January 2020. I had already photographed parties. I knew the pulse of electronic music, the haze, the lights, the crowd moving in sync with the bass. But this time, the perspective was different. I was starting as a lighting technician at SARAO Night Club; no longer just capturing the light… now I was shaping it.
That night I used my Canon 60D with a 50mm f/1.8 lens for the first time. I was coming from a humble 400D and a basic 18-55 lens. It wasn’t just a technical upgrade; it was a shift in mindset. Being there wasn’t enough anymore. I had to interpret, decide, act.
The black and white reminds me that the essential needs no embellishment. This shot is smoke, sweat, and rhythm condensed into a single frame. It’s not a beginning; it’s a transformation. That night taught me that sometimes you have to step out from behind the camera… to truly understand what you’re seeing through it.
Ever been somewhere familiar, but experienced it through new eyes?
Tell me about it 👇