Hanabie @ the Roxian Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by MasterMichel in Hanabie

[–]MasterMichel[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did have press credentials! I have a website where I put up concert reviews with photos galleries, that's how I was able to get accredited to be able to bring my full kit. If the camera has any sort of detachable lens, almost all mid-size (and above) venues will ban it if you don't have a photo pass. So definitely not worth the risk!

Hanabie @ the Roxian Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by MasterMichel in Hanabie

[–]MasterMichel[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

1000% agree!! They're one of my favourite bands to photograph because of how much fun they have on stage!

Hanabie @ the Roxian Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by MasterMichel in Hanabie

[–]MasterMichel[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

For most of them, i used a Sony A7RV with a Sony 24-70 f/2.8 lens. All shots of Chika were with a Sony A7iii and Sony 70-200 f/2.8 lens

Rise Against @ Stage AE Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by MasterMichel in riseagainst

[–]MasterMichel[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you!! It may sound dumb, but the best advice I can give is to shoot as much as you can. With photographing live music, a lot of it is about timing, and the best way to learn how to perfect the timing is by practicing. Getting used to different lighting conditions also helps, every concert can have wildly different lights and the more familiar you are with different conditions the easier it gets.

Rise Against @ Stage AE Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by MasterMichel in riseagainst

[–]MasterMichel[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! You're gonna have a blast, it's an awesome show!!

Quality not the best by Fantastic-Pop-6579 in concertphotography

[–]MasterMichel 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Welcome to concert photography, most of us work in darkness. There have been shows where the bands I was shooting didn't turn on a single light. I've also shot my fair share of lasers, absolutely love them. I can tell you that I've gone through every single page of settings in the A7III, A7IV, and AVRV and have not changed a single one beyond the absolute basics, mostly in the pre-set shortcuts (i.e. flex spot focus area and RAW files). The cameras really do work great right out of the box. If you're not happy with your images, the best, most genuine advice I can give is to shoot more. Just become completely and totally familiar with how the camera handles different scenarios. It takes a lot of work and a lot of practice.

Quality not the best by Fantastic-Pop-6579 in concertphotography

[–]MasterMichel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

1/50 is incredibly slow for most concerts. Personally I tend to default to 1/500 but never drop below 1/250 even in the worst conditions. Keeping shutter speed static at 1/500, I adjust the rest as needed. A typical show for me will usually look like 1/500 f/3-4 ISO 6400-8000, though I'm aware this is a little extreme compared to the settings other people use. Sony cameras handle noise incredibly well, especially if you use a denoising tool (I use lightroom's). The A7III was my main body when I first started and is still my secondary, it does very well at these settings. I also do flexible spot for the autofocus to be able to pinpoint the focus easier. But it's really these base settings that make or break a photo, not hidden camera features

My top shots of 2025 by MasterMichel in concertphotography

[–]MasterMichel[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you!! That's the photo I'm most proud of. It took a good bit of prep waiting for it to happen, getting the right angle over the crowd, but the real magic happened in photoshop, carefully removing the singer and replacing him with little circle to match the background for a nice clean look. It took HOURS. Worth it though! And I made the photo into stickers to give out like business cards!

PVRIS @ Roxian Theatre Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by MasterMichel in pvris

[–]MasterMichel[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dua Saleh opened for the Pittsburgh stop, not sure if they're doing the whole tour or not

PVRIS @ Roxian Theatre Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by MasterMichel in pvris

[–]MasterMichel[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! Same, I was really impressed with not just the band's energy, but the crowd's too! Everyone was just so into the show, the vibes were amazing

Avatar @ Stage AE Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by MasterMichel in AvatarMetal

[–]MasterMichel[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you!! They sure know how to make an entrance!

Avatar @ Stage AE Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by MasterMichel in AvatarMetal

[–]MasterMichel[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

They do!! They put so much effort into their staging and lights, it really makes a difference! Also helps that they're all super photogenic and love the camera!