Sometimes photography jobs are planned weeks or months in advance. Other times, they appear while you are already standing in a field wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt.
This country festival was definitely the second one.
I originally attended the festival as a guest. I was there to enjoy the day with my girlfriend, take a few personal photos, and document our time there. I had not arrived as the official photographer, and I definitely had not packed as if I was about to cover a full live event.
The job came up through a mutual photographer on Instagram. I messaged him, but he was already working another job. From there, I managed to find someone in charge at the festival, swapped details, and later received a phone call from the company needing photography coverage.
After a bit of back and forth with the management team on site, I managed to get sorted with a backstage pass, drink tokens and food tokens. So, what started as a day out quickly turned into a working festival shoot.
The Kit Problem
Because I had arrived as a guest, I had not brought my normal event photography setup.
Normally, for live music, festivals or event work, I would bring multiple camera bodies, several lenses, spare batteries, plenty of memory cards and backup options. On this day, I had:
One camera
One battery
Two memory cards
One wide angle lens
A battery bank that was originally there to charge my phone
I use two memory cards in-camera so the photos save to both cards at the same time. That way, if one card fails, I still have a backup. Even though I had travelled light, I still had that safety in place, which is something I always care about.
The biggest limitation was the lens choice. I had only brought a wide angle lens because the original plan was to take photos of my girlfriend and document our day together.
I had actually meant to pick up my 24-105mm that morning, but in the rush of getting out the door, I grabbed the wrong lens. Not ideal. However, the wide angle did give me a useful f/2.8 aperture, which helped with light and gave me a bit more flexibility than expected.
Working With Only a Wide Angle Lens
Having only a wide angle lens meant I had to work much closer to the acts than I usually would.
At festivals, a longer lens gives you more options. You can capture tighter shots, cleaner portraits, crowd reactions and stage moments from a distance. With a wide lens, you have to physically move closer, think harder about your angles, and use the environment more creatively.
It forced me to shoot differently.
Instead of relying on zoom, I had to use position, timing and composition. I had to get close to the performers, work around the stage space, and make the most of the access I had.
In some ways, that limitation helped create more energetic photos. Wide angle lenses can make live music feel immersive when used well. You get more of the stage, more atmosphere and more context. But it also means you have to be careful not to distort people or make the frame too messy.
The Hawaiian Shirt Situation
Another challenge was what I was wearing.
Because I was there as a guest, I was dressed for a day out, not a professional shoot. That meant I was in a very bright Hawaiian shirt.
For most event photographers, especially when working on stage or near performers, black clothing is the usual choice. It helps you blend in, stay discreet, and avoid drawing attention away from the act. That is normally my choice as well.
A bright Hawaiian shirt is not exactly “blend into the background” clothing.
This was made very clear by one of the other photographers on site. They knew the circumstances, but still decided to give me a bit of stick for it. I am not quite sure what their problem was, but sometimes you just have to get on with the job.
The reality is simple: I had not turned up expecting to work. I adapted to the situation in front of me.
Balancing Work and Being There With My Girlfriend
One of the harder parts of the day was that I had come to the festival with my girlfriend.
She was understandably a bit annoyed that I suddenly was not going to be by her side enjoying the day properly. That is fair. We had gone there together as guests, and then suddenly I was disappearing off to photograph acts.
I raised this with the person booking me, and he was completely fine about it. He understood the situation and said I could still spend some time with her while getting the job done.
The drink and food tokens definitely helped smooth things over. She was very happy with the lemon gin, even if they did not have pink gin. She also made it clear that I was the one going to get the drinks.
To be fair, we probably saved around £100 on drinks and food, so that part worked out quite nicely.
I also tried to make sure she still had a good moment from the day.
Once I had access and found the DJ, I heard that he was already offering shout-outs. I explained the situation to him, including that I had unexpectedly been pulled into working while I was meant to be there enjoying the festival with my girlfriend.
He was more than happy to help.
I asked if he could give her a shout-out and play a semi-country song I knew she liked. It was only a small thing, but it helped make the day feel a bit less like I had disappeared to work and a bit more like we still had our own moment together.
The Battery Problem
The biggest technical problem started before the third-to-last act.
My one battery, which had done surprisingly well, started flashing red.
At that point, I had to think quickly. I remembered that my camera could charge through USB-C, but only when switched off. Luckily, I had a battery bank with me for my phone.
So I started working in short bursts.
I would shoot for a few minutes, switch the camera off, plug it into the battery bank, let it take in a bit of charge, then switch it back on and keep going.
It was not perfect, but it worked.
When I got home and checked the battery properly, it still had around 25% left. So the warning looked worse than the actual situation, but in the moment you cannot assume that. When you only have one battery and a live event still happening, you treat that red warning seriously.
I did also ask my family if they could drop off my full camera bag with my other camera bodies and spare batteries. That is how close it got to becoming a proper equipment rescue mission.
What This Day Taught Me
This day was a reminder that event photography is not just about having the best gear. Gear matters, of course, but problem-solving matters just as much.
On this shoot, I had to deal with:
Limited equipment
One camera body
One battery
One lens
A wide angle instead of a more flexible zoom
Being dressed as a guest
Balancing work with a day out
Managing battery life during live performances
Getting access sorted while already on site
Working around other photographers and stage limitations
It was not the most controlled situation, but that is exactly what made it interesting.
As a photographer, you have to stay calm, adapt quickly and make the best images possible with what you have. You do not always get perfect conditions. Sometimes you get one camera, one battery, one wide lens and a very loud shirt.
This Was Not Standard Practice
It is worth saying that this was not standard practice for Photos by Charles.
For booked event and festival photography work, I normally arrive with multiple camera bodies, spare batteries, a full lens setup, backup memory cards and appropriate clothing for the job.
This was a very unusual situation where I had attended as a guest and the photography work came up while I was already on site.
The day became a good example of adapting under pressure, but it is not how I would usually prepare for a professional event booking.
For a planned festival or live music event, preparation matters. The right kit, the right clothing, the right access, spare batteries, backup cameras and suitable lenses all help make sure the coverage is consistent from start to finish.
In this case, the circumstances were different, and I had to work with what I had.
Final Thoughts
Would I choose to photograph a festival again with only one camera, one battery and one wide angle lens?
No.
Would I do it again if the opportunity appeared and the client needed help?
Probably, yes.
This was one of those days that reminded me why experience matters. The camera kit helps, but the real skill is knowing how to react when the plan changes. You need to understand light, timing, access, crowd movement, stage positioning and how to keep shooting when things are not ideal.
It also reminded me that sometimes the best opportunities come from simply being present, talking to the right people and being willing to step up.
I arrived as a guest. I left having photographed a country festival.
And despite the battery panic, the wrong lens, the Hawaiian shirt and the unexpected change of plans, I came away with a story worth telling.Sometimes photography jobs are planned weeks or months in advance. Other times, they appear while you are already standing in a field wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt.
This country festival was definitely the second one.
I originally attended the festival as a guest. I was there to enjoy the day with my girlfriend, take a few personal photos, and document our time there. I had not arrived as the official photographer, and I definitely had not packed as if I was about to cover a full live event.
The job came up through a mutual photographer on Instagram. I messaged him, but he was already working another job. From there, I managed to find someone in charge at the festival, swapped details, and later received a phone call from the company needing photography coverage.
After a bit of back and forth with the management team on site, I managed to get sorted with a backstage pass, drink tokens and food tokens. So, what started as a day out quickly turned into a working festival shoot.
The Kit Problem
Because I had arrived as a guest, I had not brought my normal event photography setup.
Normally, for live music, festivals or event work, I would bring multiple camera bodies, several lenses, spare batteries, plenty of memory cards and backup options. On this day, I had:
One camera
One battery
Two memory cards
One wide angle lens
A battery bank that was originally there to charge my phone
I use two memory cards in-camera so the photos save to both cards at the same time. That way, if one card fails, I still have a backup. Even though I had travelled light, I still had that safety in place, which is something I always care about.
The biggest limitation was the lens choice. I had only brought a wide angle lens because the original plan was to take photos of my girlfriend and document our day together.
I had actually meant to pick up my 24-105mm that morning, but in the rush of getting out the door, I grabbed the wrong lens. Not ideal. However, the wide angle did give me a useful f/2.8 aperture, which helped with light and gave me a bit more flexibility than expected.
Working With Only a Wide Angle Lens
Having only a wide angle lens meant I had to work much closer to the acts than I usually would.
At festivals, a longer lens gives you more options. You can capture tighter shots, cleaner portraits, crowd reactions and stage moments from a distance. With a wide lens, you have to physically move closer, think harder about your angles, and use the environment more creatively.
It forced me to shoot differently.
Instead of relying on zoom, I had to use position, timing and composition. I had to get close to the performers, work around the stage space, and make the most of the access I had.
In some ways, that limitation helped create more energetic photos. Wide angle lenses can make live music feel immersive when used well. You get more of the stage, more atmosphere and more context. But it also means you have to be careful not to distort people or make the frame too messy.
The Hawaiian Shirt Situation
Another challenge was what I was wearing.
Because I was there as a guest, I was dressed for a day out, not a professional shoot. That meant I was in a very bright Hawaiian shirt.
For most event photographers, especially when working on stage or near performers, black clothing is the usual choice. It helps you blend in, stay discreet, and avoid drawing attention away from the act. That is normally my choice as well.
A bright Hawaiian shirt is not exactly “blend into the background” clothing.
This was made very clear by one of the other photographers on site. They knew the circumstances, but still decided to give me a bit of stick for it. I am not quite sure what their problem was, but sometimes you just have to get on with the job.
The reality is simple: I had not turned up expecting to work. I adapted to the situation in front of me.
Balancing Work and Being There With My Girlfriend
One of the harder parts of the day was that I had come to the festival with my girlfriend.
She was understandably a bit annoyed that I suddenly was not going to be by her side enjoying the day properly. That is fair. We had gone there together as guests, and then suddenly I was disappearing off to photograph acts.
I raised this with the person booking me, and he was completely fine about it. He understood the situation and said I could still spend some time with her while getting the job done.
The drink and food tokens definitely helped smooth things over. She was very happy with the lemon gin, even if they did not have pink gin. She also made it clear that I was the one going to get the drinks.
To be fair, we probably saved around £100 on drinks and food, so that part worked out quite nicely.
I also tried to make sure she still had a good moment from the day.
Once I had access and found the DJ, I heard that he was already offering shout-outs. I explained the situation to him, including that I had unexpectedly been pulled into working while I was meant to be there enjoying the festival with my girlfriend.
He was more than happy to help.
I asked if he could give her a shout-out and play a semi-country song I knew she liked. It was only a small thing, but it helped make the day feel a bit less like I had disappeared to work and a bit more like we still had our own moment together.
The Battery Problem
The biggest technical problem started before the third-to-last act.
My one battery, which had done surprisingly well, started flashing red.
At that point, I had to think quickly. I remembered that my camera could charge through USB-C, but only when switched off. Luckily, I had a battery bank with me for my phone.
So I started working in short bursts.
I would shoot for a few minutes, switch the camera off, plug it into the battery bank, let it take in a bit of charge, then switch it back on and keep going.
It was not perfect, but it worked.
When I got home and checked the battery properly, it still had around 25% left. So the warning looked worse than the actual situation, but in the moment you cannot assume that. When you only have one battery and a live event still happening, you treat that red warning seriously.
I did also ask my family if they could drop off my full camera bag with my other camera bodies and spare batteries. That is how close it got to becoming a proper equipment rescue mission.
What This Day Taught Me
This day was a reminder that event photography is not just about having the best gear. Gear matters, of course, but problem-solving matters just as much.
On this shoot, I had to deal with:
Limited equipment
One camera body
One battery
One lens
A wide angle instead of a more flexible zoom
Being dressed as a guest
Balancing work with a day out
Managing battery life during live performances
Getting access sorted while already on site
Working around other photographers and stage limitations
It was not the most controlled situation, but that is exactly what made it interesting.
As a photographer, you have to stay calm, adapt quickly and make the best images possible with what you have. You do not always get perfect conditions. Sometimes you get one camera, one battery, one wide lens and a very loud shirt.
This Was Not Standard Practice
It is worth saying that this was not standard practice for Photos by Charles.
For booked event and festival photography work, I normally arrive with multiple camera bodies, spare batteries, a full lens setup, backup memory cards and appropriate clothing for the job.
This was a very unusual situation where I had attended as a guest and the photography work came up while I was already on site.
The day became a good example of adapting under pressure, but it is not how I would usually prepare for a professional event booking.
For a planned festival or live music event, preparation matters. The right kit, the right clothing, the right access, spare batteries, backup cameras and suitable lenses all help make sure the coverage is consistent from start to finish.
In this case, the circumstances were different, and I had to work with what I had.
Final Thoughts
Would I choose to photograph a festival again with only one camera, one battery and one wide angle lens?
No.
Would I do it again if the opportunity appeared and the client needed help?
Probably, yes.
This was one of those days that reminded me why experience matters. The camera kit helps, but the real skill is knowing how to react when the plan changes. You need to understand light, timing, access, crowd movement, stage positioning and how to keep shooting when things are not ideal.
It also reminded me that sometimes the best opportunities come from simply being present, talking to the right people and being willing to step up.
I arrived as a guest. I left having photographed a country festival.
And despite the battery panic, the wrong lens, the Hawaiian shirt and the unexpected change of plans, I came away with a story worth telling.