Through the lens: Ryan McGinley

An exploration of the early work of acclaimed American photographer Ryan McGinley.

May 27, 2026

Name-checked as “the most important photographer in America” by GQ in 2014, Ryan McGinley became known for his dreamlike photography depicting youth in all its hedonism and turmoil. Rising to prominence with his self-published The Kids Are Alright in 1999, McGinley made history when, at just 25 years old, he became one of the youngest artists to receive a major solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. He has since gone on to have an illustrious career, contributing photography to publications such as Vogue, GQ and Vanity Fair, while also shooting campaigns for Levi’s, Dior and Calvin Klein, alongside album artwork for artists including Beyoncé and Harry Styles.

Despite his consistent success, it is McGinley’s early work, particularly The Kids Are Alright and his associations with fellow Lower Manhattan artists Dan Colen and Dash Snow, that initially attracted me to his photography. While artists like Larry Clark often highlight the despair underlying New York’s teenage skaters, wasters and drifters, McGinley’s early images instead celebrate the gleeful chaos of that brief, fleeting period before adulthood fully sets in.