I know a fair number people in bands and I used to do some side work as a promoter for music and comedy. This meant occasionally shooting shows. Mostly small venues and sometimes larger ones. A lot of photographers start off by shooting shows. And that’s great. Concerts are a great way to get some experience. You’re dealing with a complex photographic situation, so as long you don’t have your camera set to auto, you can learn a lot.

That said, there are some things you need to know. So I decided to take some shots at my friend Jak Locke’s show the other night, with his 50s/60s band, The 45s.

1. Don’t Get in the Way. If you’re shooting an unsigned band, they will probably appreciate you taking photos of their shows. That’s great. Just don’t be a distraction or get too close. Whether its $5 or 50, no one is paying to see you take photos of the band. And if you are anywhere near the stage, avoid constantly blocking the band members.

2. DO NOT USE A FLASH. This applies mostly to small venues, since flashes don’t do anything in a large venue. Flashes can do a lot in a small venue, including blinding the band. Have you ever had someone set off a flash 2 feet from your eyes? How about 30 times in a row? Its not pleasant. And it can be dangerous. Don’t be that guy.

3. Learn Your Exposure Triangle. This is barely a tip. If you’re a photographer, its your job. But when shooting in a poorly lit area, you need to know how to adjust your settings to compensate. House lights aren’t designed for photography. Adjusting your aperture and shutter speed will only do so much. You’re going to have to jack up your ISO. A lot. When I shoot bands, my ISO is rarely lower than 6400.

4. A Telephoto Lens is Your Friend. One of your first pieces of kit should be a fast telephoto. For bands, you want an aperture of f/2.8 or lower. Having a low aperture will allow you more light and lessen the need to increase your ISO. Additionally, the telephoto will allow you to get better shots of faces and the drummer, who is always the hardest person to shoot.

5. If You Work Hard and Act Cool, You Can Do More. Unsigned bands need (no pun intended) exposure. If you establish relationships with them, some bands will allow you more access. That means more experience. And eventually when one of them needs an album cover, if you’ve proved your worth, you could have a paying gig there.

Bonus tip. Don’t be afraid of noise. Yes, you’re going to have a noisy photo. So what? Someone once asked me- which is better, a blurry photo or a noisy one? Some of the greatest photographs ever taken were grainy. All that matters is that you get the shot.