All the fun of the festival
Garry Jones combined his twin passions for music and photography to break into shooting gigs and festivals
I first became interested in photography in my teens. As a skateboarder I was inspired by the images in skateboarding magazines, and marvelled at how photographers captured the dynamism of the sport. I studied photography at GCSE level, and decided I wanted to pursue my passion and turn it into a career.
After leaving school I studied at Coventry City College, where I gained a National Diploma. The course gave me plenty of opportunities to experiment with film and digital photography, and the easy access to darkrooms and studios fuelled my ambition. In 2014 I graduated from Southampton Solent University with a BA(Hons) in Photography.
I got into shooting gigs when I was 16. I have a huge passion for Drum and Bass music, and having started to DJ at events in my home town, I wanted to document the Coventry nightlife, which was pulling in big-name DJs at the time. I did that during the two years I was at college, and decided that the next logical step was to photograph music events on a much larger scale.
My first breakthrough came at the age of 18 when I managed to secure a photo pass for the Big Chill Festival. It was a great experience, working alongside professional photographers in a fast-paced environment. Since then my festival season has expanded every year, to the point where I’m at a festival most weekends during the summer months.
My current camera is the D800. Its low-light performance is amazing, which is invaluable when you’re shooting gigs. My Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 and 50mm f/1.4 lenses are always in my bag, along with a Sigma 15mm f/2.8 and Sigma 70200mm f/2.8. This ensures I have a lens for every eventuality, which is especially important when I’m working at festivals,