Live Through the Lens: How Cameras Shape Concerts and Festivals
Image Courtesy: @edc_orlando via Instagram
Festivals and concerts are vibrant, multi-layered experiences that often feel overwhelming with their rich blend of sights, sounds, and emotions. Festivals also offer an array of multisensory elements that attract diverse crowds of all ages. Cameras and videography have transformed the memories of these live music events, allowing fans to relive moments or witness them from different perspectives altogether. Each photo and video taken will differ in various ways, from the equipment and creative choices. The content we see of concerts and festivals is more than just documentation, but also a reflection of the creativity and perspective of those who capture unforgettable moments.
Image Courtesy: Pinterest
Last weekend, I attended EDC Orlando and found myself at the barricade during a set, observant of my surroundings. Firstly, the amount of cameras on the artists themselves is significant. People in the crowd take numerous shots based on the stage, artist, and how long the song is until the beat drops to get a good video. The people behind the stage take videos of the artist and the crowd because of their views. Professional photographers and videographers get various shots but focus on each artist’s performance, going down to the slightest detail depending on their style. Each frame, whether closeup or wide angle, can tell a different story of the same performance, conveying anything from a collective, euphoric experience to a deeply personal moment with the performer. This perspective highly influences how viewers perceive the concert, whether as part of the vast sea of fans or onstage with the artist.
Equipment is an influential aspect of this process. Most of the crowd is recording or taking pictures on their phones, and depending on their phone, their zoom-in may or may not be clear. High-quality cameras used by professionals allow for crisp shots, capturing subtle details like the stage lights in the artists’ eyes. DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, often used for concert photography, can capture movement while preserving clarity even through difficult situations such as dim lighting. On the flip side, the quick shutter of a smartphone camera might blur movement, creating images that seem more energetic and less refined. A videographer might also use slow motion to elongate a powerful moment or add a grainy filter to give a more nostalgic, film-like quality, each choice influencing how the performance feels to the viewer.
Image Courtesy: Consequence
When it comes to what to capture and how to capture it, one of the main factors to consider is the audience. Festivals are often marked by a palpable communal energy, with fans dancing, cheering, and joining in on the songs. Videographers can focus a lot on the audience, with quick appearances of the artist, showing how the live performance makes the audience feel. They also might pan over to the crowd during a climactic chorus or beat drop, giving the viewer a sense of the crowd’s scale and unity. This type of camera usage transforms music culture into a unifying force, changing how we view it. The option to zoom into people’s expressions at the performance can be effective in providing a more intimate angle on the excitement of being part of this event.
Image Courtesy: @cloonee via Instagram
In our digital age, artist-to-fan connection is valuable. Artists being recorded or photographed by their social media team while meeting fans, interacting, and taking pictures are good for their brand. This shows everybody that the artist is a real human being, like us, who happens to make good music. Through the digital age, concerts, and festivals have become widely accessible to those who might not attend one in real life. Various people take videos and pictures to upload on all social media, allowing people to get varied points of view, storytimes, backstage footage, and more. The ability to revisit videos and documentation from these events has become a defining aspect of modern culture. Although these events pass by quickly, the knowledge of photographs and recorded videos allows us to recall and relive these memories.
Strike Out,
Writer: Maria Carrillo
Editor: Dani Hernandez
Graphic Designer: Mica Cortez
Tallahassee