Jipsy: Just As You Were

“When it comes to why I love documenting the night life, I have to say it’s all about ‘the party’. The characters, the fashion, the music, the debauchery… There’s another side of Miami nightlife that the glossy magazines don’t always show. I gravitate to the people who dress up in their own style and are usually not in the VIP. Most of the time these are the people who stood on line, paid their entrance and came to dance without any intention of being in front of the camera. Add them to the mix of great music and a beautifully lit club, and its magic. I want to bring that feeling to the viewer,” says Jipsy.

Miami-based photographer, Jipsy captures the Miami night life in a real and unpretentious way like no other. Instead of having her subjects pose for pictures, she takes them just as they are. Hence the title of her new exhibition, Just As You Were where she features images of the night life. And through her lens she hopes to bring the viewer with her into the party.

 

Please explain the concept behind Just As You Were.

It’s one of the things I constantly say when I’m trying to catch a candid shots. The other reason is because this is ‘how they were’, the club kids who are now grown up and no longer out at the clubs. Well, the majority of them are not. The Miami downtown scene in the mid 2000s was fun and I just wanted to photograph it and post on my site and share there was more to nightlife than those ‘models and bottles’ clubs.

Why is it so fascinating to document the night life?

I wouldn’t use the word fascinating. All I am doing is documenting what I love to do. I’ve been in and out of the clubs for over 2 decades. I hope to bring the viewer with me into the party. My shots are under the influence of a good time. A room full of kids dancing and good music is a significant part of who, what and how I shoot.
What is the most intriguing piece you have captured?

There are close to half a million shots collected throughout these night and day parties, so I am not sure what one shot is intriguing. There are a few that stand out and they will be included in the show. 😉


What are some of the things that you will highlight that publications or magazines just don’t publish?

I am not highlighting anything in particular, my images are candid’s where heads are off and drinks being poured. I love shoes on the dance floor, hands grabbing hair, things like that. The most important are the people. I love a guy in a nice pair of high heels with a blazer and short shorts or a girl in unique high heels and a her own thrift style in blue hair.


As an underground photographer and insider, where is the best place to get good vibes(music, atmosphere, etc.) in Miami and to capture great images?

I’ve never been called an underground photographer. Is that because I don’t photograph celebrities? I don’t think I am underground, but thank you!  As for the best places to get a good vibe in Miami?  Many factors have to come together. The DJ, the music selection, the lights, the people, unique fashions, lots of dancing, hassle free door, great bartenders. The downtown scene cultivates these things and always have for decades in any big city around the world. Glad we have something like this in Miami. It’s where I’m happiest and most influenced.

For more information on Jipsy, please visit www.nefariousgirl.com or find her on Facebook. Fans can also follow her nightlife exploits on Twitter at @nefariousgirl.

 

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