Price to shoot a music show?

[m.y.photography]

I have been asked by a co-worker to shoot his band's show in a few weeks. I'm just curious as to what other people have charged bands for a shoot. I've done weddings and portrait sessions, but I have never shot a music concert. The concert will be about three hours long and the location is an hour away. I am shooting with my Canon 10D and will be including the digital files with the package price. I was thinking of charging around $300 for the shoot. Is that too high or low? Any suggestions or tips on concert photography are very appreciated!<BR>
Thank you!<BR>
Matthew Yeaton

[ronk]

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The NYIP web site and the Oct issue of SB have articles on how to price ab assignment.

[scoop]

sounds good to me.however bands are notoriously bad for not wanting to pay their help(roadies,light and sound people etc...)they play that" o once we make it youll be taken care of"!bull!!,for starters the chances of them or any band making it are slim to nill.just get half your money up front.so if it were me id double your estimate(300 to 600) ,get half up front(300 bucks)then write off the rest when they never pay up the other half.

[screamtone]

As a professional musician (that is how I make 100% of my income), I can tell you that it is common practice to do a "cash and carry" buisness; recording studios don't give up the master tapes until the bill has been just as you should probably not give up more than a contact sheet until you have been paid. Musicians are used to this practice. Perhaps a shooting fee would be in order and then charge for individual images after that. That way nobody loses, especially since you say you have little experience at this type of job. If you work with this guy at your day job, he probably has some dough and wont burn you since he sees you every day. Even if he is a musician<BR>
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There is also an excellent "how to" on concert photography at photo.net<BR>
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