Looking forward to festival season? Mehdi Benkler's photos will get you in the mood

Date
11 June 2012

Jumping into mud at a festival is a commitment – you’re basically guaranteeing three days of whole-body trench-foot, but, people do it, proving it can be done, and done well. Swiss photographer Mehdi Benkler knows about commitment at festivals, in that he defies the modern world and only uses film, never digital. That’s right, metres away from Iggy Pop wielding a mike-stand and Mehdi’s there changing a roll of film. There’s something uncommonly heroic about that, no? And what results! Grainy, wet, muddy, blurry shots of some of the most passionate bands in the world, performing in front of some of the most enthusiastic (and filthy) audiences around.

Let Mehdi’s photographs take you back to the last time you were soaking in a mist of sweat of 10,000+ people but still having the greatest time of your life, then go and buy some gig tickets to see your favourite band, pronto.

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Mehdi Benkler: Iggy Pop

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Mehdi Benkler: Hurts

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Mehdi Benkler: Audience

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Mehdi Benkler: Eels

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Mehdi Benkler: Audience

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Mehdi Benkler: Lee Scratch Perry

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Mehdi Benkler: Beirut

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Mehdi Benkler: The Fall

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About the Author

Liv Siddall

Liv joined It’s Nice That as an intern in 2011 and worked across online, print and events, and was latterly Features Editor before leaving in May 2015.

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