Location

Location 

My project proposal 

The location for this brief is a venue during a music event, I'm planning to take shots during a dance music event, they will be taken at different times during the night and also in different areas around the venue. I am hoping to show the progression of the night from start to finish I will be able to show the beginning when there are not so many people, I really want to take shots of people  while they are dancing and maybe some shots of people in a small group when they are stood together, showing different styles of clothing and people and reactions to what is happening as the night goes on. 

The Archives at the Trinity 

This was a big music event at the Trinity in Bristol, it is a really large space and there must have been at least five to six hundred people. It was such a good venue to be taking shots although it was so busy and you always had to be aware of people around you.

These are the shots that I took during the event and I spent about seven hours there, as the night began was a lot easier to move around and take shots wherever I wanted.

As the night went on and it got a lot busier I had to choose my spots a lot more and to be aware of how many people were there. As you can see the lighting was extremely red as opposed to areas by the bar and different signs, as well as a projection screen at the back.

I took this shot whilst being stood on the stage right at the front overlooking the whole crowd of people dancing, although I do not use the flash and triggers that have with me.

This shot was taken when I was stood right in front of somebody DJ'ing, it was a really good angle although again I do not use the flash and triggers that I have with me although the natural light has worked quite well,

This shot again was taken in front of somebody whilst they were DJ'ing, I was really happy with the shot by but it was taken using a slow shutter speed so you're able to see motion blur.

I managed to take this shot overlooking everybody dancing and I like how it draws your eye towards the centre and everyone stood on the stage at the front.

 I was stood in amongst everybody while they were dancing when taking the shot and again are used a slow shutter speed so you are able to see some motion blur on the lady on the left-hand side.

I really like how the gutter funk sign is so sharp in focus, but you are able to see everybody moving on the left-hand side and also on the stage.

The colours of blue and purple have reflected on pipes and panels on the ceiling combined with the light purple in the background and also the white from the projection screen really draw your eye into the centre, it works so well how your able to see the shadows of people I'm stood behind

These are the contact sheets from the event I went to at the Trinity in Bristol

Sip The Juice at The Love Inn

This night was called Sip The Juice and it was held at The Love Inn in Stokes Croft in Bristol, it was a really good venue but a lot smaller than the Trinity which was the venue was at before. There is one main room for dancing which does include the bar as well but the lighting is always really good and there is always a lot people having a good time.

Because it was so small it was a lot more challenging to get to certain areas I wanted to take shots

I was really happy with this shop and it was taken right where people were DJing, I was able to take the shot from above also whilst using the flash and triggers, I held the flash with my right hand facing down to the left. Again you're able to see motion blur but the ceiling is really quite in focus and also the man in the black T-shirt and also the man in the white T-shirt on the right.

Again I was stood right by where people were playing music and I was facing everybody dancing I didn't use the flash but it's interesting how you can see the two people talking right in the centre

Although I didn't use the flash the light was quite good in the shot, but again I've used a slow shutter speed so you're able to see a lot of motion blur

This shot was taken after everyone had left and it was everybody talking about how the night at gone whilst putting all of the equipment away.

This was a shot that was taken also write the end of the night and it was of doormen and also people who were behind the bar. I think it really does show that is the end of the night and everyone has left.

Contact sheets of shots from the event 

Matt Smith

He works out of Bristol and the west country and he started to take pictures of Brittish culture in the late 1980s and is still going now. he began his documentary of free parties and festivals, especially with rave united the people of this country in a massive social phenomenon 

These two images show a really good example of how to take shots at an event during the night 

These four images were taken in black and white, it's great composition and also the reaction of people in the shot during the event.

I like how the man has realized that Matt is taking a picture. 

It works so well as this man seems to walk straight across as he takes a shot of these two ladies stood in front of the sound system.

Your eye is drawn down towards all the people and it only seems to be the one person who has seen him taking the shot.

Luke Curtis Fabric 

I think he is taking their shot with the flash on a trigger pointing in from the left-hand side,It really works so well with the orange light behind the both of them.

This shot really does draw your eye right into the centre as you can see him DJing, and I think this was shot without using flash.

You can see how this is been taken using the flash and the girl is funny in focus right in the foreground and everyone in the background is slightly out of focus, it's such a good technique

In some ways, this is kind of really similar to the shops that I took when I was that the Trinity in Bristol, just purely because of the red light although in this case there seems to be more natural light from the left-hand side.

You really are able to get the feeling of what is happening at this event, because of everyone's raised hands and also the beam of light straight from the centre, I think is so well composed.

Josh Hiatt Fabric

I think this is one of my favorite Research shots I've looked at, I don't think he's used a flash and I think the light comes from the screen in which she is looking at, it's very similar to other research shots I've looked because she's brought right to the foreground because of the orange light in the background.

Screenshots

These were taken whilst I was working on Photoshop and editing in in camera raw filter, changing exposure, contrast, dehaze, and sharpness to name only a few. This really does help when working on your final Choice of images.

The 10 final images I have chosen

These ten images show you how the night progresses on at the music event, you are able to see from the start to the finish. 

This combination of shots was taken at different venues but I think the way I presented them it really does allow you to see the progression. As you can see I took a shot looking down the bar and there is nobody about, 

As you can see I took a shot looking down the bar and there is nobody about, 

This shop was taken also at The beginning of the night looking around the bar with empty chairs and tables I think the lights going down the wall look great.

This is taken looking at some of the equipment I use the flash on the trigger from the left-hand side and also with a slow shutter speed so you're able to see light traces from the equipment.

This was taken a bit later on in the night and you can see a lot of people dancing I use the flash with the triggers from the right-hand side, it's really good how you can see people moving in the background

I didn't use the flash in this shot although I love the combination of lights from the gutter funk sign and projector screen, you're able to see really good movement as well.

In some ways I think you're able to tell that the night is coming to an end I didn't use the flash but all the red on the projection screen draws your eye right into the centre.

This was taken at right from the back and again I didn't use the flash but I thought there was no need as you are able to see the red reflecting from the ceiling.

I used this shot to really show that it was coming to the end of the night as all you can see are doormen and people who work behind the bar, the red reflection on the floor is great and I chose not to use the flash.

This was a picture of friends of mine he had put the night on and they were packing away their equipment I didn't want to use the flash and just use natural light, so the light wasn't too over the top.

This was my final shot and it was again taken looking down at the bar, there is nobody about apart from one person standing on the left I didn't use the flash because I wanted it to seem quite dark and give the impression that this was it, the end.

Conclusion

The location for this brief was for me to be at venue during A musical event and I to take shots during the dance music event as the night progressed on, the reason I chose this is because I have always gone to dance music events and have always enjoyed them, and know a lot of people who put these events on who put these events on.

I decided that it would be a really good experience to record exactly what happens during the night, I have had a lot of experience in going to these nights but not always with a camera and other equipment, it really was quite a challenge.

It really did take me quite a long time to understand exactly how flash works with the camera using the triggers. You really do know how to use the correct settings in terms of shutter speeds Aperture and ISO, but also know when and where to use the flash and also the strength of it.

I did eventually end up using the flash attached to the camera which I did actually find a lot easier, just because you didn't have to worry too much about where you were holding the flash itself and you were able to focus a lot more on what you were shooting. It has given me such a good experience and I would really like to follow on taking shots at musical events wherever they are.

I didn't know how hard it would be to taking pictures during a music event but I'm so glad I chose to do this I will certainly have a lot more experience and I will be able to get into it a lot more the next time I do it.