Vanna - Photo by Lindsey Blane

Vans Warped Tour 2016

Ahhh, the annual Vans Warped Tour. The long-running “punk rock summer camp” that’s been a summer staple for many since 1995. The first time I attended the tour was back in 2010 on a trip to Toronto, and I’ve been trying to get back ever since.

Travel plans and photo passes falling through the last few years have kept me away, but 2016 was to be my triumphant return! This year, my date of choice was at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, WA just south of Seattle. And then I realized…. I left my camera in Canada.

I. Left. My. Camera. In. Canada.

We arrived at our hotel, a lovely Motel 6 in Fife WA, at around 12:30 am the night before. Cute pool, cute room. About 15 minutes after arrival, panic set in. Yes, I seriously left my entire camera bag sitting on the floor at work when I was in a rush to leave for the ferry. After coming to terms with the fact I was probably going to have to buy and return a very basic, entry level dSLR kit, I settled in to sleep for a measly few hours.

Around 7am, I got a text that saved the day. My lovely friend Carmin, travelling as a photographer on the tour all summer, saw my panicky text messages and sacrificed her (slightly broken) Nikon D600 and a 50mm lens for me to borrow.

Despite the drama, Warped Tour was, quite honestly, the most fun I’ve had at a festival in a long time. From a photographers’ perspective, it’s very different from most festivals – there is ZERO lighting. Nada. Just the ambience of the sun (or clouds).

This forces you to get creative and look for a definitive moment, rather than relying on lighting to make a photo interesting. Fortunately, Warped Tour is also a photographers’ paradise, as the bands are as energetic as they come, constantly jumping around and interacting with the crowd.

Warped Tour 2017, I’m looking forward to you already. Maybe this time I won’t leave my camera in a different country.

Four Year Strong - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Four Year Strong – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Four Year Strong - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Four Year Strong – Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Word Alive - Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Word Alive – Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Word Alive - Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Word Alive – Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Word Alive - Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Word Alive – Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Word Alive - Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Word Alive – Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Maine - Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Maine – Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Maine - Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Maine – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Every Time I Die - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Every Time I Die – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Every Time I Die - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Every Time I Die – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Every Time I Die - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Every Time I Die – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Every Time I Die - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Every Time I Die – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Every Time I Die - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Every Time I Die – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Every Time I Die - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Every Time I Die – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Photo by Lindsey Blane
Photo by Lindsey Blane
Issues - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Issues – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Issues - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Issues – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Issues - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Issues – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Issues - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Issues – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Issues - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Issues – Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Story So Far - Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Story So Far – Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Story So Far - Photo by Lindsey Blane
The Story So Far – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Yellowcard - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Yellowcard – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Yellowcard - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Yellowcard – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Yellowcard - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Yellowcard – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Sleeping With Sirens - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Sleeping With Sirens – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Sleeping With Sirens - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Sleeping With Sirens – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Sleeping With Sirens - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Sleeping With Sirens – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Sleeping With Sirens - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Sleeping With Sirens – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Sleeping With SIrens - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Sleeping With SIrens – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Secrets - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Secrets – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Secrets - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Secrets – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Secrets - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Secrets – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Tonight Alive - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Tonight Alive – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Tonight Alive - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Tonight Alive – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Tonight Alive - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Tonight Alive – Photo by Lindsey Blane
New Found Glory - Photo by Lindsey Blane
New Found Glory – Photo by Lindsey Blane
New Found Glory - Photo by Lindsey Blane
New Found Glory – Photo by Lindsey Blane
New Found Glory - Photo by Lindsey Blane
New Found Glory – Photo by Lindsey Blane
New Found Glory - Photo by Lindsey Blane
New Found Glory – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Real Friends - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Real Friends – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Real Friends - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Real Friends – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Crown The Empire - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Crown The Empire – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Crown The Empire - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Crown The Empire – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Crown The Empire - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Crown The Empire – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Crown The Empire - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Crown The Empire – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Vanna - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Vanna – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Vanna
Vanna
Vanna - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Vanna – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Vanna - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Vanna – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Mayday Parade - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Mayday Parade – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Mayday Parade - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Mayday Parade – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Whitechapel - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Whitechapel – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Whitechapel - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Whitechapel – Photo by Lindsey Blane
State Champs - Photo by Lindsey Blane
State Champs – Photo by Lindsey Blane
State Champs - Photo by Lindsey Blane
State Champs – Photo by Lindsey Blane
State Champs - Photo by Lindsey Blane
State Champs – Photo by Lindsey Blane
State Champs - Photo by Lindsey Blane
State Champs – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Like Pacific - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Like Pacific – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Like Pacific - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Like Pacific – Photo by Lindsey Blane
Like Pacific - Photo by Lindsey Blane
Like Pacific – Photo by Lindsey Blane