Wave goodbye to summer with festival-living photographer John Kilar

Date
11 September 2017

As hordes of Bestivalgoers pack down their doubtless mud-caked tents and prepare to come back to reality, our minds turned to festival-loving photographer John Kilar.

We last spoke to the Istanbul-born photographer three years back in September 2014, and he hasn’t stopped travelling since. “I’ve been traveling for around four years now,” he tells It’s Nice That. “I live on the road so I don’t quite have a home base. I’m currently in Mt. Shasta and I’ve spent the majority of my summer between Oregon and Northern California. I keep doing it because it ignites my soul and the opportunity to inspire others through photography has been a blessing.”

While America’s political landscape has radically shifted, John’s freewheeling lifestyle keeps him positive. “It feels tense and unsettling at times but most people I know, including myself, tend to live in our own bubbles and do our best to re-direct our energy towards positive solutions."

This summer John says: “I’ve been to many [festivals]. The spirit of some of the festivals tend to change over time as they become more popular but there are plenty of others that remain within their integrity and initial intention.”

Festivals and gatherings remain among John’s favourite scenes to document, alongside “settings in nature. And places I haven’t explored yet. I love the feeling of experiencing new territories and landscapes.” On the downside, such environments play havoc with John’s ability to keep to one camera. “I’m currently down to a Yashica T3 and another Infinity stylus I’ve acquired after my first one broke,” he says. “In the last two weeks I’ve had my Yashica T4 stolen at an eclipse gathering and broke my T2 in the desert. I don’t seem to have the best luck with them. Maybe I should just start a camera fund. If you’re reading this and feel like donating your point and shoot feel free to get in touch!”

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John Kilar

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John Kilar

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John Kilar

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John Kilar

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John Kilar

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John Kilar

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John Kilar

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John Kilar

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John Kilar

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John Kilar

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About the Author

Bryony Stone

Bryony joined It's Nice That as Deputy Editor in August 2016, following roles at Mother, Secret Cinema, LAW, Rollacoaster and Wonderland. She later became Acting Editor at It's Nice That, before leaving in late 2018.

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