Concert photography: Survival tips #2 (The Towel)
The first day of the Steelhouse Festival had taken its toll. Because it was raining on and off for most of the day I ended up carrying my camera bag all day in an effort to keep it off the damp ground. Five kilos of weight took its toll and my shoulders were sore and tender.
On the journey up to the festival my friend recommended wrapping a towel around the camera bag’s strap thereby providing extra cushioning.
Always looking to travel as light as possible I substituted the towel – which I didn’t have – for a fleece – which I did have. In the daytime the fleece could serve as as a shoulder support and in the evening I could wear it to help keep out the cold.
The wind picked up earlier than expected and I was wearing the fleece only hours after arriving. Towards evening the wind made waiting stage side very uncomfortable. Though it’s good to be near the stage in order to take full advantage of the 3 song limit afforded to members of the press, sometimes it’s also more prudent to take shelter while maintaining a line of sight with the stage. I learned the hard way. I ignored the cold for an unnecessarily long time before retreating to shelter under a tree and besides a porta-loo. So those are my two tips for this year: the towel and the poncho.
Photos:
Michael Schenker
Francis Buchholz
Snakecharmer: Micky Moody
Snakecharmer: Chris Ousey
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