2000trees Festival is never just about the headline set. It is about movement between stages, dust in the air, the hum before the next band begins. It is about community as much as performance.

In 2023, the line up was rich with character. From the intensity of Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes to the immersive atmosphere of Bob Vylan, from the sharp edges of Empire State Bastard to the rising energy of Lambrini Girls, every stage carried its own pulse. Festivals like this demand agility. You move quickly. You adapt constantly. Light shifts from open daylight to shadowed tents in seconds.

What I always look for at a festival is the space between things. The laughter in the crowd. The friends on shoulders. The arms thrown around each other as the chorus lands. 2000 Trees has a particular warmth to it. It feels close. The barriers between artist and audience are thinner, and that shows in the images.

Photographing bands such as Dream State, Witch Fever and Black Honey, I am always balancing intensity with atmosphere. The performance matters, but so does the shared experience unfolding just beyond the stage lights.

Festival photography is different from standalone concert work. It is layered. It is messy in the best possible way. You are not simply documenting a set. You are capturing a weekend. A collective memory in motion.

2000 Trees 2023 was full of grit, colour and humour. Music echoing through woodland clearings. Fans completely immersed. And moments of pure, unfiltered joy that remind me why live music photography is as much about people as it is about bands.