Portraits of sex workers just before a ‘charged encounter’

Vincent Wechselberger’s photo book Ready offers an insider’s portait of queer sex work – one rooted in ritual, trust and storytelling. Its pages move between sensitive portraits of his fellow sex workers, close-ups of their handbags emptied onto bedsheets, and the stillness of their empty workspaces. The book’s foreword poses the question, “Shower, hair, makeup, music, prayer – as sex workers, how do we prepare for the charged moment of sexual encounter?” By documenting these preparatory details, at turns moving and mundane, the Berlin-based photographer aims “to show the humanity behind it all, something that anyone can relate to on some level”.

Ever since his first encounters as a queer sex worker nine years ago, Wechselberger has felt “a big disconnect” between his lived experience and how the practice is portrayed. Published last year, Ready emerged from his long-standing desire to bridge that gap. “I wanted to show something more real,” he tells Dazed in a conversation over email. “I’ve always felt there aren’t enough stories about femme and queer sex workers who choose to do this work. It was really important to me that people see it through a lens of autonomy and empowerment, and to give people a glimpse into some of our realities – the elation and self-actualisation, as well as the struggles and stigma.”  

The project brought him into the inner worlds of 32 sex workers, located across Berlin, Mexico City, Bangkok, London, Vienna, and New York. At the heart of the book are excerpts from their interviews, which took place casually, in bedrooms and hotel rooms, alongside the image-making. Shared stories and challenges emerge throughout these testimonials, despite the radically different cultural, economic, and legal contexts surrounding them. One year since publication, the project continues to be an act of community-building and self-determination for Wechselberger: “an ongoing story about my friends, the many beautiful people who have been introduced to me over the last years, and ultimately myself.”

Ready’s latest chapter unfolds this Friday (17 October) with a special event at Reference Point in London – one of the first cities Vincent Wechselberger photographed in, and a place that remains close to his heart. “The times I spent shooting in London all had a similar rhythm,” he recalls. “Hanging out in their bedroom, chatting, gossiping, getting ready, having a drink or tea, and shooting two or three rolls of film.”

Organised in collaboration with curator Nimco Kulmiye Hussein, the evening brings together film, spoken word, conversation and music to explore queer sex work through photography and lived experience. “I wanted to curate this event as Vincent’s practice captures queer life with rare tenderness and honesty," says Hussein. "At a time when queer and especially trans communities face increasing hostility, violence and systemic neglect, it feels essential to create spaces where we can hold one another, listen and exist without compromise.” 

Central to the night is a panel discussion featuring Wechselberger in conversation with Kaiden Ford and Martina (LOVECAT), both of whom appear in Ready. The talk will be moderated by artist and writer Ozzoline Mercedes, whose own practice increasingly explores the meaning of erotic labour. “Vincent’s images are so beautifully composed and vivid that you want to climb right into them,” she tells Dazed. “I think his book invites people outside of the industry to engage with our stories with thought and open-mindedness, instead of fear or judgment.”

The panellists will explore the intersections of art and sex work in queer communities, and open up vital conversations around representation, visibility, privilege, and choice. “It feels important to revisit the book today, in light of the dire economic and political situation for minorities in London right now,” says Martina. “Sex workers need to make their realities known. In moments of vulnerability with our clients, we often gain insights into the inner workings of their psyches – their worries and hopes – which sheds light on more than just our own experiences.” Ford echoes this sense of purpose: “I feel a deep responsibility to share my story, knowing it might help someone along the way.”

Though never directly photographed, nightlife swirls around Ready, with clubs acting as key meeting points for Wechselberger and his subjects. As such, it felt fitting for the photographer to invite one of his closest friends, Sorrelle (x3butterfly), to close the event with a DJ set. “Vincent and I have known each other nearly a decade, and we've really witnessed each other blossom,” they reflect. “His work is intimate, unapologetic, and offers depth because of the trust he cultivates with his subjects. I’m anticipating an amalgamation of international friends, and a lot of palpable queer love.”

Since Ready, Wechselberger has been working on a second photobook tracing the evolving intimacy between him and his sisters. “I try to stay as honest as I can in my work, because I feel that real connection only happens when we open up and show what’s behind the facade,” he says. “That's why I shoot things that are close to my own life. Running around with my sisters in the Austrian countryside, intimate moments in a love hotel in Bangkok, protesting with friends, showing hole, sharing a sexy dance – all these moments are connected.”

The Ready book signing and artist talk is at London’s Reference Point on 17 October 2025 from 7pm.