Need Help...shooting Diplo concert at school and need advice

I applied to be a photographer for the student association at my college and they sent me an email today saying I was accepted and that the first event was the Diplo/Krewella (They're DJ's for those that don't know) concert tomorrow (9/21). Being a concert at school (my school is very small) and they asked me to shoot I'm pretty sure I can have free reign at the event. I know they don't expect much because I've seen the photos on the facebook page and a lot of the ones they post are blurry, out-of-focus, and not exposed properly. I know that I'm getting the hang of most things now and shoot manual almost all the time and that's why I volunteered. Being a photographer and also being critical of my work I don't like to give images that aren't satisfactory in my opinion.

I've read a lot of the forums and advice before on this site and it's greatly helped me. I just wanted to know if there is any other advice people can give to help me with photographing a concert since this will be my first time shooting one. Any specific techniques that work well for this type of event? Dragging the shutter? Second-curtain sync for light trails?

As for gear I have an XSi, kit lens, and 580exii.

Thanks!

I wouldnt assume free reign at the show just because your school is small. Ramapo?

Make sure you get your access squared away. Shooting a DJ from the crowd stinks. Try and get stage access. Diplo will have a tour manager with him and the tour manager is going to likely decide on access.

Grab an off camera flash cord and drag that shutter. Make sure to get lots of crowd stuff.

Always...ALWAYS...get the shot from behind the DJ that shows the crowd when he is doing his Jesus hands.

Nah I go to Fairfield. I checked and they said it should be fine about shooting from the pit. I'm part of the "staff" now and they help setup and with security so it should be without problem. I didn't ask about getting on the stage though. I've never done any event like this so I wouldn't know the proper etiquette for on stage besides obviously staying out of the way. I don't have an off camera flash cord and can't get one by tonight. Would on camera speedlite work if diffused? It's not an incredibly high ceiling and might be able to get some bounce if I add a stop or two of extra light. I think i understand dragging the shutter but haven't tried it much. Ok I'll try to get that shot.
Thanks for the advice!

Bounce flash will work. Just try setting your flash to second curtain, shutter around 1/20 to start and then slow it down if you want to drag more.

In theory your shutter will open, grab the lights and then freeze the DJ when the flash hits.

You can even slow it down more and zoom as the shutter is open. Just play with it.

The pit will stink too if the DJ is raised. Even a basic DJ setup will be pretty high. Get lots of crowd shots, and drag the shutter there as well. If people are still using glowsticks they always make for cool shutter drag shots.

ok thanks! that's what I thought just wasn't sure what's a good shutter speed to use as a starting point.

that's a good point. I didn't even think of that. I'll try to get on stage but not sure how keen artists are on that sort of thing. In your experience are they usually okay with that or do they not like people up there when they are?

I'm definitely gonna have to post my results when I get them all touched up. They want the pictures by tomorrow afternoon at the latest I don't know if I can go through a couple hundred pictures in that timeframe.

when I use second curtain sync should I still am up to bounce or can I have it angled somewhat at the DJ's? Not sure if the ambient light would help balance out the flash.

The most important preparation is to have a conversation with your editor about the goals for the assignment. Do they want 1 photo or 40? Will they be used in print or on FB? Do they want you to focus on close ups of the performer, big crowd shots, hot girls, or something else?

For technique- I shoot EDM events with on high ISO, flash on camera with a stofen bounce, and longer shutter to get more cool lights. Common settings for me are ISO3200, f4, 1/20th, center point focus, partial metering. It is very hard to get solid shots of a DJ on a platform 20 feet away from the pit. If your assignment is to get closeups, then make sure they arrange stage access with the performer. Tom is a sweet performer-have fun!!

I should probably do that but I know they aren't expecting much of anything. They just want pictures to post of the events which they will put on Facebook. Heres a link to one of the photos from an event last year: Example Image of Past Events
As you can see they aren't exactly worried about image quality and will post everything even if its completely out of focus.

There's not many photos in each album maybe 40 at most. I'm gonna be taking a lot more than that so I can start building up a portfolio.

Ok thanks for the advice! I'm gonna have to remember all of that as my starting point. I have a XSi currently so my ISO only goes to 1600 :/
I'll work with what I got and learn from it.

the stofen will just rob you of light. it will do more harm then good, especially dragging the shutter.

Only bounce if there's something to bounce off.
I'd not use second curtain sync: It kills your timing for slower shutterspeeds.

I shoot a lot of bare flash, but sometimes use a stofen with the top cut out, so I get a bit of light in the eyes, while I can still bounce off a side wall for instance.

Use a high enough ISO to get a reasonable, hand-holdable shutterspeed for ambient exposure if the subject is front lit.
Use whatever ISO and shutterspeed you want for light trials if the subject is not front lit.

Here's an older link: https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=363868