Sunny Hill Festival
The Sunny Hill Festival grounds in rural Kosovo hum with excitement. On stage, the line-up is as eclectic as it is electric: international names like Shawn Mendes and Peggie Gou sharing space with local voices such as Era Istrefi and, of course, Dua Lipa.
For her, it is a triumphant homecoming. Sunny Hill Festival was founded in 2018 by Dua Lipa and her father, Dukagjin Lipa, as both a celebration of music and a statement of cultural pride. It has since grown into a platform that connects the Balkans to the wider world.
For Manchester-based concert photographer Sophia Carey, it is a creative trial by fire. Armed with the Leica Q3, she navigates the festival’s kaleidoscopic energy, chasing not simply beautiful images, but the elusive feeling of the moment.
Creativity Through Limitation
Unlike her usual assignments, Sophia leaves behind the heavy kit of long lenses and bulky camera bodies, choosing instead the Leica Q3, a compact, discreet companion that slips as easily through security checks as it would in the hands of any festival-goer. In the crush of music, light, and movement, its minimalism becomes her greatest asset, allowing her to blend in, move freely, and capture the festival’s spirit without the weight of excess gear.
“Shooting the Sunny Hill Festival with the Leica Q3 is quite a challenge because of the lens choice. When you have that limitation, it makes you think a little more creatively.”
Sophia Carey
From Pit to Panorama
From within the crowd, Sophia lifts the Leica Q3 and its fixed 28mm lens, embracing its wide perspective to frame Dua Lipa against a backdrop of spectacle. The sweeping field of view allows her to capture not just the artist, but the full drama of the performance, the vast stage bathed in light, pyrotechnics erupting in bursts of fire, and thousands of fans moving as one.
In these establishing shots, the choreography expands beyond the dancers, becoming a dialogue between performer, stagecraft, and audience, all held together in a single image that conveys the immensity of the moment.
For Shawn Mendes, Sophia is granted access to the photo pit, giving her freedom to move within arm’s reach of the performer. From there, she captures not only the main stage but also the intimacy of the B-stage, where artist and audience collide.
“The 28mm really shines in this kind of setting, especially for big establishing shots. When an artist is walking down the catwalk, you can see the crowd, the lights, and the entire atmosphere. In close proximity, it’s actually the perfect focal length.”
Sophia Carey
More Than Headliners
But Sophia’s focus goes beyond the big names.
“It’s important to find a balance between aesthetics and storytelling. It’s not just about one artist or one headline set. It’s about all the different performances throughout today, throughout tomorrow, throughout the rest of the weekend.”
Her photography is about telling stories: Through light and movement, through faces in the crowd, through the atmosphere that lingers between two songs.
“What makes a good photo for me is when story and aesthetics marry up – when it not only looks good but also tells a story. In music photography, it’s about showing what the atmosphere feels like in that moment.”
Life in Extremes
The rhythm of a music photographer is anything but predictable.
“Sometimes I start working at 7 a.m., sometimes I’m only getting home from an event at 7 a.m. Every day is very, very different.”
A Full-Circle Moment
When Dua Lipa takes the stage on Friday night, it becomes a personal milestone for Sophia.
Years earlier, at the very beginning of her career, she had already photographed Dua when the singer herself was just starting out. Now, returning with more experience and perspective, Sophia captures her once again. It’s not just a moment that reflects Dua’s evolution as an artist, but also Sophia’s own growth as a photographer.
And as Sunny Hill fades into memory, Sophia is already moving on, chasing the pulse of the next show in clubs, venues, and festivals around the world. For a concert photographer, the work never truly stops.
