A person wearing a bucket hat, a pink tie-dye T-shirt and gold leggings walks through a film set. They carry a large gold fabric wrap while crew members work in the background.

Photography: Who better to photograph backstage at the YouTube awards than Thomas Prior?

Words: Liv Siddall
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Date: 5 February 2014; Work
Photography

Who better to throw backstage at the YouTube awards than everyone’s favourite new photographer, Thomas Prior? Just as Wes Anderson films have slo-mo scenes and Elton John likes sending people flowers, Thomas’ signature is the force of explosives. Whether it’s people shooting the living daylights out of an abandoned car or daredevils messing around on windy beaches below airport landing strips, Thomas seeks out the bangs, pops and whooshes that make life exciting. With this in mind, it’s hardly surprising that Vice got him to go and photograph backstage at the very first ever, and already somewhat already legendary, YouTube awards. He even manages to make the cameramen look like stunt doubles.

A group of people gather around a piece of technical equipment, looking on with focused expressions. One person gestures with their hands while explaining something to the others. — Above
Thomas Prior: Backstage during the first annual YouTube Music Awards. Shot for Vice Magazine.

A crowd of people with their arms raised at a concert, illuminated by pink and purple lights. A dense cloud of colourful confetti rains down over the audience. — Above
Thomas Prior: Backstage during the first annual YouTube Music Awards. Shot for Vice Magazine.

A group of people gather around a person lying on the ground, who is covered in orange and blue powder. Several people wear white hooded garments, while another person with a large afro and a rainbow-striped shirt holds a microphone. — Above
Thomas Prior: Backstage during the first annual YouTube Music Awards. Shot for Vice Magazine.

Pharrell Williams speaks into a microphone while wearing a striped T-shirt and a green cap. He is surrounded by a crowd of people in a bright pink room. — Above
Thomas Prior: Backstage during the first annual YouTube Music Awards. Shot for Vice Magazine.

A person in a white suit plays a red electric guitar while sitting behind a drum kit. They are focused on the fretboard, lit against a dark background. — Above
Thomas Prior: Backstage during the first annual YouTube Music Awards. Shot for Vice Magazine.

A 3D render of a snowy forest with tall, slender pine trees. The ground is covered in thick, white snow under a dark blue sky. — Above
Thomas Prior: Backstage during the first annual YouTube Music Awards. Shot for Vice Magazine.

A person wearing a green bucket hat, pink patterned top and gold shimmering trousers poses in the centre of a street. Behind them, a crew member handles a cable near a blue lift and another person stands on a set of stairs. — Above
Thomas Prior: Backstage during the first annual YouTube Music Awards. Shot for Vice Magazine.

A camera operator wearing headphones sits behind a large professional broadcast camera. They look down at a handheld device while positioned on a filming platform. — Above
Thomas Prior: Backstage during the first annual YouTube Music Awards. Shot for Vice Magazine.

A person stands in the centre of a film set, pointing upwards while holding a microphone. They are surrounded by a crew of four other people under bright studio lights and rigging. — Above
Thomas Prior: Backstage during the first annual YouTube Music Awards. Shot for Vice Magazine.

A group of people gather in a dark room with a grey carpet. Some stand and talk in small groups, while others sit on the floor in a circle. — Above
Thomas Prior: Backstage during the first annual YouTube Music Awards. Shot for Vice Magazine.

Further Info

www.thomasprior.com

About the Author

Liv Siddall

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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.

Photography: Who better to photograph backstage at the YouTube awards than Thomas Prior?

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