Photo's from the Reading Festival

[allymac123]

Was at Reading on Saturday. Decided to take my camera and 70-300 along for a change. Not really much (read 'any') experience in shooting stuff like this so had an idea of what I would need but wasn't sure.

Learnt that I need to get much closer and also get spot metering!! Wasn't there for the photographic opportunity anyway so any shots were a bonus. I'd love to spend some time there with a press pass and full kit bag. There's lots of ultra-wide angle and long exposure opportunities I saw that would be great to shoot if I was brave enough!!

#1 - NME stage

300mm | 1/200s | F5.6 | ISO 800

#2 - Pigeon Detectives (NME stage)

300mm | 1/60s | F5.6 | ISO 800

#3 - Red Hot Chili Peppers (main stage). These are both heavily cropped.

300mm | 1/200s | F5.6 | ISO 1600

#4

300mm | 1/125s | F5.6 | ISO 800

I'm being seriously tempted by the 70-200 F2.8 IS. Need to make some money from my photo's first though!!


C&C welcome.

[Example]

Well you've made me jealous, would have loved to gone especially as the weather has been so beautiful, always next time I suppose

Nice RHCP shots BTW

[Liquid101]

You're a brave man Ally - and not bad considering the conditions.

The way I see it, unless you can get a press pass i'd leave the DSLR at home. I used to take my film camera to Glastonbury in the early 90's - it was far more trouble than it was worth. Don't think I got one decent shot of any bands - I remeber trying to change lenses while in the mosh during the lemonheads - I dropped one lens, tried to pick it up and got stuck - the area my top half was occupying got filled in the moment I bent down. It was only a couple of strong armed blokes who resuced me from a good kicking.

Also, I had to dig a hole under the tent to store my stuff in when I didn't want to carry it. The tent was rooted through whenrever you left it, mostly by travellers kids' who then came back and try to sell you back what they stole.

Nope, you'd be much better off in a motorhome backstage with a press pass

Typing this has brought back all the memories - so just for a laugh, I dug this out.

[jonnypb]

Originally Posted by allymac123

Learnt that I need to get much closer and also get spot metering!!

I'm being seriously tempted by the 70-200 F2.8 IS.

I think someone has their eye on a 40D and 70-200 F2.8 IS

I think you've done well given the conditions. I like #1 and #4 the best. I like the purple lighting in #1 and the lighting in #4 is great where it's just focused on the band and their equipment then the rest is just black. The camera and lens has coped well in #4 at ISO 800

The umbrella in #2 is a bit distracting and my eye is drawn to that rather than the stage. #3 has quite a bit of noise but thats expected at ISO 1600 and cropped

[philaitman]

Great attempts and your brave taking the kit to a festival.

Liquid101,
The Lemonheads now ya talking, It's a shame about Ray is a quality Album

[onefivenine]

Nice shots Ally.
I found out myself this week how hard it is to take phots at big gigs - see here - one outdoor stadium (Foo Fighters / Nine Inch Nails), one indoor hall (Happy Mondays). I used a Canon Powershot G7 and ended up taking videos most of the time as the photos weren't that easy when you're a punter. An SLR wound have been nice but couldn't have got one through the door in the Corn Exchange. Meadowbank would have been easy pickings though...

[onefivenine]

Originally Posted by bubble502

The umbrella in #2 is a bit distracting and my eye is drawn to that rather than the stage. #

If only we were all bubbles(502), we could float above the crowd and remove unwanted objects from shot... but when you're 1 in umpteen thousand occupying approx 6"x6" in crowd it's hard to orchestrate shots!
I'm sure you appreciate that

@liquid - not sure what you consider a 'mosh pit' but on Tues night at one point my g/f's arms were pinned to her sides so tight she was relying on other folk pouring water down her mouth to stay conscious. As for the option of changing lenses!? Dont make me laugh!!!! Maybe in that big field of hippies yeah...

[jonnypb]

Originally Posted by onefivenine

If only we were all bubbles(502), we could float above the crowd and remove unwanted objects from shot...

if i were 7ft tall maybe

they were great shots given the conditions and i'm sure the umbrella adds to the atmosphere and conditions of the event/photo's. the only thing i found about it was that it was a bit distracting to my eye. Others will disagree but I guess I shouldn't have said anything

[onefivenine]

Telescopic arms would be handy too!
And a small personal electric fence to stop poeple bumping into you.
Oh well just have to keep dreaming of a press pass...

[jomike]

Originally Posted by onefivenine

Telescopic arms would be handy too!

Or live view with a swivelling LCD as on camcorders and some P&S cams.

Are you listening Nikon, Canon, Sony et al ?

Mike

[Gadget Daddy]

jeez lad you get around dont ya

nice pics

Pete

[CyBeRkId2002]

Hi there...

These pics have gotten me massively jealous, some cracking shots (pariticularly 1 & 4) and just wish I could have been their. Went to a festival in Holland the weekend before (no SLRs ) and as soon as I was back started scouring ebay for cheap leeds tickets. Unfortunately they were a bit too expensive for me. How were the Chilis?

The band in your first shot (in case you didnt know and were interested) are called The Young Knives (winners of the Road to V competition a few years back). Heres a shot i managed to get of them at a much smaller event last year.



Michael

[allymac123]

Originally Posted by Liquid101

You're a brave man Ally - and not bad considering the conditions.

The way I see it, unless you can get a press pass i'd leave the DSLR at home. I used to take my film camera to Glastonbury in the early 90's - it was far more trouble than it was worth. Don't think I got one decent shot of any bands - I remeber trying to change lenses while in the mosh during the lemonheads - I dropped one lens, tried to pick it up and got stuck - the area my top half was occupying got filled in the moment I bent down. It was only a couple of strong armed blokes who resuced me from a good kicking.

I wouldn't have taken it if I wasn't able to take it around with me. I was only there for the Saturday so no camping to worry about. Just took the one lense attached in a small bag so no worry about changing lenses either. Have never taken it to a gig before but have sort of wished I had a couple of times so thought I'd give it a try. I actually only took it out its bag about 5 times for a couple of minutes each so only took about 50 pictures in total.

Originally Posted by CyBeRkId2002

How were the Chilis?

Yeah they were pretty good. I'd seen them on Thursday at their own gig in Hamden and hadn't been overly impressed. Played too many songs from Stadium Arcadium for my liking. Still pretty good like just didn't seem like their heart was still really in it.

We were a bit far away at Reading from the RHCP for my liking so the atmosphere was a bit more downbeat. Better set though and their impro's were top notch!!

Originally Posted by CyBeRkId2002

The band in your first shot (in case you didnt know and were interested) are called The Young Knives

Cheers for that. Thery're my one of mates favourite bands so he'll be well jealous when he sees the pics and finds out I saw them!! (even though I didn't know who they were at the time!!)