We invited Dazed Club members to share the photographs that most encapsulated their experiences of 2025. Below are six of our favourite submissions. From establishing a new life in New York City to capturing the everyday beauty of Ghana, here are six photographers’ perspectives on the past year.

ADAM CLARKE

“The Queer Agenda is an ongoing project that documents what it means to be LGBTQ+ today. This submission reflects the reality of queer life across the North of Ireland, from pride and protests, to reminders of The Troubles and how conflict shaped the society there today.”

ICEY YOU

“I document nights spent drinking by the pool with friends until dawn, capturing fleeting moments of intimacy and freedom. I photograph pole dance as a space where women move purely for their own pleasure, free from the expectation of performance. Through a bold female gaze, I explore a unique expression of female sexuality. For me, these images reflect the rollercoaster of life itself. Through my lens, I record each moment as if it were part of a film, transforming lived experiences into lasting, cinematic memories.” 

JADEN MONTGOMERY

“I chose these photos because they document my time in New York, where I moved with nothing and learned through taking risks. Along the way, friendship became essential – moments of connection, support, and shared experience helped shape who I’m becoming in a new city. Together, these images reflect growth, independence, and the balance between self-discovery and community.”

MICHAEL ACHEAMPONG

“Sankofa is a personal project that came from me thinking about what it means to look back in order to move forward. The term comes from the Akan/Twi language in Ghana, which means ‘go back and get it’ and speaks to returning to the past to better understand the present. Sankofa is a phrase that encourages learning from the past to inform the future, reaching back to move forward, and lifting as we climb.

“Everyday, Ghana is about being present and noticing life as it happens. I’m drawn to the little moments,  how people move, how style shows up naturally, the energy of streets coming alive. Nothing is staged; I’m just responding to what’s already there. These photos are an honest snapshot of life, community, and style in Ghana.”

RILEY AXON

“The good parts of 2025 captured on film because my memory alone isn’t strong enough to hold it. From t-shots, my stunning girlfriend, to photoshoots with friends and a travel pic here and there. I’ve been shooting on film for over a decade. It started with friends and parties, which later developed into self-documentation, when the drugs stopped and I started painting and going on my gender transition journey. 2025 was the first year I put creative thought into filming more than myself and my brand. Largely thanks to my creative collaborator, Erin Simon, who often reminds me that I’m not only an observer but also a visual director.”

SHOLA KATIJA

“I’ve chosen to submit photographs from my final-year university project Mizu, exploring my Malawian heritage. This was my favourite series of images from 2025 because they capture the intimate moments associated with rediscovery, connecting with family, and searching through lost memories.

“Mizu, brings together family photographs and documentation, from personal and family objects, to the food I grew up eating (such as Nsima and boiled cassava), to try to tell the story of my African heritage. The works I have selected, I feel, reflect my journey of reconnecting with my roots and uncovering family stories that I didn’t know when growing up. Together, they capture a personal moment of understanding, made possible by uncovering identity and belonging during 2025.”