Do you remember those days of defiant youthful bliss? Ryan McGinley sure does.

You know, the days when nothing really mattered except for the fact that you were right, your parents were wrong, and our actions never seemed to have serious ramifications? McGinley is still stuck in that world. Forty may just be right around the corner for him, but he has solidly ingrained himself in a blithe world were hedonism reigns supreme and there is never a shortage of stunningly naked girls.

Why are we here? Is there meaning in all this? Is bohemia overrated? These are all questions that seem to permeate the subjects of Ryan McGinley’s work. Graffiti writers, skateboards, and a pretty much incessant flow of naked people in nature is what you will find when looking into the world of Ryan McGinley. Photos that capture coming of age in the urban world is his thing, and while most youth fear no one understands them, there is no doubt McGinley is their ultimate cheerleader. Why wouldn't he be? Capturing the sprightly rebellious energy of our youth has transcended McGinley from the ranks of New York street kid nobody to art world photography elite in virtually no time at all.

McGinley is without a doubt one of the most accomplished photographers of our time and he has pretty much all the trophies to back that up. At age 24, McGinley became the youngest artist to have a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art, he was awarded the ICP’s Young Photographer of the Year award, "GQ" titled him the most important photographer in America, and his work has been collected by top museums around the country.

It is easy to see why people adore his work. As a confessional artist telling the raw truth of our world and those that inhabit it, McGinley applies an optimistic lens to his art. The fact alone that his first body of work is entitled, The Kids are Alright, should be an indicator of how McGinley sees the world. Then again, McGinley has figured out how to capitalize on people partying, dancing in their skivvies, and giving zero f***s. If I could figure out how to become revered for documenting the carefree debauchery of life, I would probably be pretty optimistic too.

Besides his endearing photos, there are a boatload of other reasons to get down with Ryan McGinley, such as: he helped form the New York City band The Virgins, he has a thing for bush and encourages his models to have a little something in their nether regions, and Willem Dafoe is his #1 style icon. If those reasons aren't enough for you, perhaps the fact that he likes to blast Beyoncé while he works will do it for ya.