to sum it up short and sweet: this folk festival was amazing.

day one.

i walked into the festival by myself. i explored the massive grounds and started taking pictures of strangers. there was anyone you could imagine; teenage girls with flowers in their hair, hippy adults wearing rainbow clothing, musicians walking around with piles of instruments, dreadlocked hair and screaming children. there was also music wherever i went, it never stopped playing.

while i was shooting, a blue-eyed man tapped me on the shoulder and introduced himself as the woohoo revue's band manager, dan. he let me know that their band was playing on the main stage later that night and asked me nicely if i could take photos of them. i eventually also bumped into my high school music teacher and her nephew and the three of us walked around looking at all the little markets and tents propped up selling scented candles and free-spirited clothes.

after hours of sitting and walking around, watching people dance and sing, we headed off to the main stage to watch the woohoo revue perform. the tent was packed with dancing youth, as their gypsy music filled up the night, they were amazing. after the show we hung out til the early hours of the morning, sharing stories of road trips, music and everything in between. even though the stage music ended, musicians and punters alike formed little circles and jammed on their ukeleles, acoustic guitars and harmonicas in the late night.

day two.

everyone camped in the torrential rain while i was cosy in bed. i got back to the festival and the entire ground was muddy and filled with puddles. today was the day my favourite shooting-boots were destroyed! it didn't stop anyone though, the soft acoustic music kept playing loud, strangers danced barefoot in the mud. everything i saw was a picture waiting to happen.

accordions for sale.

the tantric turtle cafe, oh so lovelily decorated.

always.

i asked this man to spin around for me in the rain so i could take photos with his wonderful jacket.

a lovely three piece group that filled the room up with soft music.

the woohoo revue.

morning mud.

living room under the sun.

the bearded gypsy band - another of my favourites who played at the festival.

my new friends, hungover.

smiling youth and muddy feet.

leaving town.

sleepy-eyed spiderman.

a marching band marching through the entire festival.

the woohoo revue playing on the second day.

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in the new year, i was sent by the au review to shoot pyramid rock festival in phillip island, melbourne. the day after we got to melbourne & our ten hour drive, we woke up early and set off for another two hours to phillip island. the day was hot and the roads were long, but we listened to music loudly in the car, put together snacks and drinks for the festival and drank way too much coffee until we finally got there.

we drove through the grounds, passing hundreds of tents and roaming teenagers already drunk at one in the afternoon and got around to the back where we were lucky enough to have vip camping by the sea. i picked up my photo pass and dan and i went off in the heat to watch some music.

at night, the air was polar and we would crawl back to the car and sit in complete happy-tiredness. the bands would sit in groups outside and play soft music, talk into the early mornings and it felt like i was in the movie almost famous. i felt at home. constant music in the background somewhere and anywhere, sun in the middle of nowhere and taking photos.