A documentary view into a punk's life

Niall O'Brien is a photographer and filmmaker from Dublin.

A quote from his website:

"His commissioned work is of a gritty, contemporary style, which seamlessly blurs the boundaries between the conceptual and the aesthetic. His growing collection of intimate portraits concentrates on unusual subjects with whom Niall develops a close working relationship. Niall's long-term project "Superheroes" came from a film which he made in 2006 and has been an on-going documentary about adolescence and desire."

Below you can watch the clip from "Superheroes" featured on his website.

Superheroes from Niall O'Brien on Vimeo.

Link to Niall O'Brien's website [click]

I enjoy documentaries following the themes of adolescence, such as here a group of punks. There seemingly just 'doing their thing', letting an outsider come in and take some shots, a relaxed relation seemingly existing between the observer and his subjects which gives you as the audience a feeling of authenticity.

In documentaries such as this one, I personally feel like there's a search for a meaning beneath. What does it mean for these punks to BE punks? How did this come about? Why?

These are questions the subjects themselves probably hardly think about. They just do what they do.

All I've seen of "Superheroes" is this clip right here, so don't misunderstand me by thinking these thoughts are precisely related to the content of O'Brien's film. Its simply thoughts that have come to mind after viewing the clip.

There's a great world of fascination within the attempt to classify, 'decode', individuals by the group they join in. There so much to say and then again not. But regardless of how unique or different an individual tries to be, there is always someone or even many someone's out there you can identify yourself with. Maybe that is something you wish were not the case, or something your longing for but cannot find. Or you've already found such a group. But there will always be some one else who's like minded, I truely wish to believe so, if not it could get quite lonely, don't you think? Self recognition and appreciation is the number one importance, but your still going to want to find someone to identify with and thus be able to exchange meaningful thoughts to thus develop them and grow expand and feel inspired.