Nightclub Photography Tips

"These nightclub photography tips were provided by the creator of Nightclub Photography Online."

A common question I encounter is what kind of lens should a person use when shooting in a nightclub. A good nightclub photography lens is very important. The different situations you get into and different kinds of photos you want to take should ultimately dictate what kind of lens to use.

Generally, however, I think the right nightclub photography lens ought to be a high quality, fast, wide angle zoom lens. As I mentioned, the lens you will want to use will vary, but for your average nightly shoot, remember these three nightclub photography tips:

1. High Quality: Camera lenses are a great investment, and you really get what you pay for. Higher quality lenses (also more expensive) offer the sharpest images, the best color rendering, superior optical performance, and are typically built with a solid construction to withstand constant use and harsh conditions, which is especially important in a nightclub environment.

2. Fast Lens (i.e. f/2.8 or faster): A "fast" lens allows you to take photos in low light situations even without a flash. Clearly, a nightclub photography lens has to be capable of handling dim lighting.

A "fast" lens has a wide aperture, which allows more light to enter through the lens. Because of this, you’ll be able to achieve clearer pictures when there is less light and you can also increase your shutter speed to capture motion. Furthermore, a wider aperture helps create blurred backgrounds in your photos while your subject is sharp.

3. Wide Angle Zoom: The last, but perhaps the most versatile, of my nightclub photography tips is to use a wide angle zooms . These lenses have a general focal length of 20mm to 35mm. Wide angle lenses are great for nightclubs because they allow you to take great "crowd" shots while still being able to get in close enough to take group and solo shots.

You definitely can't zoom in as much as a telephoto lens if you’re far away from a subject, but if you want to get up close and personal, you can use your two feet and get closer!

Likewise, wide angle zoom lenses are usually lighter and smaller than normal zoom lenses. If you’re shooting in a club, then you definitely don't want your nightclub photography lens to slow you down.

As a Canon shooter, I personally use the EF 16-35mm II f/2.8L lens most of the time, and rotate with the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L lens (when I need that extra zoom). While it is important to choose good quality camera lens, if you’re a beginner, focus more on good composition. Don't fall into the trap of thinking you can only take a great picture with an expensive top-of-the-line lens.

A badly composed picture won't look great with any kind of lens! I don't mean to discount the importance of a good quality lens. In fact, if you are serious about nightclub photography, you will need a good nightclub photography lens.

A good rule is to only add to your lens collection only when you have a specific need for a particular digital camera lens. Do your research and your homework first, think about the three points above, and find the lens that suits both you and your camera.

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