Photographs of accessibility and participation should show arrangements that exist, as confirmed by the organiser. Never block designated access routes or viewing areas. Ask people before photographing them, and do not use individuals as proof that a festival is accessible to everyone. Review the plan with people who have relevant access needs and with the organiser.
A music festival is a long day in a large space. Some people reach the main stage easily. Others need a viewing platform, a quiet area, a clear route or help. The festival may offer arrangements for these needs, and the photographer's job is to record them without getting in the way.
This guide belongs to our work on concert and live-music photography.
Start with what is actually available
Ask the organiser which arrangements exist, how they are signposted and how people can use them. Do not assume. Arrangements differ by festival and by site, and some may change on the day.
We cannot guarantee any adjustment on a festival's behalf. We can only photograph what the organiser has confirmed, and we do not assume that an arrangement works well for everyone who uses it.
Never block access
Designated routes and viewing areas are in constant use. A photographer or a tripod in the way defeats their purpose. We follow a simple rule: access comes before pictures. We keep clear of routes, ramps, platforms and queues, and we move at once if staff or visitors ask.
Ask the organiser to mark any areas that must stay clear. The venue photography checklist records them.
Ask before photographing
Some people are glad to be photographed using an arrangement, and some are not. Whether or not someone uses an access area is personal information in effect, because the photograph shows it.
For general crowd views, signage and an opt-out are sensible. For a photograph with a clear subject, ask first. Our guide to photographing attendees whose names should not accompany their images is relevant where a person's circumstances call for care, and the guest photography communication builder helps you write the notice.
Do not use people as proof
It is tempting to use a single image to show that a festival is inclusive. Please avoid it. One photograph of one person using a ramp does not prove the site is accessible. It may also treat that person as a symbol.
Use images to show specific arrangements: a clearly marked platform, a quiet space, a signposted route, a rest area. Write a caption that says exactly what is shown. Our guide to using event photographs in accessible company communications offers more on this.
Review with people who know
An organiser's plan is a start. The most reliable review comes from people who have relevant access needs and from the organiser who has to deliver it. If you can, ask them to look at the photography plan and say what feels respectful and what does not.
We do not assume what any person's limitations are, and we do not make general statements about groups of people.
Audience participation
Participation covers many things: singing along, dancing, queueing for food, resting on the grass. Photographs of these moments show the festival as it was lived. We aim for wide, general views and avoid close portraits of people who have not agreed.
| Situation | Approach |
|---|---|
| Crowd singing along | Wide views, no close portraits |
| Person using an access platform | Ask first; keep the route clear |
| Rest or quiet area | Ask the organiser; usually avoid |
| Children in the audience | See the guide on children's photographs |
This is an illustration. The organiser's rules decide the real approach.
A hypothetical example
Imagine a one-day festival with a marked viewing platform and a quiet area. The organiser asks for an image of the platform for its access page. The photographer photographs the platform and its signage from a distance before gates open, without people. A caption names the arrangement and the date. No individual is photographed for this purpose.
What we confirm in writing
We confirm the date, venue, crew assigned, deliverables and quotation in writing. Ask us whether a pre-opening visit to photograph arrangements without crowds can be included. We confirm what is possible for your date.
Questions to prepare
- Which arrangements are confirmed, and how are they signposted?
- Who has reviewed the photography plan?
- How will people tell us they prefer not to be photographed?
- Who approves images that show access arrangements?
Checklist
- Ask the organiser which access arrangements are confirmed.
- Mark the access routes and viewing areas that must stay clear.
- Consult people with relevant access needs on the photography plan.
- Plan a way for people to say they do not want to be photographed.
- Write captions that describe the arrangement, not a general claim.
- Agree who approves images that show access arrangements.
Send us the access arrangements the festival has confirmed and the people involved in reviewing them, and we will propose respectful coverage and confirm the scope, crew assigned and deliverables in writing.
Plan inclusive festival coverageCommon questions
Can we photograph the accessible viewing area?
Only with the organiser's agreement and without blocking it. Designated areas exist for people to use them. Ask the organiser what is available, how it is marked and how people in it prefer to be photographed. We stay out of the way and leave if asked.
Do we need consent from people we photograph?
It is good practice to ask when a person is the clear subject, and to respect a no at any point. Signage and an opt-out help for general crowd images. Our guide to event signage and individual photography preferences explains how.
Can photographs show that the festival is accessible?
They can show specific arrangements that are confirmed and in use, with accurate captions. They cannot prove that a festival is accessible to everyone, and a single person should not be used as evidence. Avoid claims that the images cannot support.
How do we find out what adjustments people need?
Ask the organiser what arrangements are published and who to consult. Where possible, talk with people who have relevant access needs before settling the plan. We do not assume what any person needs, and we do not promise adjustments that have not been confirmed.
Plan inclusive festival coverage
Send us the access arrangements the festival has confirmed and the people involved in reviewing them, and we will propose respectful coverage and confirm the scope, crew assigned and deliverables in writing.
What happens next: You send your event details on WhatsApp. Our team reads the brief, asks what is missing, then confirms in writing whether the date, venue and coverage can be booked, with a quotation. Opening WhatsApp does not send anything, and a message is not a booking until both sides confirm.
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