“it became a space for documenting culture and community.”
SHANE JPG ON DOCUMENTING DERRY’S NIGHTLIFE & CELEBRATING INDIVIDUALITY IN PHOTOGRAPHY
WRITTEN BY OSCAR H. PHOTOS
Many cities possess communities built from nightlife, events and music. For Shane JPG, Derry is no exception. He has spent the last few years documenting the Northern Irish city’s buzzing nightlife and its creatives shaping the city’s scene.
Experimenting with both digital and film photography, Shane, originally from Donegal, has made a name for himself in Derry but immersing himself in the city’s overnight energy, seeking to capture individuality in people coming together collectively to enjoy live music and DJ sets. Although Shane documents Derry’s busy atmosphere at its events, he also seeks to zone in on individuals, with solo projects such as Individuality & Uniqueness, in which he brings focus to celebrating people and their unique characteristics.
I sat down with Shane to speak a bit more about how he came to be an active part of capturing Derry’s nightlife, his solo projects, and how his photography has led him to more opportunities such as working with local venues, showcasing his images in Highsnobiety and Dublin’s District Magazine.
HAZY: Tell me a bit about yourself. Where are you from/based, which creative practice do you specialise in?
SHANE: I’m a photographer from the small rural town of St. Johnston in Donegal, though Derry City has very much claimed me at this point. I’ve been to events across the country, but my work is rooted in documenting the city’s nightlife and the local artists who are shaping its creative scene. My work consists of portraits, event photography, and just vibes being captured. Places, faces and dance spaces.
HAZY: What motivated you to begin capturing Derry's nightlife? What is important to you about capturing the grassroots/music industry in these places?
SHANE: I really got a taste for capturing Derry’s nightlife back in 2022. My first official gig was a burlesque night hosted by Maiden City Tease. I originally asked for permission to capture some photos for my own practice, but ended up securing the opportunity to capture the whole night. The show was extravagant, and I was so happy to show off my work. Things really took motion after this, and I was putting myself out there more and reaching out to more grassroots events. More local gigs came my way, and through that I began to see nightlife as more than just events, it became a space for documenting culture and community. What’s important to me when capturing Derry’s nightlife is the authenticity, the atmosphere, the energy and the people who create these spaces.
HAZY: Which camera do you shoot with? Do you have any memories of your first camera?
SHANE: I shoot with a Canon EOS 600D, but I actually started on film. Just before lockdown, I picked up a €2 point-and-shoot from a charity shop and never left the house without it, always photographing friends and moments as they happened. One of my closest creative friends, Daniel Walters from Sad Sac, really helped build my confidence and let me shoot behind-the-scenes for his collections and collaborations, including one with Bang On The Door. That project picked up great traction and led to some of my images being featured in Highsnobiety and Dublin’s District Magazine.
HAZY: Last year, you began a project called 'Individuality and Uniqueness'. Tell me a little bit more about this project, and what draws you to capturing the individual characteristics in people through photography?
SHANE: Individuality & Uniqueness is an ongoing solo project created to build my confidence and control in planning and executing styled shoots. The series focuses on celebrating real people and authentic self-expression, whether that’s shown through tattoos, personal style, or simply the confidence to exist as your everyday self. I’m continuing to expand the project with the goal of capturing enough individuals to host a small exhibition at some point.
Images from Shane’s Individuality & Uniqueness project.
Scenes of Derry’s buzzing nightlife captured by Shane JPG.
HAZY: Do you have a particular backstory to any of your photographs in particular?
SHANE: This photo I captured on a point and shoot that I bought for behind-the-scenes stuff at The Bang On The Door shoot features my best friend Daniel Walters, the wizard behind Sad Sac. Spending time with this guy is always the best, and being able to capture his designing career and collaborations over the years has always inspired me to capture more every day.
HAZY: As a photographer, which is your preferred method of taking photos - film or digital? What draws you to both?
SHANE: My preferred method of photography now is mainly digital, but I do still have love for film and plan on getting back into it again. For me, digital is a lot more suited to my style of work at the moment with events and raves. I do love the anticipation of sending away rolls of film to find out if the photos I took were actually gonna be good or not. I sometimes take film to a festival, and you kinda forget what photos you even took, so it’s always a nice surprise to see them in the end.
HAZY: Do you have any upcoming projects/plans for 2026 you would like to share with Hazy Magazine's audience?
SHANE: Last year was one of my busiest years in local events and shows but this year, I’ve started to curate a few projects by myself including a collaboration with Sandinos, Derry. We’re working on a digital archive project, a social media page dedicated to showing off the past and present scene through photos and footage. I’ve got a lot of photos from the past couple years that I’ve never posted and didn’t wanna see them go to waste. I’ll also be inviting other photographers or past event attendees to share any photos from forgotten events to really show how special this bar/club is.
You can keep up to date with Shane’s photography on his Instagram profile through the button below: