First time shooting a festival? And maybe a bit nervous? No worries, I got you covered! On my blog you can find a lot of different tips and trick when it comes to festival photography! So feel free to have a look around, or send me a DM!
And in this video I'm sharing 2 important photos to make while photographing a festival: spontaneous moments between visitors and the sunny overview. I’ll give you tips on how to shoot festival photos that will make people really happy!
Did you already see my video of Photographing the biggest techno festival in the Netherlands Awakenings? This was abso-lutely amazing!
And interested in more videos about Techno Festival Photography? Check out all ‘bout Soenda.
Photo 1. Spontaneous moments between visitors
Any festival organization loves to see the visitors having fun at their festival. The best way to show this energy is with photos of authentic, spontaneous moments between visitors. To shoot these photos you need to be unnoticeable as a photographer. We all fake-smile when we see a camera pointing at us, right? So how do you make sure you shoot spontaneous moments at a festival?
Tip 1. Use a lens that can zoom.
I love the 70-200 mm lens, because this baby can bring people super close to me (without me getting super close to them!). The perfect piece of photography machinery to try and spy on the festival visitors!
Tip 2. Drop mental pin points in the crowd.
I always scan the area and look for people that radiate a lot of fun and positive energy. Aim the camera, take the photo and go!
Photo 2. Sunny overview
The second type of photo any organization will love to receive from you is a sunny overview photo from their terrain. But sunny photos, you have no control of fixing that, right? Nothing is more changeable than the weather. Well, you can with these 2 tips to make a sunny overview photo.
Tip 1. Schedule the photo
With preparation the chance of getting a sunny overview photo is 10 times bigger. I always check the weather forecast upfront. Cloudy almost the entire day, but a bit of sun at 2pm? Great, I set my alarm to make sure that at that time I’m ready to shoot the overview photo.
Tip 2. Pinpoint the location
Again, preparation is key. I love being early at the festival, so I can scan the area and plan my moneyshots. So before the party starts, I already found my perfect spot for the overview photo. Now I only have to wait for the right time, go to this spot and take the photo!
Wanna learn about how to become a Festival Photographer?
ONLINE COURSE | Build your Festival & Event Photography business
I’m so happy - my brand-new online course is live! All the things I’ve learned over the past 10 years as an event photographer, I want to share with you. The good, the bad, the successes and mistakes. The lessons I wish I had known when I started my photographer job.
🙋♂️ About Me - Michiel Ton
Hi, I'm Michiel Ton. Great to meet you!
I am an international festival and event photographer, with a lot of experience in corporate events and festivals. In addition to being a full-time photographer, I also graduated as a teacher of social studies. I have a passion for creating unforgettable memories through my photography!
👋 Hello you
Are you interested in Festival Photography? Cool - let’s connect! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Feel free to send me a DM message or leave a comment. Talk to you later!