Echoing snapshots by Andy Warhol, Van der Wal's Polaroid portraits are colorful tributes to queer nightlife
"Can I take a Polaroid of you?" Dutch photographer Peter van der Wal asks a stranger on a crowded dancefloor in a crowded nightclub somewhere in Europe. He leads them backstage, away from the noise; no strobe, no smoke, just a white wall and a warm flash. By the time the next track starts, a pocket-size portrait has finished developing. With his Big Shot Polaroid and vintage flashcubes, Van der Wal, also known as The Sinful Son, has captured hundreds of snapshots in queer nightclubs and spaces across Amsterdam, Berlin, London and beyond. He immortalizes DJs, dancers, lovers and strangers in a unifying ritual that has grown into a series comprising more than 350 Polaroids. Collected together in Beautiful Creatures, these images compose a love letter to freedom, diversity and the right to be seen.