Experimental Clubbing Photos

[Expat98]

A while back I was browsing a photography forum and ran across some photos that had been taken inside a club and then had some creative processing done on them. These photos caused quite a stir, with many people chastising the photographer and roughly an equal number of people praising the photos.

The criticism was mainly for 1) taking close-ups of people without their knowledge and 2) posting photos of people "wacked out on ecstasy" (as one person put it).

It turned out that the subjects in the photos were friends of the photographer and had full knowledge that he was taking their photos, so the first criticism was totally unfounded.

The second criticism of course came from people who have a problem with the idea that people can receive pleasure from taking drugs. Here is one typical prudish comment:

How sad it is to see these young people so disatisfied with a world created for them by their parents' generation, that they consider dancing all night in a drugged out trance a desirable recreation.

What have we done to our children.......?
This is a modern day scourge.

Those praising the photos, on the other hand, had comments such as, "Those are quite striking." And, "You've captured the essence of pleasure!"

Personally I was in the group that thought they were great...the essence of ecstasy has been captured here, and the photos are strikingly intimate - excellent photography IMHO. (By the way, the photographer later claimed that none of the subjects were on E or anything else...but I'm sure that was just to protect them from any possible repercussions from the photos being posted.)

Anyway, I thought people here might like to see these, so I am linking to them below. The original thread on the photography forum is here:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...5914282&page=1

[RaverHippie]

I'm in your camp. That's always one of the fun things about seeing all the pictures taken at a rave. In the background or foreground for that matter, you never know what state the person is in but you can read the emotions so well.

[adzket]

i used to run a club in the westend some years ago and we would not alow cameras in the venue most other clubs did this to the only time it was alowd was when we where doing publisity photos for advertisments or video for web sites ect but people where always asked to consent first or we would use models also we had some t.v intreast in one of our nights so aloud them to film but people could object and film was checked by us befor airing on tv and people new when the cammera was coming as there was people clearing the crowd plus the big white light on it to aluminate shots but with the advent of cammeras on mobile phones we gave this rule up as we could not exspect people to hand in there phones for the night plus we could not take the responisbility for looking after hundreds of phones. but in general club photography is a bit of fun as long as people are aware the idea is not to chatch people of garde when there worse for ware.

[radiometer]

The Smile: A Modern Day Scourge!!

What about teh childerns?!?!?!11

Reputation Comments on this post:

Where do I know this style from? I'd recognize this even without your avatar/username.

[TMM]

How sad it is to see these young people so disatisfied with a world created for them by their parents' generation, that they consider dancing all night in a drugged out trance a desirable recreation.

What have we done to our children.......?
This is a modern day scourge.

This person is a modern day scourge. Sounds a little pompous as well, so probably a fan of irony. Which is itself fantastic irony.

Great photos, btw. It's nice to see some rave photography that's not completely obsessed with the movement of glowsticks (ooh pwetty) for once.

[Metomni]

I swear I know that last girl.

[adzket]

check out myspace.com/trade uk it was our last ever party in our spiritual home of 17 yrs for some great clubbing pics from one of the biggest brands in global underground clubbing also videos on utube let me know what you think last dance trade @ turnmills 15th/16th march 18hrs of madness recorded

[radiometer]

You forgot to include the caption "I'd hit it" under each picture...

[notts.pirate]

Originally Posted by radiometer

You forgot to include the caption "I'd hit it" under each picture...

asweome pics aswell