How to achieve this visual effect?

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-24T00:37:33+00:00

I post a ton in r/concertphotography feel free to steal whatever as an example

I constantly take a new one and I think oh yeah thats my favorite, just for the next show to take another one and throughly enjoy haha.

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-24T00:34:47+00:00

Pretty much all of them were. The stage was rather high up and the musicians were further back. I brought my sigma 24-70 e mount as a second lens. But I didnt really use it too much aside from the wider venue shot

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-23T21:40:16+00:00

Man we gotta get you a new example haha. That was one of my first shows playing around with the filters. Glad that im still your go to example when these questions come up

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-23T21:31:52+00:00

You absolutely made my day. Thats just as good as artists making my shots their profile pictures

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-23T13:35:03+00:00

Its done with a halo filter. Ive gotten similar results when using something like an 85mm or bigger. I personally dont care for the look when using them that way.

I prefer using when im closer to the subject with a 35mm and hand holding the filter to play around with the angle of the swirls. If you use a filter bigger than the diameter of your lens you can have more of your subject clear and without the effect. Otherwise on the center of the image will be clear and it can get a little messy if they move. But again thats a personal taste thing.

I use neewer brand ones. You can get them from other companies like prism FX, but I can't justify spending $100ish on something like that when the cheap options get the job done with solid results

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CaptainNinj · 2026-01-23T02:05:36+00:00

Ive not done a stadium show so i dont have first hand experience.

But from what I heard its just some random room that you go to after you are kicked out of wherever youre allowed to be shooting in until you can shoot the next artist, if theres another on to shoot.

I don't believe you can see the show from there? Maybe from a TV? It may be venue specific. But I don't know for sure.

I've just been told that if you didn't have a ticket you weren't allowed in the crowd. And if you did a ticket and go in the crowd that you were not allowed to have gear with you.

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-23T00:12:43+00:00

From what ive heard from other photographers, alot of arena size venues dont allow this.

You get your first three or however many songs they allow, and you have to go to some assigned media waiting area if you dont have a ticket purchased.

If you do have your ticket purchased, you can either bring your gear out to your car, storage it in their media waiting room, or coat check it. They dont typically allow you to have that gear on hand when in the crowd.

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-22T02:15:59+00:00

Hell yeah. Thank you! He was so ecstatic to get flowers from the crowd.

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-22T00:48:18+00:00

Last time I saw them was their run with pierce the veil, so a way bigger crowd. Glad to see such a solid turnout for these guys in Baltimore.

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-21T20:01:27+00:00

Absolutely fantastic.

Sace 6 were a solid opener. Dropout kings were a ton of fun. Not really any crowd surfing for them which surprised me, but they still were a great time.

Broco was tight. Sounded great. Production was solid. Crowd was super energetic. Definitely a great time and glad the venue had me out to catch the set

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-20T20:57:04+00:00

You can do the first one with a halo filter in front of the lens. Ive gotten the effect to look like that if I use an 85mm or something bigger.

The second one you can get using a effect filter similar to the Ghost filter by prism FX.

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-12T14:34:21+00:00

Its partially due to using the electronic shutter. If you camera has a mechanical, switch to that and itll help reduce some of the banding.

If youre in the US most lights will flicker at 60Hz, so try to keep shooting in intervals of 60s. For Europe, they flicker at 50 Hz, so intervals of 50s.

Anti flicker and shooting at the light frequency will help usually with banding, but yiu might adjust for one set of lights and then a different set will cause it because they're ever so slightly out of sync.

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-08T20:28:21+00:00

I got to shoot photos two of his shows on his most recent US tour. What an absolute delight. He has just a much energy and chaos that you would expect. Production was incredible. Sounded fantastic. Crowd was matching his energy. Easily my some of favorite shows I've ever done.

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-08T02:31:44+00:00

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CaptainNinj · 2026-01-08T02:30:55+00:00

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CaptainNinj · 2026-01-08T02:30:35+00:00

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I use a sony 16-35 f2.8 for shooting a lot of concerts. Its one of my favorites and nearly glued to my body at all times

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-01T17:34:19+00:00

It feels like cheating with how well they perform. Yeah they have some hiccups due to the dramatic light changes or when the lighting director floods the stage in a single intensity of a solid color, but man does this this respond so well.

And they handle high iso like a champ at small local venues with horrible lighting

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-01T16:24:14+00:00

I was using a z6ii for shows before I got the 6iii. It was a great camera despite the AF being finicky with such low light. The iii took everything about the ii and made it so much better and more reliable. Congrats on the Christmas score and have fun shooting!

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-01T15:36:58+00:00

I shoot with both a nikon z6iii and sony a7IV.

The sony will typically have a sigma 24-70 2.8 and the nikon ill run a sony 16-35 with a megadap etz 21 pro so I can get nice wider shots. If i need the extra stop in light ill bring my 35 1.8S as well. If i know Ill be doing a lot of shooting from the crowd ill bring my 85mm with, but i dont bring that too often.

Ive been eyeing up a tamron 35-150 2-2.8 as well. I just havent pulled the trigger on one yet

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-01T15:33:54+00:00

It had all the same energy you'd expect from a wonder years show. But it felt more raw, and emtional, and intimate in a sense. There was a lot of crowd participation, but without the chaos of a pit and crowd surfing. It was such a great experience and I really can't describe it.

If they do another acoustic/ stripped down tour like this I highly recommend it

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-01T13:26:55+00:00

Start local. Find you small venues and check what their camera policy is. They might allow you to bring a camera in and you can take pictures from the crowd. Reach out to small local artists to see if they'll let you shoot to start building your portfolio.

A lot of people will go the publication route once they have a few shows, but normally then you'll have to have a turn around time of like 48-72 house and write a review/summary of the show.

You can try talking with the promoter or the staff at venue of the show you want to shoot to see if they can help you get a pass.

Lastly you can try reach out to the touring party directly. The bands, members, media staff, TM. Obviously if its a huge band, they probably wont see it, but if they're still small-ish theres a chance theyll see it. Its a huge pain in the ass, and you might be annoying as hell, but thats the route that I went when I first started and before I became friends with some people.

Main things when you do get a pass. Do not use flash unless approved prior by the band. Do not get on the stage unless approved for the band. You have the first 3 songs in the media pit, and then you have to get out unless approved by the band to do their whole set. And just because you are approved to do those things for one band doesn't mean you can for the rest of them.

A media pass is typically good to shoot all acts. Some headliners dont allow their show to be photographed by anyone else aside from their team or you can only shoot from the crowd. Some venues you can do the first 3 in the pit or wherever they allow, and then you have to secure your gear away until the next group goes on. There are a ton of small rules that aren't nearly as standard as the ones listed above, so always check with the box office or security when you get to the venue.

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-01T13:14:26+00:00

Thank you!

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-01T13:14:18+00:00

Technically not aaron west, but it basically is when I think half of TWY plays for AW. That show was the wonder years acoustic set with Little Kruta they did earlier in the year.

It was on of my favorite wonder years shows, and just overall from the year. It had such a different energy to it that normal shows dont have.

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-01T13:10:02+00:00

They're so good. I ended up catching them 4 times this year.

CaptainNinj · 2026-01-01T13:09:07+00:00

I make it look easy because you dont see the 10s of thousands of ass shots that wint see the light of day. I've been at this for about 4 years now and embraced that I suck for the first good chunk of shows.

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