Capturing the perfect exposure in concert photography is one of the biggest challenges, whether you're a novice or an experienced pro.

From the dim, moody lighting of intimate club gigs to the intense, blinding lights of arena shows - navigating these extremes requires skill and precision. However, finding the right exposure isn’t as difficult as it might seem.

Here’s my guide to determining the best exposure settings for concert photography

The following is my standard process for setting exposure, which I always perform in manual mode at the beginning of a set.

1.) Take a test shot

For this test frame, I'll estimate the exposure based on the venue's lighting conditions. Typically, I set the aperture around f/2.8 or f/3.2 and a shutter speed of 1/160, with ISO ranging between 1600 and 6400.

2.) Check histogram & image

That's right, chimp it up. In reviewing the above test frame, I'll look at both the histogram and overall rendition of the image. With the latter, it's important to use a camera with a fairly accurate LCD, otherwise one can be misled. I'll also review the areas of blown highlights to ensure that important details are intact in the subject.Of the four steps, this is both the most difficult and the most important. The good thing is, if you blow it, you've always got another shot.

3.) Refine & retry

Is the photo too bright or too dark? Return to step one and make adjustments as needed. Tweak the ISO, shutter speed, or aperture - whatever it takes. Once you've perfected it, move on to the final step.

4.) Set it up, relaxe

Once you've found the ideal exposure for the current lighting, use those settings as your reference and focus on capturing photos - there's no need to overthink the technical details anymore. From this point, it's best to adjust only one setting as needed. I primarily focus on adjusting the shutter speed, even during performances, unless the conditions have changed drastically.

If the lighting conditions change - they inevitably will - and you still feel uncertain about your settings, simply return to the first step and repeat the process from the beginning.

Please notice:

I didn't talk about the different in-camera exposure methods or any automatic mode for a reason.

Any experienced photographer will tell you that light meters can be unreliable; they are rarely 100% accurate for any scene or situation. Because the camera can never truly know which part of the composition is most important or where the exposure needs to be prioritized. This is especially true for concert photography, where lighting can be particularly difficult.

Final note

This four-step system offers a strong foundation for finding the correct exposure settings, even in challenging conditions like intense strobes, powerful spotlights and rapid shifts in the overall lighting design. In these cases, it's crucial to adjust the shutter speed very quickly to stay in sync with the changing light. However, with enough practice and experience, this will become second nature and shouldn’t be an issue.

In the next installment of this two-part series, I will delve deeper into the additional techniques that I use alongside this routine to ensure optimal exposure while photographing a concert.

Also check out

➡️ Metering & Exposure - Concert photography 101 - Part 2

Do you have any recommendations or personal guidelines that you find helpful?

Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts on “Metering & Exposure - Concert photography 101 - Part 1”.

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