The underbelly of fetish parties has been exposed in photographs captured by Belgian photographer MagLau. The photographer dedicated three years to capturing the obsession with leather and chains, visiting fetish parties through Europe and Japan. The photographer told: “I just took pictures, always finding some beauty in the dark side”. He said that most people were happy to be photographed for the project, with the images included in a new book Fetish Ballad. Aiming to capture the candid moments, he said he never judged but instead wanted to simply observe and understand. Here: Picture from Fetish Ballad book. (Photo by MagLau/Laurent Muschel)

Jill Olsen (R) has her picture taken inside a giant cocoon, from the “Falling Skies” TV series, during the 2014 Comic-Con International Convention in San Diego, California July 24, 2014. (Photo by Sandy Huffaker/Reuters)

A woman dressed up as a zombie takes part in a zombie walk in the Gaslamp Quarter during the Comic Con International convention in San Diego, California July 13, 2012. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

Cosplayers dressed as She- Ra and Emma Frost pose for a photograph at the MCM Comic Con at ExCeL exhibition centre in London on October 28, 2017. (Photo by Tolga Akmen/AFP Photo)

A man dressed as Ironman takes a seat in the cafeteria on the second day of the London Super Comic Convention at the ExCel centre in east London, on March 15, 2015. (Photo by Justin Tallis/AFP Photo)

In this combination image visitors to the London Super Comic Convention dress as their favourite Marvel comic characters at ExCel on February 25, 2012 in London, England. Visitors to the Comic Convention are encouraged to wear a costume of their favourite character. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

Jason Garcia poses as The Joker from Batman at the 2015 Comic-Con International in San Diego, California, July 9, 2015. (Photo by Sandy Huffaker/Reuters)