooting.

In general, I’ll say right away: shooting in nightclubs is one of the most difficult. You have to take pictures mainly in dark rooms of moving people against the background of flashing multi-colored spotlights, etc. Moreover, none of the light sources is white, and constantly changing lighting creates not the most favorable conditions. I do not dare to say that my method is the only true one, but perhaps it will be useful to novice photographers.

So the inventory

In my first night shooting I used an old camera with a maximum resolution of 3 megapixels, after that I shot with a budget Nikon DSLR for a while, today I have a full-frame 21-megapixel Canon camera.
My personal belief is that for shooting in low light conditions, you should only use a DSLR, unless, of course, you need a good result. Moreover, it is not at all necessary to have a professional camera of a high price segment. Do you know why? Because filming in a nightclub is almost like a photo essay of the March of Dissent: there is always a risk that equipment can be damaged. It’s good if you have a second camera in your bag for such cases, as well as an inexpensive zoom lens with aperture in the f / 3.2 - 4.5 range and, of course, an external flash.

When choosing a lens for shooting night parties, I focus on a medium wide angle with a zoom of 17-40 mm. You can, of course, use wide-angle lenses with a span of 14-40 mm or even 10-20 mm: with such lenses it’s good to photograph both large groups - to demonstrate extras, and couples - surrounded by a crowd. The final decision on which lens is better depends on both personal taste and the financial capabilities of the photographer.
The main and fundamental necessity of a club photographer is an external flash. The aperture of the camera, even if it is top-end, is still not enough for night shooting. The flash can be used in the traditional way, simply by attaching it to the shoe of the camera, or using a special bracket connected by a sync cable - for side lighting.

The type of flash selected is not important: TTL functionality is not needed for shooting in bars and clubs. It will be more convenient for you if the external flash is equipped with an infrared autofocus illuminator: for this, a simple powerful flashlight can be mounted on a special bracket to use it for additional illumination

Use a diffuser to create a soft light effect. Personally, I am impressed by a simple "burdock" - it works "excellent" in any conditions, regardless of the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room and the height of the ceilings. I strongly do not recommend pointing the flash directly at objects, it is best to use a diffuser.

Choose settings

Recommending certain shooting parameters is quite difficult, primarily because conditions can vary significantly. I'll just try to give a theory: what you need to focus on when setting certain camera values.

The task of a club photographer is to use the maximum of ambient light, this is important for conveying the atmosphere of nightlife. Glare of mirror balls, bright neon lights are mandatory attributes. My advice: avoid too harsh faces against a dark background. In general, read below about how to properly shoot drunken youth.

First of all, use the manual mode for the external flash. Set the shutter speed to 1/4 or 1/8 depending on the shooting conditions. The main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise the effect of "overexposure" will turn out. Sometimes slow sync or rear-curtain sync is required. A slow shutter speed is needed to capture the background of the frame - those same neon lights and a motley dancing crowd - this creates visual trails of moving objects, making the frame more natural. The flash itself in the final stage of exposure "freezes" the objects being shot.

Camera settings are also set in manual mode. The sensitivity should be high, but not too high, to avoid noise. It all depends on your camera. For example, with the Canon 5D Mark II, I can easily shoot at ISO 200-1240. But let me remind you - I do not advise taking such expensive equipment to a nightclub.

Usually club shots are used for publishing on Internet sites, so there is not the slightest need to shoot in RAW format. However, when printing illustrations in magazines or books, all the flaws and noises that are not noticeable on the site page can come out.

As I said above, it is better to give preference to inexpensive zoom lenses with good aperture. Most often, the aperture is used completely, but even if you are the owner of a fast lens, set the value in the range f / 4.5 - 5.6. This will give you more depth of field, but keep in mind that autofocus has a hard time dealing with moving subjects.

To emphasize the play of light, use moderately slow shutter speeds, the main thing is that the faces you shoot are sharp enough. At the same time, do not try to achieve a “ringing” sharpness, after all, it is extremely difficult to do this in a club environment.

Even if the flash “freezes” objects, but the shutter is open for quite a long time, halos appear around people. In my opinion, a shutter speed of 1/6 sec is quite enough. If the room is lit enough, you can stop at shorter shutter speeds.

Shooting technology

Based on my own experience, I came to the conclusion that it is better to photograph from the edge of the dance floor, so that what is happening on the dance floor acts as a background for the subject being photographed. In this case, colored lights enter the frame, as well as the silhouettes of moving people - their faces will be slightly darkened. At the same time, with the help of an external flash, it is easy to “freeze” and make the subjects being shot sharp.

If you stand on the dance floor, then the lights behind you can create ugly halos in the frame. In addition, often for the effect of smoke, dry ice is thrown onto the “stage”, in which it is very difficult to focus. If such smoke gets between the object and the flash, the picture will turn out to be low-contrast. It is also worth considering that the photographer, being in the thick of things, endangers his equipment. No one is immune from the fact that alcohol will not be spilled on your expensive camera, or it will not fall out of your hands with an accidental push. Some vacationers may endlessly poke you in the side and pat on the shoulder in order to attract attention so that they are photographed. Meanwhile, despite all the difficulties, standing in the center of the hall, you can also get good shots, but for this you will have to work hard and change some settings.

Another integral criterion for the success of shooting in nightclubs is self-confidence. If you want people to pose for you for a great shot, just ask them - no one has ever said no in my lifetime.

Some tricks

When making your way through the crowd, raise the camera high above you - this will help to avoid trouble, and, perhaps, also draw attention to your person.

Mirrors are a great way to create creative shots, and they can be used to enhance lighting effects. The light from the flash is reflected in the mirror, giving a soft light to the frame, which can bring the photo to life. But be careful - the main thing is that you yourself or your flash are not reflected in the mirror.

Once you've taken people and want to leave, show them that the photo was taken by showing "OK" with your thumbs up. As much as you would like, do not check the pictures on the camera monitor in public, otherwise drunk "clubbers" looking at you will also want to see how well they turned out. It is difficult to refuse them, but by deciding to show pictures, you are simply wasting your precious time. Therefore, if you crave to immediately view the pictures, it is better to retire to a secluded place.

Keep in mind that club shoots are mostly shots from the category of “stand here and say “cheeez”, which will later be published on the institution’s website or in a fashion magazine. Despite this, do not be too lazy to show your imagination and try to make really creative shots that can be included in your portfolio. If, for example, the picture turned out to be excellent in composition, but the colors are “lame”, try converting the image to black and white. Monochrome photos in some cases are just as impressive as color ones.

What we never forget

Club shooting for beginners can seem like a “non-dusty job” with nice bonuses: you visit the establishment for free, meet trendy DJs, party-goers and regulars, and sometimes get drinks for free. Photo essay clients often don't pay as much as you'd like when they offer perks like this. I have even heard that photographers are allowed to sell key chains with their club photos - but if you are not a "salesman", this will not bring you money, so they simply use you. If you really want to make money as a photographer, you should not be tempted by club bonuses, in the end you can forfeit your professional reputation.

When I was just starting my career as a photographer, it was 2006, and I was earning 500 rubles per hour. This may seem like a pretty good salary for those years, but it also includes time for image correction, photo processing, how it should ever pay for itself. Today I charge 600-800 rubles for one photo. And the club decides how many and what shots will be taken, and I decide how much time I have to spend to get the desired result.

Club shooting is often a great school for those who are just starting to shoot with a DSLR. It is sad that for some customers of photo reports from night parties, the leading value is the number of shots, not their quality, so the clubs choose low-paid photographers. And it's up to you to decide whether you can make money with club shooting, or if you should consider more profitable offers.
Good night and great shots!

Every aspiring photographer needs practice. The nightclub is a great place to improve your skills. The club is good because there are a lot of people who don't mind posing for the camera. But the point of photographing in a club is not to have fun, but to gain experience and adapt to unusual shooting conditions.

Any photographer craves experiments, however, starting to photograph for money, you begin to apply only proven photography techniques, and the pictures become monotonous. But in this case, your own style and confidence in the result appear.

When photographing for experimentation, most often photographers practice using different shutter speeds, open or closed apertures, use different lenses and flashes. As a rule, most of the pictures are not of the best quality, but some are pushing to continue experimenting.

Having a sufficient amount of accumulated material, you can talk about the principles of photographing in a nightclub. That is what we are going to do now.

Photos with long exposure. The previous frame demonstrates exactly this principle of photography. To achieve such a result is not at all difficult. This requires an interesting angle and the correct camera setup. Choosing the right angle will come with time, but with the settings everything is easier. The photo was taken with a shutter speed of 2 seconds, ISO 200 F 4.0. Also in the settings (Canon camera) the first curtain shot is set. So let's continue.

A big advantage of SLR cameras over ordinary soap dishes is not only the ability to change lenses, but also the presence of a wonderful bulb mode. The principle of its operation is that while the button is pressed, the shutter is open. That is, the shutter speed is not set in advance, but is regulated by the duration of pressing the button. This picture was taken in this way. Settings ISO 400, F 4.0, shutter speed about 4 seconds. When shooting for the first three seconds, the camera was motionless, and the rest of the time it made chaotic movements, which led to the appearance of multi-colored stains and stripes.

Short exposure photo.

When photographing at long exposures, ISO settings from 100 to 400 were used, and apertures from 4.0 to 8.0. With a short shutter speed, you need to open the aperture more - from 4.0 to 2.8, and increase the ISO to a value acceptable to you. We change the shutter speed from 1/5 to 1/30 seconds.

In most cases, the settings depend on the lighting.

All pictures in this article were taken with a Canon 450D camera and a burdock flash.

Photographing in a nightclub is a challenge to your professionalism. And a great way to test your camera's capabilities. Are you ready to give up "cool photos" on multi-pixel smartphones with the subsequent posting of "masterpieces" on social networks? Then get acquainted with our new lesson and put its advice into practice.

Preparing for shooting in a nightclub

Modern dance floors are a very specific place: what happens to the light in the hall plunges the novice photographer into a state of “quiet horror”. How to take a photo in a club when flashes, glare, light rays and not quite adequate people attack from all sides in a dimly lit room? First of all, carefully prepare for the event.

For this:

Be prepared for the fact that the camera can simply be broken. Whether it was by accident or malicious intent, it doesn't matter. The important thing is that you should not take expensive equipment with you. Moreover, to create high-quality photographs, a simple “reflex camera” with two dozen pixels is quite enough.

Get a quality flash. Yes, the light source built into the device is more convenient, but it does not provide the necessary volumes and does not allow using distant objects as a background. Try taking pictures with and without a flash - this way you will understand how light works. And you will grow professionally. By the way, the remote element of the camera can be held in hands, attached to the head, shoulder, etc., so think over the system of fastening the flash.

Don't forget a tripod. If you're looking for high-quality shots, a camera fixation device will definitely come in handy: it's a pity when a priceless shot is lost just because you were slightly pushed.

When choosing optics, focus on fast wide-angle lenses. Aperture should be at the level of 2.8, but here it is necessary to be guided by the principle "the more the better". Focal length - either standard 35 (50) mm, or variable - 24-70 mm. It is highly desirable to have a stabilizer and a decent weight of the device, since the light camera perfectly "reads" hand shake. Among the recommended ones are Canon EF-S and Tamron.

Choose a compact but roomy bag for carrying equipment.

When thinking about how to photograph in a nightclub, read the tips on reportage shooting - there is something to take into account.

Shooting technique in a nightclub

So, you have carefully prepared for the hunt for frames that will become the highlight of your photo collection. The point is small - stock up on a baggage of knowledge, after which you can safely go to a party. So what is the right way to take pictures in a club?

First: learn how to choose a favorable shooting point. Do not stand still, move, search, try, experiment, otherwise you will not achieve the success for which you came into photography. We recommend starting from the edge of the site, while the dance floor should be behind your “victim”. Why? Because this way you can catch the right lighting. And because in this way you can turn all these glare, rays and spotlights into the original background of the picture.

Second: if you want to create something original, you want to add dynamics to the frame or express yourself by fixing multi-colored halos of human figures, go “to the people”. Just remember that it’s unlikely that you will be allowed to concentrate there: twitching (and not only verbal) in the style of “Take a picture, friend!” cannot be avoided.

Third: use a tripod. Yes, somewhere it will look out of place, somewhere funny, but you didn’t go to be shy, but to grow as a photo master, right? If there is no tripod, and the camera with a lens is light, artificially weight the equipment. How? Look for solutions :), they are on the surface.

Fourth: set a high ISO value. Do not be afraid of deterioration in the quality of pictures - in small photographs the image will look perfect, you are not preparing for the exhibition yet, are you? For an average “DSLR”, values ​​​​in the range of 600-800 units are quite acceptable, on expensive models you can set all 1200.

Fifth: work with the minimum shutter speed at the maximum aperture. Or with a slow shutter speed with a closed aperture. Try it this way and that, start from the lighting and choose the option that will meet the requirements of the intended plot.

Sixth: remember the mirrors. Use them, they often make a winning frame.

Seventh: do not forget about black and white photography. If the color content does not satisfy you, remove everything that bothers you - monochrome photos sometimes turn out to be very deep and meaningful.

Ninth: do not let the flash kill the club light. Work with the exposure down so you can draw out the shadows and bring the highlights into the foreground. The “flash at the ceiling” and “flash at the forehead” techniques work well, but there are a lot of nuances here, and you need to try, try, try.

Tenth: press the camera shutter as often as possible. There will be a lot of defective frames, so the more photos you have, the higher the chance of seeing something worthy at the end of the work.

Features of shooting in a nightclub

The original place needs more attention. So remember that:

In such establishments, they are very fond of throwing dry ice and blowing “smoke”. This means that you must not allow "fog" to appear between you and the object. Behind people - please, this will add volume to the picture, but between the flash and the photographed - no.

The dancers abuse alcohol while holding the drinks in their hands. This means that there is a high probability that a cocktail or beer can flood your equipment.

Keep your camera above your head as you walk through the crowd. Cherish the technology!

Do not view the captured photo on the camera screen. Otherwise, a crowd of curious people will gather around you, and you will lose a lot of time.

In conclusion, the most important advice on how to photograph in a club. It is simple: experiment, because only personal experience will allow you to break out of the gray mass of club photographers acting according to the standard. And be sure to take a good mood with you. Good luck!

Features of lighting and atmosphere in a nightclub put forward their own requirements for shooting techniques. First of all, you need to take care of the selection of equipment. To complement your favorite SLR camera, you need a high-quality wide-angle lens with a large and constant aperture.

And don't go to the club without an external flash. With a built-in light source, your shots will turn into the same type of shots with white faces on a black background. Additionally, it is worth getting a reflector, for example, Lumiquest 80/20, which will allow you to create a diffused stream of light and brighten not only the faces of your models, but also the background. Sometimes a small piece of white paper or a white business card can be used as a reflector.

Shooting in a dark room can quickly drain any batteries, and if you don't want to miss the most interesting shots in the midst of a party, it's good to be reminded that before leaving for a nightclub, be sure to charge not one, but several sets of batteries for your camera and flash .

Before entering the club, forget about shooting in automatic mode, which will cause the exposure time to be too long due to poor lighting. Only manual adjustments will allow you to capture interesting shots. The ISO value is set at least 400 for relatively bright rooms, while in dark rooms the ISO should be at least 800. In most cases, the aperture is kept as open as possible, or at a level of 4 to 5.6.

The exposure time can be set depending on the desired effect. To lighten the background, you can increase the shutter speed, while for shooting fast movements on the dance floor, the shutter speed should be minimal. And if you want to get interesting effects from flashing lights and strobe flashes, don't hold the camera still, instead try moving it from side to side or twisting it around the axis of the lens.

As in most other photo genres, it is better to shoot a club photo session in RAW format, which will provide an opportunity to edit the resulting frames in a graphics editor. Do not forget to adjust the contrast, sharpness and saturation of the image, correct the white balance and crop the images.

A high-quality photo shoot in a nightclub should include not only shots of dancing people, but also the work of a DJ or musicians, professional dancers, several portraits and even interesting decor elements that will be a great backdrop. And don't worry if you've chosen only a fifth of the hundreds of shots, because in order to create a great reputation for yourself, you have to submit only the best work.

To photograph in a club and at various musical events, you need to be able to work in poor lighting conditions (the topic of low light is so painful that it is already on it). In most cases, the use of flash is prohibited by the organizers, so the photographer must shoot with a light specially modeled for a club evening or concert - this is the light that suits the event best.

If you are going to a club or a concert with a camera, remember the following factors:

Event size

Large events and concerts have their advantages - usually famous performers perform on stage, and the evening itself is interestingly organized and very interesting in terms of plot for photography. If you're going to watch the main scene, be aware that you'll likely be standing far away from it, and you'll need a telephoto lens to shoot. Modest parties and concerts are good for a more cozy atmosphere, as well as the opportunity to get closer to the stage to capture the emotions of the artists.

The main disadvantage of such concerts is that in addition to you, there will be other reporters near the stage, as well as the security of the institution, which can hamper the movement from one shooting point to another. To take the photo below, I had to climb a ledge because there were so many people near the stage. However, I managed to get a great angle - usually, these shots are often obtained from a low angle, if you shoot directly under the stage.

Lighting

Lighting at small concerts is simply disgusting. Sometimes all the light falls from behind or from the side, and the front of the performer is not highlighted at all. Shooting silhouettes, of course, has its advantages and charm, but if the entire photo session consists of silhouettes, and the faces of the artists are nowhere to be seen, the photos will be boring.

When you enter the club prior to the event, look out for floodlights and other point sources that can further illuminate the performers. This will greatly help the situation. If you have permission to film a concert, do not miss the opportunity to film the "warm-up" band. Even if you have no interest in this band, a few shots of their performance will help you adjust to the light.

It is very important to remember that in clubs and concerts the light is constantly changing, so the built-in camera is practically useless - you will have to get used to it. By the end of the evening, a lot of technical “garbage” will appear on your map, but there is nothing to worry about. In 90% of cases, you will be forbidden to use, so prepare the necessary equipment in advance. In addition, flash photos are not so interesting, because, while giving a bright light, the flash, although it illuminates the artists, spoils the club atmosphere and leaves ugly shadows:

Since the shooting will take place in poor lighting conditions, the first thing you need is open diaphragm and high photosensitivity. New cameras are much better at shooting at high ISOs than older models. The largest aperture can be obtained only by using a lens with a fixed focal length. Therefore, for shooting in a club, it is better to choose a lens with an aperture value of f / 1.8, 35 or 50 mm. I hope you already know that the wider the aperture is open, the smaller its value, and the more light enters the lens and camera.

Shoot in RAW: Raw format photos are easier to process, RAW format provides more control over image quality. Only suitable for shooting in a club auto white balance, since correct colors cannot be obtained under such conditions even with a gray card. The color cast can then be corrected in Photoshop.

Install burst mode if your camera has one. It's hard to predict when the right beam of light will hit the frame, so the more shots you take, the better. Also, it's better to use focus mode AI-Servo or "tracking focus" (on Nikon, this is the AF-C focus mode). Finally, the photographer himself must be sober in order to get the sharpest possible shots.

If the performer is very mobile, it is better to install short exposure. However, long exposure should not be neglected either, sometimes it can be used to get interesting pictures.

And now about shooting modes. For photography in a club, it is best to use manual mode, as well as shutter-priority and aperture-priority modes. Manual mode works well for predictable lighting. Shutter priority mode I turn it on when the artist is very mobile, or the script has some kind of fast action, and a slow shutter speed can blur it. When the lighting is bright enough, I use aperture priority mode, because I know that the shutter speed will remain fast enough for the scene I need.

Finally, special attention should be paid to cropping photos. Using prime lenses (lenses with a fixed focal length), the photographer often determines the boundaries of the frame with his feet - just moving closer or moving further away, but sometimes even this is not enough - an unexpected plot can lead to the framing being unsuccessful. Look at the photo below: the left knee went out of the frame, and I was not ready for this. Therefore, for shooting in a club, a fast zoom lens (for example, 24-70, f / 2.8) is better.

Performers

Think about who people would like to see in the photos. If you're unfamiliar with the band's line-up, shoot the lead vocalist. Usually his emotions are the most expressive and he is the easiest to spot.

Pay attention to which hand the singer is holding the microphone in, and try to photograph it from the other side: the hand with the microphone usually covers half of the artist’s face and figure, so it’s better to choose the opposite shooting point. Don't disregard this advice if you're going to sell photos - agencies like Getty Images usually accept simple half-length portraits from these angles - they can be sold to a large fan base.

Time

Usually the group's performance is limited to three songs - this is no more than 10 minutes. Therefore, you need to prepare in advance and remember all the above factors. Sometimes at the end of a party or concert, you will have almost no good photos. Do not be upset, shooting in a club is a difficult task, and at first not everything works out. By the way, do not forget to take ear plugs, the sound near the stage is very loud, and it can disturb you. If you are not allowed to the stage, move further - good shots can be taken from afar:

Respectful attitude

If you approached the stage, the word of protection for you is the law. Do not come into conflict with the staff of the institution, otherwise you may be driven away. Most likely, other photographers will be working in the hall, so try not to get into their frame. Finally, don't disturb the performers: if it's forbidden in the club to use a flash, don't turn it on.

Where to get permission?

To take pictures in the club, sometimes it is enough to ask permission from the security or the managers of the institution. Concerts are more difficult - you may need an official pass. From experience, I can say that the easiest way to get it is by working as a freelance reporter for a local newspaper. Be persistent - even if the publication already has a journalist, sometimes the newspaper needs a second photographer. Negotiating permission to shoot through an agency or offering your candidacy as a photographer to an institution where the event is held - the paths are more complicated. However, it should be remembered that in order to apply for a job in a newspaper, you will need.

Another way to get permission to shoot is to write to the band itself or the band manager. At the same time, you need to clarify who you are, with whom you work, for what purposes you need photos, and how many people will see them later. If the group needs photos of the event, they will get in touch.

Conclusion

Photographing in a club is complex and interesting: it combines two tasks that a photographer needs to solve - adapting to poor lighting and shooting a reportage. If you learn how to shoot in poor lighting conditions, even the most complex lighting concert will no longer be a problem for you.

Article source: Expert Photography

Translation by Ekaterina Simachenko