When I first started getting into concert photography, I really admired the different photographers who shot Warped Tour. It became one of my goals it at some point in my life get a photo pass and be able to photograph Warped Tour like these photographers I admired.
Fast forward a couple of years, and it was announced that 2018 would be the final cross country Warped Tour. This meant that it would probably be my final opportunity to go to Warped Tour. By this point, I had learned a lot and was excited to bring my point and shoot camera and maybe get a couple photos of this now once in a lifetime experience. I convinced my mom to let me buy us tickets to Warped Tour since it was my last chance to be able to go. She agreed, and I bought our tickets. Later, I found out that Warped Tour offered different classes and I knew I had to check them out. I found a photography one and instantly got super excited. The website explained that we would learn more about concert photography and be able to photograph one band's set from the photo pit. Because of this we were allowed to bring our professional cameras into Warped Tour. I instantly bought a ticket to this class, and was happy that my goal was partially coming true.
Summer finally arrived and it was time to go to my first and last Warped Tour. It was 110 degrees, but it was totally worth it. The photography class was pretty basic. They taught us about the rules of being in a photo pit, but I had already known them from my previous experience and research. It all became worth it at the end of the class though when the teacher gave us a photo pass wrist band and explained to us that we had access to the photo pits for the entire day. My mind was blown, my dream was coming true. With a huge smile on my face, I ran over to the We the Kings meet and greet where my mom was waiting. I just found out that I had achieved my goal of getting a photo pass for Warped Tour, and was about to meet Charles Trippy, a YouTuber I loved, all in five minutes. I was so overwhelmed and nervous, but in the best way possible.
After the meet and greet I ran over and got in the photo pit for Trash Boat. It was a lot of fun, and a great first photo pit because this was my first introduction to Trash Boat so I wasn't that nervous.
Next I raced over and photographed Palaye Royale. I had followed them on Instagram for while, and they seemed like they would be fun to photograph, so I was a little bit more nervous for this set. I was right, they are a very fun band to photograph. By the third song I was so happy that we could only photograph the first three songs, because their stage was right in the sun, and I needed to get to the shade. I joined up with a group and we all huddled for shelter from the sun in the corner of the bathroom. I stayed there talking with them for a while, then went back into the AZ heat to photograph We the Kings.
This was a whole other dream come true on its own. I had really wanted to photograph We the Kings for a while now. I had thought I had finally gotten the chance the year before when they announced they would be playing University of Arizona's Spring Fling. I gave up tickets to another concert to be able to attend this, because instead of photographing a band with my point and shoot camera, I was being given the opportunity to photograph We the Kings with my professional camera. I was so excited to get great photos of Charles and the rest of the band. However, for the first time in the band's history, only two members, Travis (lead singer) and Danny (drummer) were able to get to the concert because of a lot of flight delays and cancellations. I was very disappointed, but still ended up having fun. So now, being able to photograph them with my professional camera at Warped Tour was beyond exciting. This was the first set I was truly nervous for because after years I had finally gotten the opportunity I was waiting for. It was definitely worth the wait. It went really well, and I had a lot of fun!!
Next I grabbed a drink and raced all the way across the venue to get to the main stage to photograph Mayday Parade. I had not really known much about this band before researching Warped Tour bands to try and plan a schedule, but it was really nice finally being able to photograph a set in the shade, and they seemed like a fun band. I decided to spend the rest of the night here, because I was going to have to get back here for the end performance by Black Veil Brides anyways, and the heat was really uncomfortable. It kept getting hotter and hotter, and I was terrified that I would pass out and miss out on photo pit time. Next I got to photograph The Used. I did not know much about them either, but this ended up being one of the highlights of my day. They were a blast to photograph, and the pictures from this set ended up being some of my favorites from the day.
Next up on the main stage was Waterparks. Similar to Palaye Royale, this was a band I had followed on Instagram for a while and had really wanted to photograph. They were so colorful and seemed like a lot of fun. It was getting late in the day, so the sun was setting and it was becoming more of a challenge to get great photos. Then the 107 degree weather finally became too much and their computer overheated. While they tried to find a solution, Awsten did a great job stalling and keeping everyone entertained. They weren't able to fix the technical difficulties, but it turned into a hang out, and everyone had fun chatting and laughing with the band.
Now it was officially the end of the night, and time for the set I had been waiting for. My anticipation had been building all day, and I was so extremely excited and nervous. Not only was I finally being able to see Black Veil Brides in concert, but I was experiencing it from a foot away in the photo pit. I know I've said it a lot, but this truly was a dream come true. I had made friendships in high school over a common bond of love for Black Veil Brides. Because of scheduling, I hadn't been able to go to Andy's workshop, but photographing him from the photo pit definitely made up for it. I wasn't able to meet him, but I was able to capture a photo I really love of him, and it was an incredible way to end my first and last Warped Tour experience.
Warped Tour was an absolutely incredible experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. I had dreamed for years of one day going to Warped Tour, and I had an even bigger, more seemingly impossible dream of getting a photo pass for the event. Now to have both of those dreams come true on my first Warped Tour, years before I had expected, was completely surreal. I will remember that crazy day photographing seven bands from photo pits for the rest of my life. It may have been 110 degrees, and I may have spent half of it feeling like I was dying from the heat, but it definitely ended up being one of the best days ever!!
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