I usually don't post any of my night club work here, but today I'll make an exception because it's New Year's Eve. The rest of the photos can be found on AfterDarc.net or Limelight.la. (They may lag since it's a collaboration of different shooters) As a nightclub shooter it is easy money for no effort at all. I don't really get photo cred, because I am under someone at the moment, so boss gets all credit. Any idiot with a camera and a flash can take pictures, but I like to get creative. Since DSLRs are more available to the public, everyone has jumped the bandwagon and become a photographer. You can say I fit under that category, but I have other reasons besides "meeting hot chicks" or "getting attention" I have a more deeper connection to shooting, mostly linked to my late father. I try to be a different type of shooter. My techniques often confuse other shooters in the club, but I'm happy to share. I'm one of the few shooters there who uses a sync cord instead of using a diffuser and bounced flashed. Thanks to Limelight, Ann, and Grant for letting me be part of the team this year. I'm expanding next year to become a resident shooter. Thu - Heat, Fri - Geisha House, Sat - Hollywoodish. I'm trying to get booked at 3+ venues a week. That way I'll be making a grand or 2 by biweekly paycheck. Hope it all works out. 2010...Your night scene was decent. 2011 will be better. I'll be at Geisha House tonight shooting for NYE so look for me.
Cheers,
-Nick (BickNarcelona) / Nefarious Visions / Grinning Revengers / KAWAWA!
Always get a table. More attention. More women flock to you
Go to clubs with seasonal decor. These places are high traffic areas. Heat por examplow:
Arrive Early. It gets packed. Thursday is the new friday since most college peeps have that day off
Someplace have photostations, some do not. I'm usually stuck with photostation work and I have to lug my lights around. It is completely fine without them too
Bring your girlfriends. They will have fun too
The DJs work hard to stay up with the music and not emulate other's techniques. Some are even open to requests
DJ booths vary from being on the floor or raised. Both provided different dance areas with different musical genres
VIP treatment gets cool tables
Holidays are good times to visit clubs. Interesting folks arrive
Typical photos of people can be found on the links I provided on top
Standard Photographers shoot like this: with diffuser pointing upwards or towards subject
I shoot more with my light off camera. It brings drama and makes me practice portraiture for free
Slow shutter speeds are a must for epic:
Crowds gather easily in smaller dance floors, watch the center. You can get kicked
Be aware of the lighting situations. Sometimes you can get sweet effects
The crowd around the main dance floor
What every thursday night looks like to me:
Go-gos need attention too. They don't work out really hard to leave you disappointed. When a Go-Go is onstage, it means the night is at it's peak
During the peak of the night, the bar section is usually empty. Good time to grab a drink if you ain't a dancer
Jeri Lee
Network with the DJs they can get you in to all their gigs
I always shoot with manual focus. Not always perfect, but it pushes me more
Mind the VIP girls. aka Grant's girls
I really like shooting crowds for some reason
I like this one:
Time to leave. Usually around 2am-3am are the last songs. They shine you with light to remind you to go home
Time to sleep:
