Leeds 2016 was a wet and muddy one. It didn't seem to bother the festival goers but I definitely found myself questioning my life choices a few times while dragging feet through the sticky and slippery mud, trying desperately not to fall over.

Friday kicked off with Biffy Clyro, whose anthemic rock immediately set the tone. The crowd surged forward, arms in the air, singing every word back at the band. The energy was infectious; as a photographer, capturing those moments of collective joy—the smiles, the moshing, the hands raised in unison—felt like freezing pure adrenaline in a frame. Fall Out Boy followed, and the front rows bounced relentlessly to their pop-punk hits, confetti cannons firing and stage lights cutting through the afternoon sun, giving everything a cinematic glow.

Foals brought a moody, atmospheric intensity. Philippakis leapt into the crowd at one point, the fans responding with exhilaration, and the mist from the rain mixed with stage fog to create surreal visuals that made photographing the set a dream. Later, Disclosure transformed the space entirely—pulsing electronic beats, strobing lights, and LED visuals that made the field feel like one enormous dance floor.

Sunday built to a grand finale with Imagine Dragons, whose stadium-ready anthems had the crowd chanting every line, and then Red Hot Chili Peppers closed the festival in spectacular style. Watching multiple generations sing along together to classics like Under the Bridge and Can’t Stop was a photographer’s dream: rows of fans waving, jumping, and soaking in the last rays of the sun, all framed by the huge, colorful stage lights.

By the end of the weekend, my camera roll was full of moments that weren’t just about the music—they were about the way the crowd moved, the light hit, and the festival felt alive in every corner of Bramham Park.