Patron to Pit: Lucinda Goodwin Photography
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Patron to Pit: Lucinda Goodwin Photography

Standing front row in the mosh it’s hard not to envy the musicians on stage and the photographers below, capturing their every move. Lucinda Goodwin just so happens to be one of the latter, but she originally was in the same spot as the rest of us idolising gig photographers and musicians. We had a chat to the photographer ahead of her debut exhibition at Courthouse Youth Arts, Patron to Pit.
Hi Lucinda, thanks for taking the time to chat to Forte, how are you and what are you up to at the moment? 
No worries, I’m good. I’m actually in the middle of finalising everything for the exhibition and a bit of editing of some shoots I’ve been working on.
I know your love for music photography first came when you saw some photographers in the pit at Falls, was that the first major festival you went to?
No actually, I had been to Queenscliff Music Festival two years running before I went to Falls, I volunteered to put some posters up around town for a few days and in turn got a weekend pass. Falls was my take on schoolies!
Lucinda Goodwin PicturedWhat was it that made you want to become a photographer at festivals/gigs? 
I had just accepted a place in a photography course for the following year, and after turning 18 I started getting more into the music scene because of the friends I had at the time, so it was a perfect opportunity to put the two together. Not only that but it gave me something to do at friends shows.
Has it so far lived up to the dream? 
Definitely, I’ve been given so many amazing opportunities because of it!
What’s the actual vibe like when you’re down in the pit? 
It differs show to show, you can go to a festival like Bluesfest with 120 photographers, three video guys, and 15 security and it’s the calmest environment. But in turn you can go to a Melbourne venue and the pit has 12 photographers and two security and it can be tense and a pretty tight squeeze. Normally you will find that it’s very chilled out before the act comes on, then as soon as the house lights dim, the madness begins, photographers running in every direction, and trying to stay out of the way of paying patrons and security.
We can imagine you’ve probably attended too many gigs to count, has there been a highlight for you? 
Too many highlights to name! A few of my absolute favourites are shooting the ARIAs Last year – not many 22 year olds can say they have been to the arias and drank champagne on a roof top with the best of the best in the music business. Bluesfest this year too was incredible, not only the vibe of the whole festival but the camaraderie within the photographers, plus the line up was amazing!
What’s it like for you when you do get that one incredible shot? 
It’s pretty rewarding knowing you captured the split second something amazing happened on stage, and sometimes you may be the only photographer that captured that exact moment. Because like all art, photography is subjective.
blue king brown bluesfest
And of course, you’re showcasing your experience to date in an exhibition at Courthouse Youth Arts, what kind of works have you selected to put on show? Any favourites? 
I’ve got a wide range of works on show, I started shooting music at the end of 2010, start of 2011, so I have a pretty large body of work. There is stuff from really early on to the Remi show I shot a month ago. The show consists of about 90 prints plus portfolios which act as diaries of each year as its own body of work, so a lot of photographs for people to enjoy.
My favourites are more based around the stories attached to images. There’s a shot of Courtney Barnett that was my very first printed magazine cover for Cargo Art. The Gang Of Youths portraits after their first sold out show at Northcote Social club on the back of their debut album, which reached #5 on the ARIA album charts in its first week. The Hilltop Hoods shot that I stood in the pit waiting to happen and was the only photographer to grab that moment. I also have a soft spot  for the local guys featured who have become some of my closest friends, the likes of Famous Will, Alister Turrill, Kyle Taylor, Rach Brennan, RDZJB, The Kite Machine and Murdena all feature.
Any last bits of wisdom you’d like to share with our Forte readers?
Keep your smart phones in your pocket at shows, or if you must, only take a few snaps.
Enjoy the show and go tap the photographer on the shoulder and ask where you can see their photos, guarantee they are better than the ones you took on your iPhone! And get out to local shows, there is so many amazing musicians in Geelong for you to see and fall in love with their music!
When & Where: Official launch (free) from 6pm at Courthouse Youth Arts Gallery. Exhibition running until August 14.
Website: www.lucindagoodwinphotography.com