Stop limiting yourself. Photograph what ever the hell you want. You can choose what you show and to whom.
I used to want to be a gig photographer. Shot a lot of gigs. Then portraits. But literally nothing else.
Now at 39, after a 10 year hiatus, I have decided not to let anything limit myself. I photograph everything I find interesting. Because why the hell not.
I used to shoot concerts back in the day. Mostly small ones but a few alternative festivals too. It was amazing.
First, I’d suggest just pick an iso manually. Inspect the setting and just choose it yourself. Light changes a lot during a show and that may confuse the camera metering.
Observe what’s happening, where the lights are. Don’t just shoot whatever to get the most photos. Zero in on the subjects, find that emotion, that connection between the artist, the music and the audience. Always with your finger on the button, even when you’ve lowered the camera, ready to click. Be like a hawk, looking for That Moment.
Not sure which concerts you shoot, if you’re already doing the ones with 3 song rule. But, my experience is the beginning of the show may be a bit meh - artists and audience is warming up. The best moments actually come later during the gig… So if you can hang out the whole gig, do that but also be patient, constantly on the lookout of the magic to appear. It’s always there.
Watch some videos on composition perhaps? Good photos have an interesting subject and good composition, which can be achieved in various ways. If there’s time, practice! Try to squeeze good composition out from anything you see. Literally anything.
Depending on the camera, I’d bring a wide angle too, if at all possible. Or only take the 50mm (or 35 if cropped sensor), and pretend to come from a different era. :)
I photograph my kids myself, and i love candid photos the most. I also take photos of them each year in the same location during thr same time of year, and after 4 years we’ve already got a nice collection. The leaves and the bench and the light is the same but the kids change.
I also aim to take photos with our home Xmas tree each year.
The rest are all candid shoots, unplanned.
Do you have any kids? I would maybe keep them, so the kids perhaps want to do something with them. Or a different relative. Maybe ask around in the family, what would other relatives suggest you do? There might be family memories in that material. Alternatively, I’d donate the whole collection to a librart or museum so it’s not gone forever.
There was a post about it a while ago.
I suggest maybe go to galleries, exhibit openings and make personal connections. All the while noticing all the little bits & bobs about this sector literally anywhere. Maybe a chat over a drink works better.
But these people have climbed the greasy pole on their own so I doubt they’re very willing to basically help out a competitor who is going to come and get a slice of the same pie.
Also, some techniques they use are probably almost unconscious- they don’t even notice they’re doing something.