Photography Angus GreenArt & PhotographyLists10 of the most hedonistic photography stories of 2024From the gritty underground raves of London’s queer scene to the sun-soaked euphoria of Primavera, here’s a roundup of the year’s most euphoric photo storiesShareLink copied ✔️Art & PhotographyListsTextTiarna Meehan By definition, hedonism is the pursuit of pleasure; the embrace of sensual self-indulgence. For some, this can manifest in a raucous club night in one of London’s brick-clad basements, the sunlit delirium of a Portuguese dance festival, or the queer utopia breeding in the grassy plains southwest of Berlin. Hedonism is often married to music. On the dance floor, bodies become one singular, glistening mass, losing themselves in the euphoria. In these moments, individuality is replaced by a collective liberation. But it doesn’t always reside in the chaos of the dance floor. Sometimes, it appears in the stillness of a festival sunrise or the quiet camaraderie of a club’s smoking area. Whatever form it takes, hedonism offers a fleeting sense of freedom in a world weighed down by expectations. Below are some of Dazed’s favourite hedonistic photo galleries of 2024. MATTHEW WEINBERGER, 2024 NYC CULTURAL LIFT OFF Matthew Weinberger – 2024 NYC Cultural Lift Off22 Imagesview more + Matthew Weinberger’s 2024 NYC Cultural Lift Off takes us into the spontaneous, high-energy atmosphere of New York after dark. Scattered with tramp stamps, rock bands and a lot of angst, Weinberger’s images capture the chaotic world of NYC youth culture today. The series highlights how the city’s music, art, and literature scenes converge to create the city’s renowned creative landscape. Read the full story here on Dazed. ANGUS GREEN, THIS IS MY LIFESTYLE This Is My Lifestyle – Angus Green10 Imagesview more + This Is My Lifestyle is a two-year journey of hedonism, chaos and unfiltered experiences. Here, Berlin-based photographer Angus Scratch Green documents his eclectic circle of friends and the mayhem that ensues in their lifestyles. Picture wild scenes of sex, drugs, blood-stained suits and furries. Read the full story here on Dazed. ALEXANDER EKHOLM, WHOLE FESTIVAL 2024 Alexander Ekholm, WHOLE Festival 202429 Imagesview more + Dazed Club member Alexander Ekholm captures the hedonism of WHOLE festival, the queer utopia in Germany’s Ferropolis. From wild, sweat-drenched nights to spontaneous skinny dipping at sunrise, Ekholm’s photos bring to life the festival’s spirit of love, acceptance and pure, unfiltered fun. Read the full story here on Dazed. SHARON SMITH, CAMERA GIRL Sharon Smith, Camera Girl16 Imagesview more + A rare, up-close look at NYC’s iconic 1980s club scene. From 1980 to 1989, Sharon Smith’s Camera Girl (published by IDEA) captures legendary figures like David Bowie, Grace Jones, and Jean-Michel Basquiat amid the hedonistic energy of Manhattan’s hotspots: Studio 54, the Ritz, and more. This photo series provides a glimpse into the cultural revolution of nightlife and the subcultures that continue to shape today’s scene. Read the full story here on Dazed. ORIOL MASPON, IBIZA Oriol Maspons Ibiza9 Imagesview more +FashionIn pictures: The best looks from MFW’s underground reggaeton rave Captured over three decades, Oriol Maspons’ photographs of Ibiza (brought together in a photo book published by IDEA) offer a realistic portrait of the island’s hedonistic allure. From the mid-50s to the late 80s, Maspons documented a world of free-spirited revellers, hippies, artists and celebrities in their pursuit of pleasure. Read the full story here on Dazed. GRACIE BRACKSTONE, PRIMAVERA SOUND BARCELONA 2024 Primavera Sound Barcelona 202412 Imagesview more + Primavera 2024 was the dawn of Charli xcx’s iconic Brat era, and the hedonism that accompanied it was unmistakable. Here, Dazed Club member Gracie Brackstone takes us into the pit of the Barcelona-based festival, known for its gender-equal line-ups and predominantly queer crowd. Through blurry, spotlighted shots, Brackstone immortalises the raucous joy of the festivalgoers. Read the full story here on Dazed. MANUEL CARDOZO, LATINEO Manuel Cardozo11 Imagesview more + Manuel Cardozo’s candid portraits capture the raw energy of Latineo, a queer Latinx party in Barcelona. Founded in 2023, Latineo provides a space for FLINTA* individuals to unite, celebrating their shared culture and the challenges they face as immigrants in Europe. Through Cardozo’s lens, the ecstasy of the clubgoers is palpable as they lose themselves in a pit on the dancefloor. Read the full story here on Dazed. EL HOGG, GATES OF EL El Hogg, Gates of El17 Imagesview more + Nightlife maverick El Hogg’s The Gates of El drags us into the heart of London’s queer rave scene, documenting Inferno, an underground party that champions trans, nonbinary and queer DJs and performers. Through their lens, Hogg captures the eccentricity at the core of a scene that continues to persist despite the challenges facing the city’s nightlife. Read the full story on here Dazed. WE STARTED A NIGHTCLUB: BIRTH OF THE PYRAMID COCKTAIL LOUNGE We Started a Nightclub: Birth of the Pyramid Cocktail Lounge9 Imagesview more + The Pyramid Cocktail Lounge quickly became a cultural hub in New York’s East Village, drawing in artists, musicians and performers including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Nan Goldin, and Keith Haring. The venue soon became a haven for the avant-garde. This photo story captures the club’s iconicity and role in carving out the city’s artistic scene. Read the full story here on Dazed. SAFFRON MCLEOD, IN DEBT, IN DOUBT, IN DANCE Saffron McLeod, In Debt, In Doubt, In Dance17 Imagesview more + Shot at a dance festival in Portugal, Saffron McLeod’s photo series captures the bittersweet escape of a group of young people from the pressures of modern life. Leaving behind their nine-to-fives, the climate crisis and economic uncertainty, McLeod documents their temporary relief through carefree moments on the beach and the dancefloor – a feeling that speaks to a generation. Read the full story here on Dazed.
