BEYOND THE BOOK

Inspired by the brief but brilliant life of a mayfly: for one brief but consequential moment, they hatch, meet, mate, and then they're gone.

STORIES FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS:

“Seven years ago I performed at my very first Wasteland Party on stage as an artist, captured in Darren’s portrait. In addition to the obvious pressure and stress, that day my acts were even more difficult because I had at that moment only one usable hand, due to an accident and emergency surgery. I went through with the show anyway, and gave all of myself on that main stage, body and soul. That’s the way I entered the beautiful family of Wasteland artists, with pain, rage, and passion. Such an important step for my performing life.”
Mère Dragon at Wasteland Party, NL

“My Queen of Hearts cosplay is one of my original creations. I have always loved the darker interpretations of Alice in Wonderland, and she is inspired by a colouring book I have. Queenie has evolved as my confidence has grown, in both my sewing and myself. Cosplay for me is an escape and an outlet for my creativity, when I am working on a cosplay the world falls away and I am in my happy place.”
Rosa (Queen of Hearts) at MCM London Comic-Con, UK

"The murga is a place I have lived since I was 12 years old. I started in the Carnival of Promises, a young murga, and today in the adult carnival. It's a space that I really enjoy. It's a school, you are constantly learning and doing a lot of things. With your voice you represent people who cannot do it. Up on stage you do politics, you're active. I always say the same thing, the carnival, but specifically the murga, is one of the things that fills my soul. And as the murga Falta y Resto said 'This revolution is made singing' and that's how I feel.”
Martina at Montevideo Carnival, UY
Mayflies Projects grid of 1,000 portrait participants

The 1,000+ Mayflies

What began with Amsterdam’s vibrant night culture has evolved into a once-in-a-lifetime journey across three continents, capturing moments of human connection.

From thousands of photographs, 120 portraits were chosen to preserve the legacy of bold self-expression.

Own a piece of this extraordinary journey—a testament to creativity that burns briefly, but brightly.

 SEE THE BOOK

“Vevcani Carnival has been a tradition for
many centuries. Everyone loves being a part of this carnival, especially us kids. That's why I have been a Vasilicar since I was one year old. This year, I have decided to dress up as Maleficent. Some parts of the costume, such as my grandmother's dress, were already at home, and my mom helped me make the wings, horns and my make up. I was with my baby sister, she was the princess Aurora.”

Antonia (Maleficient) at Vevcani Carnival, MK

"I enjoy transforming myself - sometimes even to the point of unrecognizability - and diving deep into a fictional character to experience fantastical worlds and stories
through this character. 

The Keeper of the Faith, who is the guardian of the library of the forgotten, is a majestic and monstrous vampire from ancient Byzantium. It was my intention to make it an otherworldly creature – alien and inhuman.

A relic of a bygone time, a terrifying, yet fascinating representative of a magnificent, but perished world.”
Annemarie (The Keeper of the Faith) at Giovanni: the last supper Vampire Larp, UK

AUTHOR INFO

Darren Smith (b. 1984) is an American-born portrait photographer based in Amsterdam. His work explores identity, self-expression, and belonging, drawing from his small-town upbringing in the Appalachian mountains, where individuality often felt constrained.
Recognised for his striking studio portraits, Smith collaborates with brands, agencies, and production. companies across Europe and the United States.
"I search for originality in a homogenised world that increasingly values sameness. I believe everyone is an artist, and through my lens, I invite people to break from the expected and rediscover what makes us uniquely human."
Find out more about his creative journey

You can check out all of Darren's work on his personal website.