"What Are You Doing With That Camera In My Face?"

Name, location: Gerard Wood, Oxford.

Musical Job: Gig photographer.

Camera: Nikon CP950.

That's one of those digital things? Yep.

So tell me, what's so good about digital cameras? A number of bonus points over film cameras:
a)  Speed. I can have the photos ready for printing/publishing withing hours of the gig.
b)  The ability to see what pictures you've taken as soon as you've taken them. Invaluable to me, since I'm usually trying something a bit different, and the lighting is never that predictable in most venues.
c)  Quantity. With a big enough memory card, I can take as many pictures as I like. I have been known to take up to 80 shots of a single band. With no film costs to worry about, I don't have to worry about a bad shot or 20.
d)  Flexibility. A swivel screen on the back of the camera is invaluable for those above-the-head shots, something even the best SLR can't do! It's a lot less bulky, too.
e)  Flexibility. The digital darkroom offers everything the conventional darkroom can offer, but makes it a lot easier.

Any drawbacks? The initial outlay is pretty steep for a quality camera, and only the top-of-the-range models are really up to the job - a £200 35mm SLR can still produce a better quality final image than even the most expensive pro digital camera. But they're getting pretty close now. Only other drawback: digital cameras are still seen as 'gimmicky' by a lot of pro photographers (and editors!). Perhaps yes, for studio work, but not in a live scenario.

OK, enough about the machine. What about the job - can anyone do it? Probably, if they really wanted to, although a bit of knowledge about what makes a good picture comes in handy! Photos of singers stuck behind a microphone and stand are easy; the ability to capture something of the essence of the performance is important.

Come on then, give us some tips: These may sound obvious, but...
a)  Get close, get closer, then edge forward a bit. The number of people I see trying to take photos of bands from halfway back in the venue, with a tiny little flash that has no hope of carrying. Don't be afraid to push to the front.
b)  Try to avoid taking shots of microphones and stands. Getting to the side of the stage helps a great deal.
c)  Aim for something unique each time, rather than taking the same tired shots repeatedly. Often, a facial expression that only lasts for a second or two will make the best photo.

Any trade secrets? No, I'm an amateur! But here's a few techniques to try:

a)  Natural light photos often look better than flash, which has the habit of illuminating the back of the stage as well as the subject, and also washing out any venue lighting. Use as fast a film/high an ISO rating as you can afford, the widest aperture and as slow a shutter speed as you dare. I usually take 6-8 similar shots at a time when using natural light, particularly if the subject is moving around a lot, and usually underexpose by at least one stop to give myself every chance of a sharp image.

b)  A good tip for natural light photos with auto exposure cameras is to have a stage light shining into the camera, behind the subject - this will keep the shutter speed up (see left).

c)  A trick used a fair amount in the music press for live photos is the flash-blur, whereby the flash fires when the shutter is released, but the shutter is left open afterwards for half a second or so, capturing the light trails following. The result is a sharp image captured when the flash fired, with a transparent blurred image superimposed, creating a sense of movement (see right). Not many digital cameras do this - some have slow flash, which basically does the same as above in reverse.

Embarrassing moments? Not really. I spent half of a gig taking photos with the lens cap on once...

So what's the ideal gig to photograph? A full venue is a big help - the band are usually far more 'up-for-it', and likely to let loose a bit more; a half-empty venue usually means that the band are watching the photographer far too much. Quality stage lighting is a bonus, but dry ice equals death; foggy photos are no use to anyone, and use of flash becomes impossible.

Favourite band? Prolapse (left), for the unpredictability. The music's not bad either...