Callum O'Keefe's photography captures the rituals and passions of niche collecting communities
By
Ayla Angelos
A baker's-dozen of insight crammed into one ring.
Summary
A feature article exploring the psychology and culture of collecting through the lens of Welsh photographer Callum O'Keefe, who documents niche communities and collectors—from ferret clubs and bog snorkellers to devoted memorabilia hoarders. The piece examines why humans are drawn to collecting, including the thrill of the hunt, nostalgia, passion, creative stability, and social connection.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledWhy, as humans, are we drawn towards collecting things?
It could be the thrill of the hunt – that feeling of diving into a bucket of bargains and finding a rare memento you've been looking to add to your collection for years.
The idea of collecting, and all the niche antics we humans do, is at the core of...
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