By Ryan Mason (Account Co-ordinator at balloon dog):
Many moan about the weather forecast being inaccurate. However, fair play to all those who reported heavy rain for the 15th, 16th and 17th July weekend....not only were they accurate (for once!), but they also prepared me well for what was to be my wettest festival to date. Poncho, camera cover, waterproof bag, wellies, hat and hoody – all were packed for the joys of Suffolk’s Latitude Festival 2011.
This was my third year of being official photographer for Latitude festival, so my expectations of what I needed to capture were fully cemented. Many of the festivals to date have been very kind to me weather-wise; however, this was soon to change. The main stage over-hang turned into a man-made scaffolding waterfall. The lush green fields turned into one big mud bath. And by the end of the weekend the car parks turned into a wheel spinning mud rink. But none of this dampened the spirits of those who attended (even though watching Sky Arts coverage of the festival from the comforts of my own home was quite appealing!). My recommendation would be to embrace it. This experience is priceless...the true stereotypical UK summer festival!
Latitude is not just another music festival. I would best describe it as an arts and crafts festival with its range of craft activities as well as the literary, poetry and theatre tents. Another sold-out year inspired many bands to rise to the occasion, performing to a mass audience. Many did just that, with the likes of The National, Paulo Nutini, Suede, Ed Sheeran, Paloma Faith and Foals, to name just a few, producing incredible performances.
After another successful year, Latitude will remain as one of the most popular ‘mixed’ festivals of its kind for many years to come. It’s definitely a festival to share with loved ones and offers something for all ages. I have included a few images I took over the weekend.
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