working with the light that exists
Concert photography rarely gives you clean, predictable light. Useful frames often happen between extremes: a face briefly catches the front light, a performer moves into a beam, or the background becomes dark enough to separate the subject. I try to watch the rhythm of the lighting as much as the rhythm of the performance.
The gala assignment was calmer, but the same rule applied. Formal events reward anticipation: knowing when somebody will turn toward the audience, when applause will happen, and when a quiet reaction is more useful than another wide stage shot.