Crowd shots! Gig photographers share their favourite audience reaction pictures and memories

Creamfields

Unforgettable moments, magic and sheer excitement captured in an instant as Getintothis’ Kevin Barrett and Conor Baxter on why crowd photographs tell a unique story.

The magic of a gig is never just the artist on stage, it’s the atmosphere, energy and excitement the crowd provide that can make the best memories.

To many of us, it is easy to underestimate the importance of crowds when at gigs, festivals, and live music. To many of us photographers, it is easy to get lost in the camera and forget the crowd are even there at all at times.

As a photographer you look through a viewfinder and frantically search for “the shot”. Often limited to the first three songs from the pit. Hoping you get one or two. But it is so important to change perspective when photographing live music or events.

Taking the time to search for the perfect crowd reaction often leads to unforgettable photographs.

The crowd play such a vital part in how the artists perform, being surrounded by people from all walks of life, drawn together to see the same band brings with it a sense of belonging.

This is why we wanted to take some of our favourite crowd shots and share them with you.

You can see feel and hear the energy and emotion in these shots. These memories display the essence of live events.

From bumping into your favourite artist on the street outside the venue, to catching up with an old friend who is in town for the weekend. The crowd reverberates the anticipation between one the other, creating the atmosphere we all hope for when going to live events.

Deeper Cuts Festival – an interstellar new music happening in Liverpool

This is what the artists see when they perform, this is the energy they see and feel. Often because of the crowd reaction and participation, it is what makes live music unbeatable for so many people.

Hope you enjoy this collection, chosen by our team of snappers. They are always looking for that one moment that can capture the story of an event in a single picture.