A RETURN TO THE EDINBURGH TATOO
Louise Anderbjörk
Every August, the city of Edinburgh undergoes a vibrant transformation as it hosts the largest arts festival in the world, and representing this international buzz to over 220 000 audience members every year is the The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. After a fantastic experience photographing the Tattoo last year, I was thrilled to be able to return this summer and, once again, witness its incredible atmosphere up close. A total of 800 cast members took the stage on the castle, esplanade in the 2023 “Stories” programme, to create a dynamic experience built on precision, complexity and vastness in numbers.
These characteristics of the Tattoo are just as exciting as they are challenging to a photographer, making it a unique event to photograph. As media on the ground, you are inevitably immersed into the show itself, and find yourself figuring out how to not accidentally end up in the way of 50 performers simultaneously on the move. Once that skill is perfected, you face the technical challenge of adjusting your settings to the changing lighting situations throughout the show, as projections appear on the castle walls, and live fire or mechanical spotlights suddenly light up different parts of every performance.
Additionally, multiple aspects of each number take place at the same time across the esplanade, and you must hone your skill of keeping track of one event in the viewfinder, and another in the periphery of your free eye. It is therefore such a rewarding feeling to get comfortable with your camera settings and get that perfect shot at the Edinburgh Tattoo, as it truly allows you to explore what the exciting world of photojournalism has to offer.
This article first appeared in PRISMA, Issue 7.