Photographer Maxwell Conrad Granger shows the goofy beauty of youth

Last week, the work of Yorkshire-born, London-based photographer and videographer Maxwell Conrad Granger swam back into our view via Bertie Brandes and Charlotte Roberts of the brilliant Mushpit, who recently masterminded Forever zine in partnership with Converse.

Drenched in nostalgia, Maxwell’s images carried us all the way back to the early 00s, an era when extra hold hair gel, elastic shag bands and moshpits were essential features of any successful under-18s big night out. Clumsily self-conscious youth in all its hormonally-charged angst radiates from Max’s portraits, all spotty skin, purposefully goofy glasses, brace-laden grins and lanky hair worn long.

“I don’t really know what to say about myself but my work is I suppose people based,” Maxwell tells It’s Nice That. “Really just like seeing people doing things. I’m not one for talking about my own work in a conceptual manner: I prefer just doing it, and having an idea shoot by shoot.”

In fitting with his work to date, Maxwell has had school on the brain lately — "I’m pretty obsessed with uniform and the culture of education and preppy Ivy League stuff” — and next week he’ll be capturing Guildhall music students with their instruments.