That said, I still always recommend f/2.8 zooms, because when the sun goes down and the headliners do come out, those slow lenses will be a much bigger liability for normal stage lighting. Thanks for reading my guide on Festival Gear & Rave Essentials Share this article with your festival crew! Fanbytes’ Harry says, “The last two years have transformed the digital marketing landscape, with the incredible rise of TikTok and the influence of content creators over the pandemic. To effectively engage with Gen Z, festivals need to freshen up their marketing mix and look to reach consumers in new ways. What in-camera editing does require is sufficient total storage of photographer selects for the complete event, enough extra capacity for the last headlining act, and the battery to power extended use of the LCD. The downside to this approach is that you don't have the benefit of a large display for critical editing, so there is a real chance of imprudent decisions and accidental deletions.

As far as cameras for festival photography, your best choice is honestly whatever you have available. Because festivals occur with daytime acts, the majority of acts you photograph will have a lot more light than a normal indoor concert, so the technical demands are a lot less overall.

30) LED POI

For example, at SXSW, McDonald’s used VR to transport attendees inside a Happy Meal box. Once inside, they could use virtual paintbrushes, balloons, and lasers to decorate the walls. After they finished, attendees could share their creations on social media — giving McDonald’s exposure on their networks. Performance - To what extent do the earplugs reduce the damaging frequencies of the sound you're listening to? Then, just as importantly, how do they impact the quality of the sound you’re hearing? However, attending a concert with a decibel level of 100dB and wearing 33dB-rated earplugs doesn’t mean the new level is 67dB. No, that would be far too simple! Instead, there’s a formula: deduct 7 from the NRR rating and divide the resulting number by two. This is the amount of protection on offer. It’s this social media engagement that will spell the difference between an event that flies under the radar, and the one that becomes the biggest date in peoples’ calendars.

For stage-front photography of smaller stages, a midrange zoom like a 24-70mm f/2.8 is a great option. For me, this lens will serve as my secondary zoom after my main 70-200mm. An ultra-wide lens like the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 I use is great for capturing the atmosphere of festivals, and especially nice if performers leave the stage and get up close and personal with fans.Additionally, wide-angle lenses are fantastic for performers with more theatrical stage productions, where you really want to cover a large expanse of the stage and capture the full lighting rig, for example.With a multiple full days of shooting, you’re going to want to have your camera’s batteries fully charged before the start of every day. On my gig travels, I’ve seen similar foam earplugs given away free at the bar but the uptake has never seemed that high – although at a Swans/Anna von Hausswolff concert several years ago, I was only too happy to see a cup of red foam earbuds perched on a table. In all my years of watching live music, I had never experienced music so loud, and I gratefully stuffed a couple into my lugs. I can’t believe how many I see at the very front of music festival stages without this festival essential because it can cause serious issues for you in the future. Take it from me – buy yourself some decent earplugs, and protect yourself!

Virtual reality gets a lot of buzz with sponsors because it lets them interact with attendees in a memorable way, thanks to cutting-edge tech. From 360-degree views of concerts or sporting events and beyond, VR can immerse attendees even deeper into experiences. Don't forget that a festival isn't just a big concert, they are often so much more. I love photographing the atmosphere and vibe of a festival as much as the performers. The outfits and fashion of festival goers, the setting or festival grounds, and all the other unique aspects of a festival are things I love to cover when photographing a music festival. Some, such as the Decibullz custom moulded earplugs, allow you to mould each bud at home. Granted, it can be a bit of a faff to get right, but it does mean you’ll get a good fit which is really what we’re after. You can also remould them should the results not be perfect the first time around... so no worries about messing things up straight out of the box. So, I’d definitely say it’s one of the most important concert accessories, if not the most important. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach like most earplugs, like the name suggests, custom earplugs mould themselves snuggly into the shape of your ear canals to provide a comfortable fit and keep unwanted noise levels out.Like most tours, the “first three songs” rule is in effect for music festivals. What this means is that you’ll be able to photograph the first three songs of a band’s performance from the photo pit, located between the stage and the barricade at the front of the crowd. For regular gig photographers, this should be no surprise.