8 top tips for taking the best festival photos with INSTAX

There’s something electric about festival season. The smell of a BBQ, the tingling sensation of the beating sun, the energising thump of music travelling through the soles of your feet — you know the drill. Festivals are the best time to let your hair down and decompress with your loved ones and some good music.

We believe moments like these should be captured as they happen, providing you and your besties with prints to remember months and years into the future. An INSTAX camera acts as a bridge between the old and the new — offering a sleek, aesthetic design with the sweet satisfaction of an instant photo, printed before your very eyes. 

Take our INSTAX Pal as an example.  It even features a versatile detachable ring for easy holding. Perfect for snapping and sharing on the go, it ensures you capture the full festival vibe, from wide-angle group shots to personal close-ups.

It’s the best of both — and here’s how you can take the best festival pics with your favourite INSTAX camera model.

Make use of the sun

Festival season means double-digit weather forecasts, longer days, and dreamy late-evening sunsets. And we all know that the sun's golden glow brings out the best side in everyone — from candids and selfies to portraits and group photos. Did you know that most of our INSTAX cameras use ISO 800 film? This makes them great for use in bright and low-light conditions, making sure you’re camera-ready no matter what time it is.

Our INSTAX camera range also makes use of automatic exposure control — as featured on our SQ40 and mini 12 models. Whether you’re dancing in a crowd of flashing lights or chilling in your tent, it’ll automatically adjust to the needs of your setting.

Pose with night-time clarity

The festival day doesn’t just finish when the sun sets. The music goes on, and so does the dancing — so why should your snaps stop there? Keep the festival spirit going long into the night with INSTAX’s one-of-a-kind features. Your favourite INSTAX camera will make sure you can continue making memories all night long.

  • INSTAX MINI 99: light up your night with advanced flash control, auto-mode, and bulb exposure mode.
  • INSTAX mini 40: offers automatic exposure, adapting effortlessly to changing light.
  • ​INSTAX WIDE 300: perfect for larger group photos with adjustable brightness control to ensure that everyone fits into the frame.

Capture vibrant festival tent scenes

Capture the electric vibes of the festival tent with the INSTAX SQUARE SQ1.

With its powerful automatic exposure control in the palm of your hand, this camera effortlessly adjusts to the kaleidoscope of lights inside the tent, so your photos pop with colour. Plus, the square format prints mean you capture more of the action — perfect for sharing those epic moments with your friends, or even for gifting a pic or two to your new festival friends.

Oh, and there’s a selfie mode. The SQ1's user-friendly twist lens flips from normal to selfie mode in a flash, ideal for quick snaps with the crowd or capturing the buzz on stage. With the SQ1, you can charge head-first into the festival spirit, sharing the joy, and creating memories long after the last set. Front row at the main stage or chilling in the quirky corners? No worries — you can make every shot a festival highlight.

Shoot in motion

Ready to capture the energy? Introducing the INSTAX MINI 99 with its in-built sports mode — perfect for snapping shots in motion. Whether you're dancing in the crowd or catching your friends in action, this mode helps you freeze those dynamic moments without the blur. Its automatic flash ensures your photos are clear — even during those dreamy twilight gig moments.

Get the whole group in

Group photos are a must at festivals, and the INSTAX WIDE 300 is the best way to include everyone in your shot. 

With its wide format film that captures twice the size of a mini print, you can fit all of your friends (old, new, or both) into the frame. The INSTAX WIDE 300 comes with a focus range selector that lets you switch between close range and landscape, making it super versatile whether you’re snapping a group selfie or the entire festival scene.

Choose the right vibe

Add personality to your shots with the INSTAX mini Evo. Blending classic camera design with modern digital enhancements, this INSTAX model offers 10 lens effects and 10 film effects, allowing you to create 100 unique looks for every scenario.

Whether you want a retro feel or a vibrant burst of colour, all you need to do is twist the film, hear that reassuring click, and snap the night away knowing you’ve chosen the perfect effect setting.

Snap the night away with candids

The most spontaneous moments are the best ones, and the INSTAX mini 12 is designed for these special times.

This joy-filled instant camera features high-speed printing technology, perfect for taking atmospheric candids that you can review in just a matter of seconds. It comes ready and fully loaded with easy-to-use controls, lightening your photo, and giving it a soft, dreamy quality to enhance the vibrant festival vibes. Primed for the gram and TikTok photo carousels.

Save and replay your best moments

With the INSTAX mini LiPlay you can select, edit, and print, right from the device — an all-in-one model. 

It’s a camera that captures the addictive festival buzz with the option to add a personal touch to every photo. With the mini LiPlay, you can create and share memories that come alive with sound at the tap of a button. Imagine capturing the roar of the crowd as your favourite headliner hits the stage, then printing it out with a QR code that plays back to that very moment whenever you need that nostalgia boost.

The best thing? It can fit right into your festival gear. It's loaded with features like creative filters and frames to jazz up your prints and easy controls that let you snap away without missing a beat.

Festivals + INSTAX = a match made in heaven

Bursting with colours, energy, and unforgettable moments, festivals are where music, culture, and people from all walks of life come together.

This is where INSTAX cameras join the fun, adding an extra layer of magic to your festival experience. Capture the spontaneous joy and immersive scenes with a single click and then hold a piece of the moment in your hands in just a few seconds. It’s called INSTAX for a reason.

How do you INSTAX? Well, It’s up to you what you do with your prints and camera. Customise your camera model, tuck your prints into a photo book as a memory of your festival experience, or pin them up on your wall to reminisce at home. Can’t wait? Gift the prints to your new friends or gather around and share laughs over authentic candid snaps. 

They’re your moments, and you can choose how to share them.

Beat the festival FOMO with INSTAX

Make this festival season unforgettable with a summer filled with snaps, laughter, and vibrant memories. Dance hard at the sunlit stages or chill at the acoustic tent — either way, an INSTAX camera will turn every moment into a memory you can always come back to.

Curious to see which INSTAX fits your festival vibe? Find your INSTAX camera match, compare our camera models, and choose the companion that’ll capture your summer of fun. 

You may also like

Get the latest instax™ news straight to your inbox

Subscribe to our mailing list and be the first to hear about products, offers, inspo and so much more.

I authorise FUJIFILM to process my personal data in accordance with the privacy policy, to inform me about FUJIFILM products and services via e-mail. I can withdraw my consent at any time by following the "unsubscribe" link in any newsletter.