Alright, mate, let’s kick off with a bit about you. For those who don’t know, what’s your background as a photographer, and how did you end up snapping pics at Glastonbury?
💬 I never set out to be a “photographer”, I just wanted some decent photos of concerts that I was attending, and for these photos to be fitting memories. So many of my old concert photos are so bad that it encouraged me to learn how to use a camera. I only realised I was a “photographer” when I would receive emails and messages out of the blue asking for the photos.
When did you first hear about Glastonbury Festival, and what was your reaction to this massive cultural shindig?
💬 I think the BBC coverage of Glastonbury in the 90s — with Britpop bands and the mud made it a proper fixture of British culture. At that time, I swore that I’d never attend.
Take us back — when did you first rock up to Glastonbury as a punter or photographer, and what was it like seeing it through your lens for the first time?
💬 Hilariously, I managed to buy a ticket to Glastonbury 2008 the day before the festival. It didn’t sell out – and Seetickets still had tickets available on Glastonbury Thursday (which is insane looking back) – so I bought a ticket for £160 and headed down there without telling my pals onsite. I didn’t even have a tent. The first headliner I ever saw at Glastonbury was Jay-Z! I still have the email confirmation.
How did you first get roped into photographing Glastonbury?
💬 For myself, I’d always bring my camera, and eventually, other people and websites started asking me to share my photos. But first and foremost, I was taking photos for me — and still am.
How do you prep for a beast like Glastonbury? What’s your game plan for picking the best acts and stages to shoot?
💬 You can’t see everything, and I have many photographer pals who are besieged by severe FOMO because they try and be everywhere at all times. It doesn’t work — I pick who I want to see and I commit to that decision. For instance, this year in 2025, there was a strong rumour that Patchwork were Pulp. I really wanted to see Gary Numan on the Park Stage, and so as soon as I heard it was Pulp, I committed to missing Patchwork.
Glastonbury’s possesses a unique vibe compared to other festivals. How do you capture that mad energy of the crowds and the festival’s soul in your shots?
💬 I prefer standing in crowds taking the photos of bands — because you then get flags and arms waving in the way of the shots. For Coldplay’s headline set in 2024, it was fun trying to capture Chris Martin in between all the arms waving and bouncing balls.
What’s the trickiest bit about shooting in the muck and chaos of Glastonbury — mud, rain, dust or mental crowds?
💬 The crowds are mostly lovely and very friendly, and you all help each other get through it. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the last four Glastonburys, the biggest issue for me has been the heat!! It’s generally so hot at Glastonbury, and that sun beating down is unrelenting.
What’s your kit like? Got a favourite camera or lens you swear by for nailing those Pyramid Stage bangers?
💬 I always use Sony mirrorless cameras as they are very light and easy to carry. And I usually take a nice prime lens and a zoom. That’s it. I travel very light. My setup is very guerrilla, as if I’m a war photographer. I actually wish I could travel even lighter. Maybe one year I’ll try with just one lens to make it more challenging.
Do you lean towards snapping the big headliners or the smaller, hidden-gem acts? How do you balance the two?
💬 I think Headliners at Glastonbury create history, so I will tend to go for what I think are the big headlines of the weekend. This year, I shot all of the headliners and Rod for the Legends — which meant I’d miss Charli XCX, but I thought Neil Young was fantastic.
Night shoots at Glastonbury can be a proper nightmare with all that dodgy stage lighting. How do you keep your photos cracking in low light?
💬 This is the crux of most concerts, as many are poorly lit. My plan is to always ensure a photo is in focus and has enough light to tell the story. I don’t tend to do black and white images – which allows photographers to crank up the brightness – as I feel that’s a bit cheating.
What’s the most mental moment you’ve captured on camera at Glastonbury, and why did it stick with you?
💬 I remember waiting for Kris Kristofferson on the Pyramid Stage in the afternoon, and just before unannounced, Bradley Cooper came out to film sequences for the film A Star Is Born. None of us knew that was happening — now all of us in the crowd in the front are in the movie!
How do you go about editing your pics on the fly? Got any tricks for making them pop before firing them off to socials or clients?
💬 My camera can send a hi-res JPEG to my iPhone — which I can then quickly edit in phone and post online on X (Twitter) or Instagram. I prefer to properly edit the RAWs on my laptop, but this takes too long, so I try and ensure I’ve nailed the photo in camera so that minimal editing is needed.
Ever had a proper heart-in-mouth moment where your gear’s gone pear-shaped mid-shoot? How did you sort it?
💬 Maybe a thousand times this has happened. So often I’ve forgotten to put the battery or memory card back in my camera the day before. So I always pack many, many spare batteries and memory cards and lens wipes.
What’s the most chuffed you’ve been with a Glastonbury photo, and what’s the story behind it?
💬 Two spring to mind; I wasn’t a fan of Adele, so I climbed up to the Glastonbury sign instead and took a pretty shot of the whole festival looking like Vegas on a Saturday — that was great. Also, I’m particularly fond of my Paul McCartney shots – especially the ones where he brought out Dave Grohl and Bruce Springsteen.
What’s your top tip for framing a shot to catch the raw buzz of a performer going all out on stage?
💬 Focus on the face, and focus on ensuring it’s in focus with enough light for the sensor. The rest takes care of itself. Also, don’t treat the photos like you’re making content for social media – instead, treat it like it’s a truth-telling historical document.
Glastonbury’s got its fair share of bonkers outfits and quirky moments — What’s the most out-there thing you’ve snapped?
💬 I’ve seen it all, to be honest. The flags make me laugh every year and embody the best of sarcastic British humour. My favourite is the one that says “Ban Flags”, which makes me laugh whenever I see it.
How do you keep your cool when you’re knackered after hours of shooting in the festival madness?
💬 I thrive on the adrenaline and energy, and Glastonbury is like my Olympic Games. My mentality is that I’m there to capture some significant moments of musical history, and achieving this makes any physically arduous task easy to navigate — But I ensure I have fluids and water because, as I said earlier, it can get very, very hot.
How do you get candid crowd shots without being a bit of a nuisance or stepping on toes?
💬 The crowds at Glastonbury are very friendly and supportive, and quite often want you to share the photos with them afterwards. This year, in 2025, I was taking a picture of the Ribbon Tower at the Park stage, and I accidentally caught a photo of a couple kissing in the picture. They were over the moon when I showed it to them.
What’s the one shot you dream of getting at Glastonbury — maybe a vantage point or moment you’ve not nailed yet?
💬 I’ve still not set foot on the Pyramid Stage, and not sure I’ll ever get the chance, but that would be nice.
Ever had a proper surreal encounter with a festival-goer or artist while snapping away?
💬 No, but I’ve met some of my best friends at Glastonbury, particularly in the Hospitality section, and also the celebs walking around are usually so unglamorous that you don’t realise it’s them. I’ve still yet to see Paul Mescal at Glastonbury, even though he’s been spotted by pals maybe fifty times.
How do you weave Glastonbury’s iconic landmarks – like the Ribbon Tower or the Glastonbury Sign – into your shots for that proper festival feel?
💬 The trick is to not treat them as the core of the image, but rather the narrative background of the image. It’s not about the furniture, it’s about what is happening around the furniture,
What’s the gnarliest weather you’ve battled through to get a shot, and how did you keep your gear safe?
💬 2016 Glastonbury was amazing but was just rain and knee-deep mud all weekend and we were all battered by the Brexit result and the utterly bleak weather. Me and my pals still had an amazing time — plus, I loved that Coldplay brought out Barry Gibb.
If you could snap any legendary Glastonbury moment from the past – like Bowie in ’71 or Radiohead’s headline set in ’97 – what would it be and why?
💬 I foolishly went home early on the Sunday that Beyoncé headlined, and I would have liked to have seen Bowie in 2002. I also deeply, deeply regretted missing Paul McCartney headline in 2006 (so to take pictures of him headlining in 2022 was a life’s dream), and it was so heartbreaking when I thought Covid had scuppered it.
For any aspiring snappers dreaming of shooting Glastonbury, what’s the one bit of kit or skill they absolutely need to smash it?
💬 Don’t see the dream as being photographing at Glastonbury; see the dream as wanting to develop your artistic voice and take photos of subjects that interest you — the universe will take care of the rest.
And, finally, how was your Glastonbury 2025?
💬 It was insanely hot – felt like the hottest I’d ever experienced Glastonbury – and at times it felt like the festival could boil over with all the heat, crowds and political tension. I actually like that Neil Young was on the Pyramid Stage and Charli XCX was on the Other Stage — even though Charli had a much bigger crowd.
💬 I think it’s important that the Pyramid Stage retains a “Michael” ethos with acts such as Neil Young and John Fogerty, and Rod Stewart. I think each year, Glastonbury doesn’t stir British trouble but rather is a neat encapsulation of the country. Diverse music acts and diverse popularities, and diverse opinions. I think a break next year will do it some good to allow things to calm down and re-focus on a solid 2027 lineup — I can’t believe there’s been four Glastonburys since lockdown already.
📸 Raph Pour-Hashemi
- ✖️ (Twitter): @RaphPH
- 📷 Instagram: @raphph
- 🌐 Website: raph.photo
