Dear Tek Syndicate community,
I am an amateur photographer who possibly could get invited to take pictures of a gig. So I need your advice in both gear and Technique. currently I'm using my parents Sony a350 with a F1.8 50mm prime lens and I'm thinking of getting a wide or fish eye lens and maybe a flash.
So my question is do I need both or should I just invest in a flash?
Second if i need a flash how do I use it?
Your minion John.
You can get some good stuff with the 50, but for a concert/gig shoot, a decent zoom lens would probably be preferable (say, an 18-200?). That way you don't have to be right next to the stage to get decent shots of the band, and gives you the ability to get wider crowd shots as well. It'll also give you more flexibility with your f-stop, allowing you more wiggle room with your depth of field, all without having to swap lenses.
I'd skip the flash for something like this and simply adjust your iso/shutter speed/aperture in order to get the correct exposure (there should be a sweetspot). I'm unsure how your camera handles high ISO images, but a little grain will still give you a better result than a flash more than likely. Just check your histogram regularly to make sure you are getting the correct exposure.
If you're uncomfortable or inexperienced with all of this, practice a bit first. Find some place with similar lighting (usually the band will be fairly well lit while the crowd is less so) and play around with your settings until you feel more comfortable with the relation between them, and adjusting them on the fly. Also, don't be afraid to use a monopod or a light tripod to help steady your shot a bit, especially when zoomed in, as your hand shake will be accentuated.
Good luck, have fun.