Case Study - Fringe by the Sea Festival
Fringe by the Sea Festival
Since 2021 I’ve been photographing and filming Fringe by the Sea, North Berwick’s annual arts and music festival. Each year, I’ve experimented with new ways to capture its energy and sense of place, from sunrise flights over the beach to aerial timelapses, night scenes, and top-down compositions that connect the festival to its coastal surroundings.
My aim has always been to show the festival not just as an event, but as part of its wider landscape, framed by the Bass Rock, the harbour, and North Berwick Law. Over time, I’ve built a visual record that feels both cinematic and personal.
One image from 2021, the Big Top tent illuminated at dusk, went on to be a finalist in the British Photography Awards and winner of the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest for Best Drone Photography, chosen from over 35,000 entries worldwide.
Footage and images have since appeared across broadcast media, press coverage, and social channels, helping to promote the festival far beyond East Lothian.
There’s always something new to explore, a different light, angle, or story waiting to be told. As long as Fringe by the Sea keeps growing, I’ll keep flying.
