Mayflies is a lusciously printed tome of gorgeous artwork, each page a portal into a fleeting experience in a far-flung locale - or just next door. It celebrates culture, costume, character, and riotous color, but most of all it exalts the creative expression of its subjects, memorializing their passion and inventiveness. All photographs preserve fleeting moments, but each portrait in Mayflies introduces us to a character, a persona, a revel. Smith's eye is as generous as it is discerning, and this book is an absolute pleasure to explore.

I loved this book from the moment it arrived. It’s my first coffee table book, and what a way to start! Mayflies offers a vibrant and playful insight into real people’s individuality. Every page celebrates self-expression, uniqueness and the power of being seen. What makes it even more special is that these aren’t models - they’re real people, pulled aside at live events, captured in the moment by the lens of someone who truly sees them. You feel their energy. You feel their stories. It’s more than a book, it’s a piece of art, and a bold tribute to our shared humanity.

Darrin was incredibly responsive when I reached out to him a few weeks ago. He is a delight to work with! I had requested a custom print of a shot from a photo shoot we had done in 2022. He gave me several options and also suggestions in the photo paper and treatment of the image. It was shipped and received along with his new photo book I had also ordered. I love my new ‘pieces of art’ from Darrin! Highly recommend his work for anyone interested in having an artistic and incredibly creative and powerful photo shoot.

~ Charlotte

This exploration of creativity, community and self-expression is so very beautiful. It has a centre stage place on our coffee table and is a great conversation starter.

Mayflies is more than just a coffee table book, it's a collection of stories that I find myself going back to regularly. In addition to the brilliant photography of ephemeral events around the globe, the book itself looks great on pretty much any surface. Currently, mine is prominently displyed in the living room.

I highly recommend picking up a copy online if you're not able to find one at a local bookstore.

I have known and loved Darren's work for many years, so was very excited to order this book. It was even more beautiful than i expected- the presentation is so stunning, and it's so cool to see all his work together. Everyone who picks it up and flips through at our place loves it too!

Mayflies is a vibrant, visually stunning tribute to the human spirit. This book takes readers on an exhilarating global tour of festivals that unite communities and light up cities. Each page bursts with life. The composition is masterful, blending color, motion, and context to tell rich, layered stories.

Mayflies is perfect for photographers, travelers, and anyone curious about the beauty of festivals. It’s a reminder that joy and community are universal—and that photography has the power to preserve and share those moments across continents. Highly recommended for your coffee table—or your next burst of wanderlust.

In Darren Smith's "Mayflies," the ephemeral becomes eternal. Smith captures festivalgoers in states of magnificent transformation—humans briefly evolved into walking art installations that assault your senses with glorious technicolour rebellion at every turn.

What makes "Mayflies" so thought-provoking isn't just the technical brilliance of the photography (though Smith's mastery of light is something to behold), but how it forces us to question our own drab existence. Like its insect namesake, these stunning moments of extreme self-expression live brilliantly but briefly. Thankfully, Smith was there to preserve them before they washed away with the festival mud.

For anyone who's ever felt the urge to cover themselves in body paint or build a hat that requires structural engineering, "Mayflies" isn't just eye candy—it's permission to embrace the glorious temporary insanity that makes us human.

A beautiful, resonant book, that will not leave you when you put it down, and you will return to. It captures moments that feel spontaneous yet strangely eternal — like something ancient flickering through modern faces.
The images are stunning. The book, a quiet provocation.

From start to finish, the Mayflies book holds your attention with a magical flow of colors and aesthetically pleasing layout. Each image providing a sense of connection between subject, photographer and viewer.

A beautiful and transgressive journey that redefines ‘other’. Composed of high quality materials in every detail - a photo book worthy of every coffee table and bookshelf.

So fascinating to see how people present under these circumstances. Absolutely love this study of human expression.

This book is absolutely stunning! The overall quality of the cover, paper, and prints, especially the size, is extremely impressive. The art itself offers an incredible range of subjects from all over the world, and participants in some of the most unique/niche events that could be imagined; I felt inspired to go to these places. The style of bold colors with bold people is a perfect medium. I am also thrilled to have a print for my wall as well. Both are ideal additions to my home.

Mayflies condenses multiple years of journeys to the different, to the cool, to the most interesting of places and people into a singular book. Opening this book is a portal, one that can easily open up conversation with guests when set on my coffee table or simply to reflect, think about places where I'd like to go -- should I experience Vogue or travel to Wasteland or become part of Burning Man? All of this done, framed, and put together in a book that feels in my hand like a "tome". I couldn't be happier with Mayflies and hope there's more to come in the future.

This is an exceptional and intriguing book, recording the ephemeral art of people who become other-worldly for a brief time, often beautiful, sometimes disturbing, always strange and arresting.

The quality and immediacy of the images and production make this book a really wonderful object to spend time with. The layout, binding and paper make for great visual and tactile pleasure. The placement of the text at the end of the book means that the ‘reader’ is not being directed to understand the book in a particular way. I appreciated the insights of Justin Schaffer, which provided a thoughtful perspective but most of all, it’s the mastery of the artist, Darren Smith which makes this a treasure.