Photographing performing drummers

Still getting the same error message...
Start with 1200 pixel max width for a hoizontal, 800 pixel width for vertical.

The forum software is supposed to downsize images that are too large, but it doesn’t work on very high Rez images.
 
Ah totally missed this one. Thanks for mentioning me, I currently don't have the time to read the entire forums. MazdaRex and me will try to figure out the problem via private conversation. Thanks for heads up!
 
Here are some of the images:

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20210924-Smokin-GDK_7079.jpg

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Huge thanks to SuperGrobi for working with me to figure out the problem!! Turns out the forum did not like it that the file names had an apostrophe in them. Removed that, and all good.

Enjoy the pictures! Feedback welcomed.
 
I think it's very important to catch the lively emotions of the drummer's enjoyment. Everything else is not so important. I want to see how the artist feels his instrument and enjoys what he's doing, the drive!
 
I think it's very important to catch the lively emotions of the drummer's enjoyment. Everything else is not so important. I want to see how the artist feels his instrument and enjoys what he's doing, the drive!
I actually prefer that my drums look good. What I look like is almost secondary, although I'd rather not put out a terrible shot of me. FWIW, I look pretty bored when I'm playing anyway.
 
With the latest DSLRs out there, isn't burst mode the way to go to get the best shots? Just shoot a bunch of frames and pick out the best ones. Especially if you have little time during the gig to figure things out. Assuming you brought enough SD card storage.

Question: Do professional photographers sell the entire shoot roll, or do they sell frames only?
 
Hi rhumbagirl,

Yes, it always makes sense to take a lot of shots. Since a DSLR uses a physical mirror as part of the viewfinder system, the story is 'if you saw it, you didn't photograph it.' Mirrorless cameras don't have this issue. I'll shoot around eight pictures per second for an action sequence. Think about how quickly a drumstick is moving and how little time it takes to go from vertical to hitting the head. Plus, most small venue stage lighting is extremely difficult for photography.

For the event shown above, I took 244 images and had 44 okay and ~20 very good. By comparison, I did an airshow recently and took 3,200 images with 130 good enough or better. You end up taking a lot of very similar images, especially for action pictures. If I'm doing landscape or something that's not moving or changing, I will take far fewer and get a much higher hit ratio.

I only deliver the very best/most appropriate images. You don't want to show blooper photos and you don't want to give them too many to choose from.

I'm not a professional photographer. I sell very little of my work, just give these to the bands. They simply don't have the budget for photography and I want to support them. I do include a watermark with my name and website.

I suspect photography is like drumming and most music - not valued by the average consumer who doesn't know how hard it is and doesn't recognize the difference between mediocre and good.

Cheers!
 
I only deliver the very best/most appropriate images. You don't want to show blooper photos and you don't want to give them too many to choose from.
We have a photographer - an amateur with a really nice DSLR - that shoots some of our gigs and doesn't charge us. The problem is there are so many files to look at I don't have the time to do a first round pass, so I have to trust him to pick the ones he thinks are good.

I suppose we don't actually need to have pics from every gig we do. But everything with this band seems to be moving very fast. And because everyone else in the band brings their friends and significant others to rehearsals, we never really have a chance to have serious talks about things. Our promo consists of a Facebook page, a YouTube page, our flyers, and now a 3'x5' banner that goes on a wall behind my kit - they never seem to get the banner up until *after* I've got my kit setup, and so I have to sit there stressed out if the unthinkable should happen.
 
Sounds like I'm not the only groupie photographer! If he has even half the ego I do, he'll only present the best images.
It's definitely a challenge for "What do we do with all these pictures?"

I follow some of your stories in your other posts and it sounds like an 'interesting' band setup. I'm a beginning drummer so get tons of inspiration and information from this forum but don't have a lot to offer about drumming or touring.
 
I suppose we don't actually need to have pics from every gig we do. But everything with this band seems to be moving very fast. And because everyone else in the band brings their friends and significant others to rehearsals, we never really have a chance to have serious talks about things. Our promo consists of a Facebook page, a YouTube page, our flyers, and now a 3'x5' banner that goes on a wall behind my kit - they never seem to get the banner up until *after* I've got my kit setup, and so I have to sit there stressed out if the unthinkable should happen.
I really hope there's something good about this band, because everything about it seems pretty subpar. And I'm not complaining about your posts about the situation at all--I like reading them. But there kinda seems like there's nothing but problems with them, well beyond the typical issues pretty much every band faces.
 
I really hope there's something good about this band, because everything about it seems pretty subpar. And I'm not complaining about your posts about the situation at all--I like reading them. But there kinda seems like there's nothing but problems with them, well beyond the typical issues pretty much every band faces.
Glad you like the posts but I'm probably going to wait for a second band situation before I let this (paying) one go. Nothing is ever optimal, and things probably look worse than they are because I'm only posting the problems and not the successes.
 
With the latest DSLRs out there, isn't burst mode the way to go to get the best shots? Just shoot a bunch of frames and pick out the best ones. Especially if you have little time during the gig to figure things out. Assuming you brought enough SD card storage.
Do you mean spray & pray? Run ‘n gun? Flutter the shutter and avoid the gutter? No. Previsualize the image in your mind and use the tools available to make the image.

If the clients wants quantity over quality, then figure on making 1¢ per image or less. That’s not survivable.

Do professional photographers sell the entire shoot roll, or do they sell frames only?
We license the each image selected by the client. The fee is based on usage and length of time used. Some clients want images forever, and they will pay for that.

A7BAE6F5-D102-43C4-88E4-C1469406DD96.jpeg
 
Do you mean spray & pray? Run ‘n gun? Flutter the shutter and avoid the gutter? No. Previsualize the image in your mind and use the tools available to make the image.

If the clients wants quantity over quality, then figure on making 1¢ per image or less. That’s not survivable.


We license the each image selected by the client. The fee is based on usage and length of time used. Some clients want images forever, and they will pay for that.

View attachment 110156
Wow that's quite a budget! We probably have only $300 to pay someone for a couple of hours. Maybe give them a SD card and tell them to fill it up. Right now, our cameraman is a friend of the band who shoots for us when he's not attending classes for an engineering degree. We get access to the photos and videos when he has time to pull them off and upload - can be a few days to a couple of weeks.
 
Chris (cbphoto) is, in my observation, a top-notch professional. Hire him and you'll have guaranteed stellar results.

It goes downhill from there. A a $300 budget should get someone who's done a lot of bands, with ample experience shooting at your venue, and can deliver very good results within a few days. I'd have an understanding of what you want, how many photos of each band member, etc.
 
Chris (cbphoto) is, in my observation, a top-notch professional. Hire him and you'll have guaranteed stellar results.

It goes downhill from there. A a $300 budget should get someone who's done a lot of bands, with ample experience shooting at your venue, and can deliver very good results within a few days. I'd have an understanding of what you want, how many photos of each band member, etc.
DW members and lurkers, I’d like to introduce you to my new artist representative, @MazdaRex . He will be handling all future inquiries. :ROFLMAO:

In truth, the preferred workflow is: 1) the client (and their marketing wizards) have determined which elements of their product/service they want to advertise, and 2) they’ve formulated an idea of how they want it to look (literally, the aesthetics and “feel” of the messaging and how to target their demographic), and 3) seek out artists whose work fits with this aesthetic (usually about a dozen artists/studios) and request their portfolios, and 4) request estimate from usually three of them. Having three estimates reveals low-ballers and/or price gouging. Estimates are usually negotiated further if the project is a big one (e.g., with travel, models, location fees, etc.).

For @rhumbagirl ’s band, if they were a goth band, that would determine a look very different if they were a J-Pop group. For best results, they would find an artist that understands their image and has the ability to create work that enhances that image. Many people think they have no image to market, but everyone does whether they like it or not. The object of the photography, art & design is to pull that image to the forefront in everything used to promote the band. This requires consistency, which usually means hiring the same people (photographers, designers, illustrators, etc.) to establish the image over the course of a few years.

The problem with lots of photos by someone/anyone with a DSLR is the high probability the images don’t distinguish the band from any other band. They’re just another band playing at the XYZ venue.
 
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For @rhumbagirl ’s band, if they were a goth band, that would determine a look very different if they were a J-Pop group. For best results, they would find an artist that understands their image and has the ability to create work that enhances that image.
Our photographer is also a band groupie, so right now we get everything for free. Since our band rehearsals are parties, maybe he sees his work as the price for admission. In any case, I think I wanna get more involved in the selection of pics and promo going forward.
 
Our photographer is also a band groupie, so right now we get everything for free. Since our band rehearsals are parties, maybe he sees his work as the price for admission. In any case, I think I wanna get more involved in the selection of pics and promo going forward.
One things that's missing in our world of band promotion is the 12"x12" album cover. Back in the day, this was the tool for establishing a band's identity. Some used it wisely, some didn't.

Remember any Blue Note album covers? Although each musician/band was unique, a Blue Note cover brought them into the fold of that label and virtually assured the buyer that the music was good (exceptional use of typography, too).

Sadly, that vehicle (the album cover) is gone. What bands resort to is social media, videos and merchandise.

@rhumbagirl I hope y'all find a way to make your look unique. If you have control over the stage lighting, stage positioning, clothing, that would help. And let the photographer get up on the stage and embed himself into the scene. Not only do you get better pics, the photographer's enjoyment will elevate his work.
 
This is one of my favorite shots ever. We gave our photographer access to the stage and she got down on her hands and knees next to the drum riser and shot this right as I went to the ride. I've worked with a lot of photographers and she was one of the most creative.

AH_sm.jpg
 
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