Lifest 2015: Behind the Scenes with a Lifest Ninjagrapher

Batteries charged? Check.

Memory cards cleared? Check.

Gatorade and giant tub of animal crackers packed? Check.

Ear plugs and closed-toe shoes loaded up? Check.

Forms, forms, contracts, releases, and more forms? Check.

Tent, pillows, sandals for the cow showers? Check.

Pep talk planned for our new recruits? Check.

I was ready for Lifest.

Some of my adventures include:

-driving the golf cart

Hooking my power inverter up to my car battery proudly by myself to blow up my air mattress:

Watching Jeff work his video magic at the grandstand:

Trying to take a cell photo from my post for the shows:

Sleeping with a teddy bear my first night since Brian was gone:

Taking this selfie for a periscope contest where we held the meet & greet passes:

Checking in with my two new recruits obsessively and like a nervous mother (“DID YOU PEE TODAY?” “WHERE ARE YOUR EARPLUGS?” “DID YOU TAKE A SHOWER?”):

Sitting down for lunch with a couple Nikon lovers:

Trying to get everyone together for a team photo:

Tracy’s magical beverage:

Giving the Jaeger family a little Lifest tour:

…and last, but not least, wrapping it up with Traceface. This girl has got major concert photography skills. Check out some of her work on Instagram: @tracykapela.

And speaking of Insta, here’s a couple of my captures from the concerts. I don’t often shoot concert photography, but I love the opportunity to grow and share our skills with new generations of shooters. ❤

Some of my personal highlights from Lifest are seeing our family and friends from all over the Midwest, catching up with our favorite musicians and meeting new ones, and braving the cow and horse showers. Yeah- animal showers… you walk up to the side of a concrete building with giant water nozzles at waist level. Turn them on, and you’ll experience high-powered cold water. After sweating all day and walking miles around a dusty fairground, those showers are needed, but it’s hard to get that initial spray over with.  Woo, it’s refreshing. 🙂

Until next year, thanks for reading! ❤

Miles this year: 323.05