Jessops issues festival photography tips

Jessops Academy top tips on festival photography

Advice for capturing those unforgettable moments during the summer festival season.

1. Be prepared
Remember to pack the essentials. Spare batteries and memory cards can be easily forgotten, so make sure you’ve packed enough to keep you going. To conserve your battery life, try to avoid constant image review and refrain from being too snap happy.

2. Work with the light
Lighting conditions at festivals are notoriously tricky. You could find yourself facing overcast light, midday sun or deep shadows. Use fill-in flash to lighten those shadows and set your White Balance to ‘Cloudy’. This will help to combat the blue cast that appears in your shadows with Auto.

3. Set the scene
Rather than snapping numerous random images, try shooting a photo story. Look for pictures that work well together. This is where your different lens choices and viewpoints can create a narrative. For example, combine a wide overview to establish a scene with a close up of some of the action, a classic portrait or a candid shot of the crowd or natural reactions. When combined, these images can give a real sense of place.

4. Face the crowd
Festivals are an excellent opportunity to take portraits. People are more relaxed, happy and generally more open to being approached.

5. Stay steady
Depending on what type of festival you’re heading to, it might be time to think about ditching your tripod for a monopod or smaller pocket-sized tripod. Not only will they save you space, but they’ll still enable you to capture those stunning night shots without the unwanted shake.

6. Go slow
When it comes to videoing, try experimenting with slow motion for something different.