Behind the Scenes of a Gig: What It’s Like to Shoot a Live Show!

Shooting a live gig is an exhilarating and fast-paced experience that requires both creativity and technical expertise. As a live music photographer, I’ve captured performances in venues ranging from the intimate space of The Gasometer to larger spots like The Corner Hotel. Each show brings its own set of challenges, from lighting to movement, but that’s what makes it so thrilling. Here’s a step-by-step look at what it’s like to shoot a live show, from preparation to post-production.

Pre-Show: Arriving at the Venue I always arrive at the venue at least an hour before the doors open. This time is crucial because it gives me a chance to scout the stage setup and lighting arrangements, which helps me anticipate how I’ll shoot the performance. At venues like The Gasometer, where space is limited, positioning is key. For larger venues like the Corner Hotel, I have the freedom to move around more, which allows me to capture a wider variety of angles.

While waiting for the doors to open, I usually run through my gear checklist. I shoot with a Nikon Z6ii and a Nikkor 24-70mm lens, which is perfect for lowlight conditions and offers great versatility when switching between wide shots and close-ups. I always carry extra batteries, memory cards, and lens wipesespecially at smaller, sweatier venues where moisture can affect the lens.

Setting Up: Shooting in Aperture Priority Mode Once inside, I set my camera to Aperture Priority mode, which allows me to control the depth of field while the camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed. This is especially useful in live music photography, where lighting can change in an instant, and I need to stay focused on capturing the right moments rather than constantly adjusting my settings.

I typically shoot with a wide aperture (around f/2.8 to f/4) to create a shallow depth of field, which helps isolate the performers from the background. For live gigs, the lighting can be unpredictable, so I also crank the ISO up to between 3200 and 6400. While this higher ISO setting introduces some noise, it’s essential for maintaining a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the action in lowlight conditions. I rely on the Z6ii’s excellent low-light performance to keep the images clean even at higher ISOs. Capturing Key Moments During the Performance

As the show begins, the energy of the night takes over. My goal is to capture the emotion and intensity of the performance—from the singer’s expressive vocals to the drummer’s focused intensity. In smaller venues like The Gasometer, I often find myself working with limited space, so I have to be mindful of the crowd while still getting close enough to capture the action. At larger venues like the Corner Hotel, I have more room to move around and can experiment with different angles, like wide shots of the entire band or close-ups of individual musicians.

Shooting in Aperture Priority means I can focus on framing and timing, but I still keep an eye on the camera’s shutter speed. If the stage lighting dims too much, I may manually increase the ISO even further to prevent motion blur. Concert lighting often includes intense reds, blues, and strobes, which can make capturing accurate skin tones and clear details difficult, so I constantly adjust my positioning and exposure to adapt to the changing conditions.

One of the biggest challenges is knowing when to anticipate the "big moments"—like a guitarist hitting a high note during a solo or a lead singer connecting with the crowd. These are the moments that define the night, and capturing them requires a mix of experience and instinct. During one of my shoots at the Ecos Pink Floyd tribute show at the Corner Hotel, I caught a perfectly timed shot when the lighting hit the singer’s hand just right, a moment I’ve since titled “Mr Hand.”

Post-Show: Editing in Lightroom Classic:

Once the show is over, the next stage of the process begins: post-production. I import all the photos into Lightroom Classic, where I begin the first round of culling. I rate each photo on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, which helps me quickly narrow down the best shots. Images rated 1 or 2 are usually blurry, poorly lit, or simply don’t capture the right moment, so they get deleted. The 3-star shots are decent but might need more editing to bring out their potential, while the 4- and 5-star photos are my top picks that just need fine-tuning. Editing Process

Once I’ve sorted the photos, I dive into the editing process. My main focus is on correcting exposure and white balance. Since I often shoot in high ISO ranges (3200-6400) to deal with low light, noise can be an issue, so I use Lightroom’s noise reduction tools to clean up the images while preserving as much detail as possible.

Stage lighting at live shows is unpredictable—one second the performers are bathed in deep red, and the next, they’re hit with a blinding white spotlight. I usually start by adjusting the white balance to make the skin tones look more natural, then tweak the shadows and highlights to bring out details in the darker parts of the image. I also adjust the contrast and saturation to enhance the mood of the performance, making sure the photos still reflect the raw energy of the night.

For certain shots, especially those where the lighting is dramatic or intense, I might convert the image to black and white. This technique strips away distracting colours and focuses the viewer’s attention on the emotion and composition of the shot. Black and white edits work especially well for closeups of musicians where the lighting highlights their expressions.

The Final Product:

After editing, I export the final images and deliver them to the band or client. Each photo tells part of the story of the night—capturing the atmosphere, the energy, and the emotional connection between the performers and their audience. Shooting live music is challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding when you see those fleeting moments preserved in a photograph.

Whether I’m shooting in a small, cozy venue like The Gasometer or a larger venue like The Corner Hotel, each gig presents its own set of challenges and opportunities. Shooting in Aperture Priority mode with a high ISO helps me adapt to the constantly changing lighting conditions, while post-production in Lightroom Classic allows me to bring out the best in each shot. In the end, it’s all about capturing the magic of live music—the passion, the intensity, and the moments that make every performance unique.

---