by Jay Ray | @jayrayisthename
Youtube is full of them. Your Facebook gets bombarded with them. Those awful cell phone videos people take at concerts. The videos are typically some random length, shaky, include barely audible music and lots of "WOOOOOOOOOOOOO" and "YEAAAAAHHHHHHHH" from the recorder.
Childish Gambino set 2 rules at the start of his #Coachella set.
— LAT Entertainment (@latimesent) April 13, 2019
1⃣ "Feel each other and really have a good time."
2⃣ "Put your phones down."
Follow along with the festival live: https://t.co/LnlyYYlHif pic.twitter.com/rKbradbdOv
During a recent tour, Alicia Keys would lock cell phones at concerts, except for a few specific people, and in 2016, Apple announced that it has patented technology that could disable an iPhone camera if a specific infrared signal is detected. Childish Gambino has also been urging his fans to put their phones away at shows. Most recently at his Coachella appearance.
Ok, barring the evil reasons this technology could be used; for events, this is not such a bad idea.
I have news for you, cell phone cameras at concerts, and people taking random pictures on the dance floor at parties is distracting. Maybe no one’s ever mentioned it, but it just interrupts the flow of things. I can distinctly remember having to watch part of a concert on this dudes phone screen because he was right in front of me at a packed show, his phone right in my eyeline as I am trying to be in the moment. (See the picture at the top of this blog post.) Sir, I'm in your phone, and I'm pissed.
I am glad I have been delivert from committing such an atrocity.
So what can you be doing now if you just love to take videos and pictures at events? Get good at it, and then become one of the people at concerts who may be allowed to take images and video!
Here are a few tips:
1. Understand your use of the cell phone, and why you capture these moments in the first place.
Before Facebook Memories, most people never saw that one video they took five years ago. So, since that’s true, why’d you record it in the first place? Is it to truly have a memorable archival moment, or are you just generally prone to picture taking and Snapchatting. If it’s the former, then making sure the quality is good matters; know the functions of your phone's camera, and how to adjust it for the best quality. If it’s the latter, your expectations may be readjusted at some shows.
2. Have an idea of what you want to capture before you walk in the door, and make sure you’re in the right place to get it; that’s also not impeding someone else’s view.
Knowing the specific song or type of moment you want to capture limits your use of the camera, and gives you time to focus your attention on the moment capturing it and nothing else. Note: Pick the right spot, the right focus and the right timing. This will improve your quality, and not annoy people around you.
3. Take a step back, and don’t post it immediately. Wait!
This tip is particularly helpful for concert video. I don’t care how good the video itself looks, if the sound is terrible, think twice before posting it. Not only will you never watch it, no one else will either. Also by waiting you can determine if you need to edit the photo or video. There’s free apps that will allow you to edit both your photos and videos right from your phone, before uploading. This will ensure you keep your quality high. Make strategic choices about what to post and when.
Happy capturing!