CAPTURING CHAOS: AIMEE McGHEE

03-02-26

Aimee McGhee was a participant in London’s queer nightlife before she began to document what was unfolding around her. Her work captures the glamour and chaos of a night at Bombshell, Feel It and Dalston Superstore. Her friendships with drag queens, DJs and scene icons lends her work unique intimacy and humour. Aimee is inspired by the storytelling potential of a great image and her work strikes a balance between the polish of an editorial spread and the grit of a sweaty dance floor.

What first prompted you to begin taking pictures?
I’ve always loved photographing people. It really started when I was at uni — I studied illustration and visual media at UAL. I used to love drawing, but I slowly got bored of it and wanted something more immediate. That’s when I started taking photos of drag queens on nights out with an old, cheap Canon camera.

That’s how I met Lloyd Paul Dixon and Tasty Tim at their club night Bombshell at KU Bar. I remember Lloyd saying, “You’ve got a camera, girl — can’t you take pictures at our night?” And that was kind of it. That’s how it all began.

What makes a great picture?
I honestly think it’s the subject that makes a great photo. I love photographing confident, eccentric people, people with real personality. A lot of it comes down to making someone feel comfortable and making them actually want their photo taken. Once they’re into it, that’s when it really works.

Why did you gravitate towards nightlife?
I’ve always loved nightlife, and when I first started in my early twenties and realised I could take photos, get paid, and be out at the same time, it just made sense. But pretty quickly it stopped being about that and became about the work.

Nightlife is where I’m most focused and switched on. It’s fast, unpredictable, and full of personality, and that’s where I do my best work. I take it seriously,  I’m always thinking about the next opportunity, the next big gig, and how to push what I’m doing further. Being in these spaces keeps me motivated, visible, and constantly working towards what’s next.

What are your favourite gigs and why?
Bombshell has to be up there because that’s where I started. It was so fun seeing the same people every week, and it was always really camp and glamorous.

I also love Feel It, run by Jodie Harsh and Clayton Wright. It feels like being in a gay nightclub in a film — everyone looks so polished.

And I have to mention Dalston Superstore. It brings in such a good mix of people, which is why it’s one of my favourite places to photograph. The fashion is always amazing. A standout night there is definitely Bodycon. I also love photographing celebrity cocktail parties, they’re always fun in a different way.

Who and what are your influences as a photographer?
I’ve always been really inspired by Nadia Lee Cohen. I love how cinematic and character-driven her photography is, she builds whole worlds within a single frame and treats everyone she photographs like a character rather than just a subject. Her work is bold, theatrical, and full of colour and personality, mixing a high-glamour, polished look with something very real and human.

What I take from her work most is the way she makes people look and feel powerful and beautiful. That’s probably why I enjoy retouching as much as shooting — editing allows me to push that same sense of confidence and character in the people I photograph, especially in nightlife spaces.

Who are your favourite club people to photograph?
I absolutely love Princess Julia, she always looks incredible, very glam but still punk, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her wear the same outfit twice. I also love photographing Tasty Tim, Lloyd Dixon, Jane Norman, Barbs, and Shigella Problem,  and honestly, many more. I’m really drawn to people with strong personalities, and the club scene is full of them.

Who else is taking great photos of nightlife right now?
Shaun Evans from Magoo Zine is great,  he shoots on film, which gives his work a really nice, nostalgic feel. Karen Stanley is amazing at capturing moments as they happen, and Courtney Frisby’s use of bold colour has always stood out to me. They all work within the queer scene but have very different styles.

What can you tell us about the images you have chosen for this show?
For this show, I wanted to choose images that I love, but also ones that really show my style. Staged portraits are definitely my favourite thing to shoot. I use a bright handheld flash, which almost works like natural airbrushing and really makes people stand out. Portraits are my strong point, especially creating a staged moment in the middle of a busy night. These images are about confidence, personality, and the energy of being out — capturing people at their best, in their own space.

Aimee’s exhibition is on the walls of Dalston Superstore from 5^th February.