Indie folk music commonly uses acoustic instruments like violin, banjo, piano, and guitars. The fashion is natural and understated, often featuring layered clothing that references the season. Beards and shaggy hair are also a recurring visual theme. Lighting aims to create a relaxed atmosphere, sometimes using single light bulbs or fairy lights, with warmer tones for upbeat songs and colder lighting for sadder songs. Photo shoots tend to have a soft, vintage filter with soft lighting and a soft focus, usually showing the whole band outside.

1. Indie Folk
Codes and Conventions

2. Instruments
Violin
Banjo
Piano
Guitars
Double
Bass
Drum

3. Fashion
Clothing matches the setting
for example, the musician will
be dress up in lots of layers to
show winter, or in shorts in
summer etc.
Clothing is very natural and
normal which makes it stand
out from other genres such
as pop and rock as they
normally are all dressed up in
bright, eye-catching colours.
Their clothing is sometimes a
formal-casual dress code.
This includes smart tops
(usually buttoned to the top),
waste coats, ties and hats.

4. BEARDS.
I have noticed an
occurring theme
of beards and
shaggy looking
hair.

5. Lighting
Ambient lighting to create a
relaxed atmosphere often
used with single light bulbs or
fairy lights.
Upbeat songs = Warm lighting
Sadder songs = cold lighting

6. Photo shoots
Vintage filter
Soft lighting
Shows whole band
Soft focus
Usually outside