Community Spotlight #1- Christina Sylvester

For the first of our community spotlight series, who better to focus on than one of our amazing initial contributors? You can find Christina's work featured across the site and for good reason, so let's find out a little more about the person behind the lens!

How did you get started?

"I first got into photography when I was 16-17 years old and shot gigs around my local area. I then fell into fashion photography throughout the years after interning at a local studio and studying art. For years I’d kind of forgotten about shooting gigs, and it wasn’t until 2022 that I decided to pick it up again! I still feel like a beginner, and the pre-gig shoot nerves never really go away."

What was the first thing you shot?

"The first gig that got me back into it all was YNES at The Quarry in Liverpool, supported by The Red Staines and Lynskey. I remember being super nervous because it had been SO long since I shot live music, but they were really happy with my shots. So much so, that it was used on their Spotify and it even made its way into Fred Perry. Things have snowballed ever since!"

Favourite gig you’ve shot so far?

"This is a hard one - I’d say my top two were Apocalyptica and Skillet. Apocalyptica was nerve-wracking because it was my first time shooting at Manchester Academy and I was around a lot of super experienced and amazing photographers who’d shot there before. I felt out of my depth! But opportunities came along from there really - including Skillet at the same venue."

"It was my favourite for a different reason - they were a band that got me through some really tough times. But witnessing the band super close and getting my shots shared by Korey Cooper was a real pinch-me moment!"

Favourite venue to shoot at?

"It would have to be Manchester Academy or Victoria Warehouse. The stages are massive and the lighting is almost always spot-on."

Dream artist to shoot?

"This is another tough one! I’d love to shoot so many - Ashnikko, CHVRCHES, Enter Shikari, Grimes - oh and I’d LOVE to shoot some J-rock bands like The GazettE or SiM!"

Dream venue to shoot?

"Ally Pally - or Download!"

Any tips for those who might be starting out their photography journey?

"Experiment - it’s a great way to find a style you like. I use TikTok and YouTube for colour-grading tutorials. or spend hours on Lightroom messing around and you’d be surprised how many things you can discover on your own."

"Also - don’t be a dick! The community is small and word spreads fast. You might just cost yourself future opportunities. It’s far less effort to be courteous. It’s tough out there, so just hype each other up!"

Want to see more of Christina's work? Check out her portfolio as well as her Instagram @christinx.cxptures, go show some support!

We're always on the lookout for more people to showcase, so if you think you'd like to get involved don't hesitate to get in touch with us.