Photographer Deepak Panglia has created a stunning visual narrative of FKA twigs' captivating performance at Helsinki's Flow Festival 2025, transforming what began as an unplanned encounter into a series of striking black-and-white photographs that blur the line between live performance documentation and high-fashion portraiture. Originally attending the festival to photograph a different musician, Panglia found himself drawn into FKA twigs' magnetic stage presence, resulting in images that feel both spontaneous and meticulously crafted.
The resulting photographs showcase what Panglia describes as his "cinematic documentary" approach, featuring dramatic lighting and rich contrasts that give each shot the luxurious quality of a Vogue cover. Despite there being no direct collaboration with FKA twigs' team during the performance, Panglia felt an unspoken connection between his camera and the performer. "There wasn't a direct collaboration with her team during the show, but I felt there was a kind of unspoken connection between performer and lens," he explains.
Panglia's background in digital marketing has significantly influenced his photographic perspective, training him to think of visuals not merely as standalone images but as stories capable of traveling across multiple platforms. This commercial understanding enhances his artistic vision, allowing him to create photographs that work both as documentary evidence of a live performance and as compelling visual narratives in their own right.
Each photograph demonstrates Panglia's mastery of balancing multiple elements: the stage lighting, atmospheric smoke effects, and the dynamic interplay between FKA twigs and her numerous dancers. The deliberate, premeditated quality of the images stems from his storytelling approach, where each element of the live performance is treated as a character with its own narrative significance. In some shots, strategic lighting obscures the performer's facial features, creating mysterious silhouettes that emphasize movement and form over literal representation.
The photographer's decision to work exclusively in monochrome adds a timeless quality to the performance documentation. "In monochrome, the focus shifts to her presence, her expression, the contrasts of shadow and movement. It amplifies the timeless quality of the performance," Panglia notes. This artistic choice allows viewers to focus on the essential elements of expression and movement while eliminating the potential distraction of color.
Panglia draws inspiration from a diverse range of artistic influences that inform his visual approach. He cites filmmaker Wong Kar Wai for his vibrant visual storytelling, director Andrei Tarkovsky for the poetic quality of his cinematography, and photographer Peter Lindbergh for his exceptional observational skills. These influences combine to create Panglia's unique aesthetic that bridges the gap between fine art photography and concert documentation.
Musically, Panglia finds inspiration in the same artists he frequently photographs, including FKA twigs, James Blake, and Björk. He describes these musicians as artists "whose work blend intimacy with experimentation," a quality that resonates deeply with his own photographic philosophy. This musical understanding allows him to anticipate and capture the emotional peaks and subtle nuances of live performances.
The success of these photographs lies in the organic chemistry that developed between photographer and subject during the performance. Panglia's ability to remain fluid and observational, combined with FKA twigs' commanding stage presence and natural awareness of the camera, created an ideal conditions for this spontaneous collaboration. Without both elements working in harmony, this remarkable visual symbiosis would not have been possible.
Panglia's ultimate goal transcends mere visual documentation of the performance. "I aimed to capture not just what it looked like, but what it felt like in that moment, the atmosphere, the intimacy, the power," he concludes. This philosophy elevates his work from simple concert photography to a more profound exploration of the emotional and atmospheric qualities that make live performance such a powerful art form, creating images that allow viewers to experience something of the magic that occurred during that evening at Flow Festival.
