Art, Energy & Controlled Chaos: Two Days Inside Arthood Festival
This shoot landed right in the middle of Ramadan, a lot of running around with a heavy camera in hand, dehydration and headaches. When I got booked to cover two days of a four-day art festival called Arthood, I was genuinely excited; at the same time, I knew this was going to test me. Not just creatively, but physically as well.
Still, I didn’t expect it to feel this different from the kind of work I usually do.
Day 1 - First Impressions Hit Fast
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I arrived early. Very early. The kind of early where even the venue looks at you like you might be in the wrong place. Luckily, there was a sign, a VERY large sign.
The space itself wasn’t huge, more like a shopfront, but what immediately grabbed my attention was the bold red “Arthood” painted across the whole front window. Before I even introduced myself or checked in, I whipped my camera out. The vision was screaming at me.
And somehow, the timing worked perfectly. A man walking in from one side, a woman from the other, both glancing toward the sign as they crossed paths. I took the shot without overthinking it, and it ended up being one of my favourites from the entire event. One of those moments you can’t plan, you just catch it, or you miss it. A picture that tells a story.
Stepping inside felt like walking into a completely different world. Outside was a typical cold, dark London evening. Inside was bright, warm, full of colour, and buzzing with energy. The client welcomed me in with a smile, introduced me around, and gave me a quick rundown of the evening.
It already felt different. Less formal. More alive.
Then I went downstairs.
And just like that, reality kicked in.
The basement was dark. Properly dark. The kind of lighting situation that makes you question your life choices for a second. My “this is going to be fun” energy dipped, but only for a moment. I threw on my flash and got to work.
Finding the Story Within the Art
The artwork itself was incredible. Some of the graphite pieces stood out to me in particular, probably because I used to do graphite work myself, so I appreciated the detail that went into them.
Photographing them, though, was a different challenge entirely.
Reflections from glass covers, awkward highlights, no lens filters on me to fix it, it wasn’t ideal. After a few attempts, I realised I was focusing on the wrong thing.
So I switched it up.
Instead of fighting the artwork, I started finding the artists. Getting them next to their work, capturing that connection, that felt more real anyway.
And naturally, that led to conversations. Introductions. Social media exchanges.
It’s funny, but a big part of this job isn’t even the photography. It’s just being able to talk to people, make them comfortable, and create opportunities. Every photo I took came with a simple follow-up, a quick exchange and just like that, the network grows without forcing it.
That First Sip Hits Different
At one point, I stepped out to break my fast.
And I’m not even exaggerating when I say that first sip of water felt like a full system reboot. Suddenly, I had energy again. The kind of energy where you feel like you can shoot for hours without slowing down.
I went back in with a completely different mindset, sharper, more focused, and ready to catch anything happening around me.
By this point, the venue had filled up properly. It was packed. Moving through the space meant constant “sorrys” as I squeezed past people, but it also gave me something valuable: perspective.
Going wide on my lens, I could capture everything at once. Holding up my camera high in the air, I capture the story. In one corner, someone was passionately explaining their artwork to a potential buyer. In another, people were dancing like no one was watching. It was chaotic, but in a way that made sense.
That’s where the real story was. A place for creatives to make new friends and show off their skills without any judgment.
Stepping Out Without Switching Off
I had to step outside a few times just to cool down; it was getting intense and very warm in there.
But even outside, the work didn’t stop.
People would come up, ask for photos, strike a pose, and have a quick chat. Next thing you know, you’ve got another connection, another follow-up, another potential opportunity.
It became a pattern without me even trying.
The Night Peaks
Toward the end of the evening, the final exhibition began with a live performance with an artist painting on a transparent acrylic screen while a dancer moved on the other side.
It looked incredible.
It was also one of the hardest things to shoot that night.
The crowd tightened up instantly, pushed back against the walls, leaving very little room to move. I had to stay aware of everything, not blocking people’s views, not getting in the way of other photographers, and still somehow getting a clean shot.
It was stressful, but in a good way.
That kind of pressure forces you to adapt quickly. And those are usually the moments you learn the most from.
By the time it wrapped up, I got a few final shots of people with the finished artwork, said my goodbyes, and left already planning how I’d approach Day 2 differently. Oh, and don’t forget always to back up the photos at the end of each shoot.
Day 2 - Settled In, Slightly Smarter
This time, I didn’t rush in early. I came in more relaxed, more prepared, and with a better understanding of how everything flowed. I even brought my Insta360 with me, strapped it on for some POV footage, something I didn’t get to do on Day 1. Why is that, you may ask? Well, I got a goldfish memory, as my family and colleagues would remind me daily.
Walking in felt different. I recognised people. They recognised me. That alone made everything smoother. I didn’t need to “find my place” this time. I was already part of the environment.
When Creativity Meets Confidence
There was more going on this time: stalls, displays, and more interaction.
One stall that immediately caught my attention was selling custom grills. And not the basic kind, these were detailed, creative, almost artistic in their own right. The moment the owner noticed me taking photos, he switched on instantly. Showing pieces, posing, and engaging with the camera.
I love that kind of energy. It makes the job easier and the photos better. It also reminded me of something simple: if there’s a photographer around, use that opportunity. Visibility matters.
Knowing Your Boundaries
Later on, I was asked to photograph the models getting ready for the fashion show.
I’ll be honest, I hesitated.
Walking into a room where people are changing isn’t exactly something you do casually. The curator helped by introducing me properly, and I got some shots of makeup and preparation before stepping back out.
For me, there’s always a balance. Yes, you’re there to do a job. But at the same time, if something doesn’t feel right, you don’t have to force it.
Enjoyment is a big part of this work. Once that goes, everything starts to feel different.
Trying, Failing, Learning
During one of the singer's performances, I noticed the client using a slow shutter blur effect. I’d seen it before, but the opportunity never arose for me to viably use that technique.
So I gave it a go.
At first, it was a mess. Wrong settings, missed timing, results that didn’t look how I imagined. But after a few attempts, it started to click. That’s one of the things I’ve realised, sometimes the best time to learn is right in the middle of the job.
Flash photography gone very wrong
»»Click picture to see the video of me being an idiot««
And then… it happened.
I flashed myself.
But not before I flashed someone else. I cannot describe how awkward that apology was, followed by the awkward apologetic laugh.
At that point, I just stood there for a second thinking, “yeah… someone saw that, and this is going on social media later.” No recovering from that one.
Every photographer has their moment. That was mine.
When Everything Gets Hard at Once
The fashion show was about to start, so I moved into position, ready to capture everything. I looked through my viewfinder…
And all I could see was the back of someone’s big head, in perfect 4K, of course.
Then the lights dropped.
Now I’m standing there trying to figure out my options. Flash felt too harsh, no flash felt too noisy due to higher ISO, and there wasn’t exactly time to experiment slowly. So I just adapted. Worked with what I had, adjusted as I went, and managed to come away with solid shots in the end.
Not perfect, but real.
The Work After the Work
Over the two days, I ended up with over 4000 photos. That’s the part people don’t see.
Going through all of that, the culling process, editing, and choosing the best ones, that’s where the real patience comes in. Eventually, I brought it down to a few hundred strong images for each day and delivered them to the client. This is where I had to find another way of delivering the final images, as I used WeTransfer to just hand it all over at once and re-export all of it. This is because the files were too large for people to download all of it. People see photographers behind cameras, but 90% of the time we are behind the screen editing, talking to new clients and thinking if I should even say yes to the shoot.
Final Thoughts
This shoot felt different in the best way. It wasn’t polished or predictable. It was fast, messy, creative, and full of moments you couldn’t script.
And honestly, that’s what made it enjoyable.
What I Took Away From It
If there’s one thing I’d change, it would be to ease up on my trigger finger. I don’t need thousands of photos to tell a story, I just need the right ones.
And on a more practical note, next time, I’m choosing comfort over style. Because after hours of moving around in jeans, I can confidently say, looking good is overrated when your legs are fighting for their life. HOTTAKE: Tracksuits should be mandatory as a photographer’s uniform, trust me, don’t question me on this.
This wasn’t just another shoot.
It was a reminder that the best shoots aren’t always the smoothest ones; they’re the ones that challenge you, surprise you, where you get to meet like-minded people and leave you with stories worth telling.
Thank you!!!
I want to thank all who took their precious time to read this. Also special thanks to Dan for bringing me into this project. Please comment down below what you think about the blog, or any questions you want, anything you believe I could do better in my photography or even tips on writing blogs. You can comment as a guest only if you want; you don’t have to input your email, just a random name if you wish is enough.
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