Concert photography help

[shellbo6901]

Ive just recently gotten into concert photography and my first lens was a nifty fifty because Im usually up close. I brought my camera with me this weekend to try from far away, but ill let the picture explain itself. But what am I doing wrong or is it because I suck and maybe its just the lense. Ive cropped it also so you can see but this isn't the first time I've noticed this, because it usually happens when photographing a bright window. It turns a glowing purple and sometime pink/blue glaw also.The iso is 400, and i had only been going as high as 200, but I know theres more I should have done also.

[Stephen]

Hello!

So that the Community can help you better, we will need to know exactly what camera and lens you're using. The community usually finds it helpful to know all of the EXIF information just so they can help you best. 

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[shellbo6901]

I had to run to work but can send that when off, but it’s the R with the EF adapter & 50mm 1.4. I’ve also seen it like I said on the edge of windows and that was with the kit lens just this is the worst I’ve had it show up. Which could be because it is a cheaper lens that was part of the canon duo of lenses for the same price of the kit lenses. I’m hoping it’s just user error and not because of the R itself or my lens setup.

[ebiggs1]

You have DR hat is beyond the ability of the camera.  It is going to be difficult to capture exactly what your eye sees. I am guessing you are using the EOS R ?  The lens I would use for this is the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens.  Is this th elens you refer to as the 'kit' lens? Not any 50mm prime lens  The 24-105mm f/4L is a very good lens.

[jrhoffman75]

The condition is caused by overexposure of the brighter areas.

If you look at your uncropped image the single figure represents a very small percentage of the total picture area, but is also significantly brighter than the background.

If you look at the histogram posted below you have a portion up against the right hand side of the graph. That indicates a maxed out signal level.

You have too great a dynamic range (difference between dark areas and bright areas) for the camera to capture correctly.

If you post the camera you are using we can show you how to improve the image. (Edit - our postings crossed. Now I see what camera you have). More to follow.

[Waddizzle]

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@shellbo6901 wrote:

Ive just recently gotten into concert photography and my first lens was a nifty fifty because Im usually up close. I brought my camera with me this weekend to try from far away, but ill let the picture explain itself. But what am I doing wrong or is it because I suck and maybe its just the lense. Ive cropped it also so you can see but this isn't the first time I've noticed this, because it usually happens when photographing a bright window. It turns a glowing purple and sometime pink/blue glaw also.The iso is 400, and i had only been going as high as 200, but I know theres more I should have done also.

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In addition to the dynamic range and saturation issues, there is also quite a bit of purple fringing along the edges of dark and light.

[shellbo6901]

Yes, I of course can’t take in a larger into 99% of venues that I’d be so far away and having so bright and so dark areas. I knew the 50 is the opposite of what I wanted to use but gotta take what I can get.

[Tronhard]

A couple of questions:
1. Is the stage itself quite brightly lit - I would assume that it is... and certainly compared to the rest of the venue.
2. What do you do with your images. e.g. do you post them on line rather than make big prints of them?

To explain - if you are serious about this as an acitivty:
It seems that bringing a big lens and camera is not acceptable, so adding reach to your FF camera is problematic
The subject SEEMS to be quite brightly lit, so if you can isolate the performers you should not have an issue with exposure
SO, my thought is that if you want to engage with all of these criteria and you don't intend to produce big prints, then you might want to consider getting a bridge camera, like the Powershot G3x.

It has field of view equivalent to 24-600mm, yet it is a very small and unobtrusive unit physically, so should not attract attention. It has a 1" sensor, so combined with the ability to zoom in and isolate your subject to reduce cropping and get a better dynamic range, the sensor is much bigger than the other super zooms like the SX70HS - that will be an advantage in challenging light conditions.

I have one and have found it to render superb results once you get used to it compared to a DSLR.  Here is a link to the Reviews on DPReview Website and Review on Luminous Landscape 

[ebiggs1]

" I knew the 50 is the opposite of what I wanted to use but gotta take what I can get."

Then you should be happy, you got what you can get!  If you aren't going to use the correct gear and correct settings you get what you get.

[coachboz68]

I can't do better than the answers given, but just to add one more confirmation vote that your picture does not seem to indicate a problem with the camera.  I shoot gymnastics and the occasional indoor school event (stage and spotlights), and there is no way (that I know of) to get a spotlight shot and dark crowd both properly exposed in the same single photo.  

One thing you could try for situations like the one you posted is to use single point AF with spot metering.  That will meter your exposure for the specific subject you are shooting.  the downside is it will likely clip many other parts of the image if you have one as wide as what you posted.  E.g., if you exposed your cropped subject properly, odds are you would shadow clip most of the fans behind him.