Ayla Masters is a UK-based photographer whose work explores the emotional and communal world of live music culture, with a particular focus on fangirls. Her practice centres on documenting not just artists on stage, but the fans themselves—capturing the intimacy, identity, and collective energy that form within these spaces.

Initially photographing musicians, Masters shifted her lens toward fangirls after recognising a gap in representation. Mainstream media often portrays fangirls as irrational or excessive; her work challenges this stereotype by presenting them as passionate, reflective, and deeply connected individuals. Through her photography, she reframes fandom as a meaningful cultural and emotional experience rather than something to be dismissed.

Her projects include: “to scream alone together” – a photographic series and book that follows a wide range of fangirls on film, emphasising presence, immediacy, and the shared intensity of live music moments. “To reminisce” – a reworking of images from the previous project, paired with voiceover excerpts in which fans recount their most meaningful live music memories, adding a reflective and narrative dimension. “Girls just wanna have fun” – another body of work continuing her exploration of joy, identity, and community within female fan culture.

Masters has exhibited her work at Bad Space and is scheduled to present at Copeland Gallery in July 2026, exhibiting her most current work on exploring what it ‘takes’ to be a ‘popstar’.

Overall, her work sits at the intersection of documentary photography and cultural commentary, offering a nuanced and empathetic portrayal of fandom as a space of belonging, memory, and self-expression.