The pressure is high. The number of photo-ops surrounding you can be hard to resist, even if you donβt have a banginβ camera hanging itself around your neck. We understand why even your 5 mega-pixel camera is raised, in absolute delight, to snap THAT moment.
BUT. And a big BUT. Having spent many a weekends at various festivals around the country, weβve come to compiling a list of donβts for any festival photographer. That is, of course, if you wish to come back with pictures that are uniquely prominent in the sea of mundane festival pictures doing the rounds. Also, if you wish to stay away from getting into trouble. This list might help you βstand outβ by abstaining from these various points. So read on!
1. Letβs talk about space
The hippie-looking person dancing with the dreads and all flying all over sounds like the perfect portrait, sure. The lure to want to capture that image in extreme close-up might be tempting. But stop, right there. Shoving your cameras, especially the long DSLR lens into anyone is annoying, but at a festival too, youβre majorly killing the personβs vibe. Respect someoneβs space. It goes a long way for an ambitious photographer.
(image courtesy: Woodstock Music Festival, Life Magazine)
2. Privacy is a layer of thin ice. Tread carefully.
Do not ever concede to the argument that, whatβs open is accessible. Sure, the free candidness at a festival can seem liberating as a photographer. But steer clear of making any image that seems to cross a line of intrusiveness. The world is a small place, and your subject might trace your uploaded picture, and want it to be taken down. Such unnecessary incidents can be avoided. You can also, of course, show them the image as soon as itβs taken, and take immediate permission.
(image courtesy: Woodstock Music Festival, Life Magazine)
3. Also, donβt tread wires. Unless you want to be kicked out.
Most festivals are quite welcoming of photographers. But there is a line of control. That must not be passed, unless youβre an official photographer with prior permissions. Stay where you must, and stay clear off the official zones at all costs. This is, of course, if you want to avoid being carried out by two burly bouncers.
(image courtesy: UltraSound Music Festival)
4. Donβt be a photography snob.
We get it. Youβre a serious photographer with the most unaffordable professional camera in the market. We get it that youβre there, more for the images and less for the music. But the others are in a free-flowing vibe, and they might run up to you asking you to take a picture or two of them. Be courteous. Nobody wants their buzz-killed. And the, βIβm here to click the acts, not the audienceβ, might ruin things for you further.
(image courtesy: Paul Lunderhill)
5. Donβt tug around a luggage:
The appeal to carry a hundred different lenses, and manoeuvre around them with Γ©lan might be high, but avoid it. You will be left beaten by the end of the day, with all that weight on you. Pick a lens for the event, a high aperture, good noise-sensitivity and zoom-providing lens, and youβre good to go. Iβve said this before and I say it again, βA camera makes not a photographer.β
(image courtesy: funnypictures.pic-photos)
6. Who needs a DSLR?
If you are a photo-enthusiast who wishes to make images at his next concert, donβt rush to splurge money on a camera. They come expensive, and you might want to buy them after some reinforcement of passion. Most high-end phones in the market have brilliant camera quality, with most offering manual options. With some professional photographers resorting to using their mobile phones for images, why must you stay behind? Plus, you wonβt need a bag to carry it around. The perks are high with this one.
(image courtesy: Concert Photography by Rama)
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(cover image courtesy: Josh Sanseri)