Woman Crush Wednesday: Haley Busch
This week's Woman Crush Wednesday brings you the raddest babe behind some of our favorite shoots recently, Haley! This beauty has been responsible for almost all of our amazing festival photos you've seen on our Instagram recently. She's only had a professional camera for just a few years, but it's clear she has found her calling. Take a look at her enticing website and beautiful Instagram to see some more of her incredible work! In the mean time, keep reading to check out our interview and learn some more about our favorite photographer :)
Tell us a bit about yourself!
Hi! I’m Haley. I currently split my time between Los Angeles and Ventura county. I’m a photographer and also heavily into the music / festival scene, and I’m very grateful and feel so fortunate to be able to tie in my creative talents with my love for music. I just love being able to capture all those blissful moments out on the dance floor!
When did you first fall in love with photography?
I’ve always loved being behind the camera - it was always something I just merely enjoyed doing; something that came naturally to me that I never put much thought into. I never considered pursuing it as a career until my experience at Lightning in a Bottle back in 2015. It was my first time attending a transformational festival and I happened to be dealing with a lot of health issues at the time, so I found myself laying low and exploring the festival on my own while taking photos of just about everything I possibly could. I found so much joy in freezing all those special moments in time, I finally bought myself my first DSLR camera a few months later and when I returned to LiB in 2016, camera in hand, I was absolutely hooked. I remember thinking - “this is it. THIS is what I want to do.”
shot by @hal3__
How magical was Oregon Eclipse?
Wow. Just wow. It’s always very hard for me to put my entire festival experience into words, and this one really takes the cake. The festival itself was like some otherworldly utopia - full of so much art, a stacked music lineup, amazing workshops and vendors - there was just so much to see and do constantly, I was there for 8 days and I still feel like I didn’t cover it all! It was a worldwide gathering so being able to meet people from all over was so cool, it was really awesome being surrounded by so much cultural diversity. The actual solar eclipse was like nothing I’ve ever imagined - one of the most surreal, mind blowing mornings of my life. It’s very hard to describe the energy and intensity that was felt, but I truly hope everyone gets to experience a complete solar eclipse at least ONCE in their lifetime. I had such a great time, and I feel so fortunate and blessed to have been able to shoot for this event.
How do you stay sustainable at festivals?
It’s all about pacing yourself! Camping festivals can really suck the life out of you, but I always try not to get too sucked into the fun and really take the time to listen to my body. Staying hydrated is crucial, and making sure I eat as often and as healthy as possible too. Lots of smoothies! And always keeping baby wipes on me (it gets pretty dusty out there) and making sure I get adequate rest - lots of disco naps! And doing my part by helping keep the festival clean - making sure to recycle and pick up trash when I see it - a little goes a long way and when every person does their part, you really notice such a difference.
What was your favorite moment / set / day of Eclipse?
Oh wow that’s a hard one. My favorite sets were probably Nico Stojan, Patrice Baumel, and then Oona Dahl’s sunrise set, as well as Marques Wyatts. All the deep house and techno baby! My favorite day(s) was Sunday night leading into Monday morning - spent all night dancing with my friends, took a quick lil disco nap and then woke up to watch the solar eclipse. Probably my favorite 24 hours to date.
If you could photograph anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
Ahhhh okay. This is hard. I have a huge list of places I would love to travel to + photograph - it’s hard for me to narrow it down SO I will give my top 3 - and they are:
1. Dallol Volcano, Ethiopia
2. Pamukkale, Turkey
3. Wadi Rum, Jordan
I’ve always been drawn to desert landscapes and I’ve been dying to go on a road trip through Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas etc. I’ve been wanting to visit / shoot in Death Valley for the longest time too and I think I’ll finally be making that trip out in October! So I’m really excited about that.
What's your spirit animal & why?
Not sure why but whenever I get asked this question, the first animal to come to mind is always a bunny. Haha not the most majestic animal, but I’ve always loved bunnies. I’ve never had one either but I hope to someday own a fluffy little lop rabbit.
How do you stay balanced each day?
Waking up early! Eating well. I don’t drink coffee, so lots of tea. I am a matcha and mate addict (addict would be an understatement) Reading a little bit each day. Making sure I get enough “me” time each day - I definitely need some solid alone time every day to recharge. Also I’ve been on this kick lately of trying not to focus so much on the time - I’ll set an alarm and then set my phone aside so that I focus on whatever it is I need to focus on, get it done, and then when the alarm goes off, I set a new alarm and move onto the next task. It definitely helps me be more present and direct my energy & attention to one thing at a time.
What's your favorite setting to shoot? All of your festival pics are always amazing.
Haha well thank you! That’s much appreciated. I definitely enjoy shooting at festivals / music events more than anything else - I feel the most at home and in my element when doing so. Golden hour is definitely my favorite time of day, I really love shooting during both sunset and sunrise. Alllll about those pink skies and that golden glow.
In the theme of WCW, is there a certain woman who inspires you most?
My mom. Hands down. I have never met someone so self-less, hard working, and dedicated as my mom. She will put anyone and everyone first before herself, and she is so passionate and dedicated to both her work and her family. She will do absolutely anything for her kids, while dealing with the numerous health issues she’s had throughout the course of her life. She kicks ass at everything she does, and I am forever grateful and so so lucky to have such an awesome lady as my momma.
