welcome to denver

where the male lady gaga fashionistas far outnumber the females.
thank god for evolution, and fashion decisions that push the envelope (although these outfits seem to be exact replicas). MAY FAG SUPREMACY REIGN!

notoutakes from the past few weeks

May 11th. Snowing on my row cover. I am confident that my vegetable crops will sustain. 

In order to avoid your visit to this page becoming obsolete, click on the images so you can actually see the content. And check out the full slideshows from these events:

http://www.westword.com/slideshow/first-friday-at-tracks-29862057/

http://www.westword.com/slideshow/saturday-night-at-5-degrees-29810535/

New strange glamour.

Sometimes people are willing to be photographed; sometimes they are not. These people were willing-- templates for a mainstream exploration of counter-culture through glamour imagery. 

Just between Friend

Sunday Beer Bust. I'd never been to it. I don't really go out more than once or twice a month on my own volition. Aside from photographic endeavors, I'm a homebody. I usually sit at home grilling on my computer, while all four of my self-employed or student roomates shuffle around me. Lots of people come over to hang out. But I usually just sit there on my computer. 
I go through phases, and I'm not always like that. Just recently. I'm not a total potato. I like to snowboard, hike, cook, have sex too. And I just made myself get up and help my roommage cook breakfast. 
Yet, I find myself making myself not think about photography. I'm sure that if the universe would grant me with a part-time job (and by the universe, I mean that i'm sure its just me), i wouldn't think about photographing so much, because I wouldn't be dependent on it to eat (okay that's not true--my friends and family have always been really helpful with that, but i am most certainly dependent on photography to feel as though i am making a contribution).
I'm being facetious. Or not.
So when I go out to photograph, I am usually awestruck by the superfluous world happening outside of me. Its a bit patronizing on my end, I'll admit. Luckily I do have some party experience. I'm don't have an appreciation for raging nightlife like I do sweeping landscapes and meticulously crafted wine; however, there is a great cultural motivation ingrained in the art of social planning--the integration of technology, activism and the repetition of generational patterns of saying "fuck you," to name a few. So when I went to the Wrangler, shot for a while, I wasn't exactly surprised to hear that more than one of the patrons was, shall we say, taken off guard. Historically, gays have not had the most pleasant experience with cameras, as it has not traditionally been in a gay person's best interest to be photographed. Outing in the press has long undergone scrutiny on all sides of the spectrum, ever begging the question of the benefits and drawbacks of outing as a form of social honesty. The head security guard was apprehensive about the individuals who may be seen, and who may lose their job, so I immediately agreed to only show the images of consenting people; while I do believe that showing gays in mainstream media can do a whole lot to enlighten and desensitize the discriminating population, I don't believe that one person's livelihood is worth the fight started by someone else. I also question the benefits of having a clear motive to "show the gay lifestyle." When the primary motive is to show, what else is there to show? And showing particular behaviors like drinking, dancing and looking pretty without a comprehensive glimpse on gay lifestyle if there were one has potential to perpetuate a stereotype to the non-gay world, but this argument is based on the acceptance that there should be a gay world and a non-gay world. At the end of the day, although I admittedly love the camaraderie and exclusivity, I just don't believe in the segregation. Further, I see every shooting endeavor as a way to show the subject to themselves. Its far more important to me to feed a culture back to itself than it is to fit it into something outside of that entity. But if I had it my way, we'd be outside all of the time. But the world is the way it is. 
So I am going to do two things with the photos below:
show you a some of the personal work I've been doing with my friends, who happen to be big, fat homos too, as well as some outake photos from the Wrangler. Click on 'em if you want to see them larger. Just please excuse my slip ups in watermarking and don't take 'em without permission :)

St Paddys Gay

So, what does it actually mean when you say you are Irish?
And what does it mean when you get married?


Working on these photographs from St. Patricks day, I question the creation of and exploitation of the identities to which we expose ourselves. Gay boys are fun to do that with. 

Her Bar

HEY Y'ALLL
welcome to denver.
depleting and replenishing lesbian community--coming and going.

jody b used to be a bartender at the Wave back in the early part of this century. recall?
she worked at the Detour for a while, before that building got sold.
Then, she started this bomb ass coffee bar--There. Her latest entrepreneurial venture: to sustain a lesbian bar in denver.
Jody put together this bar that just keeps getting better, and it appears to be here to stay. And the women just keep getting hotter.
I'm will be shooting Her bar and There Coffee  monthly thanks to Jody's desire to invite artists from the community into the good life.
Here are some shots from the first go at it:

March Anniversary First Friday

For the first time, I shot Babes Around Denver First Friday for Westword, as well as for Dede Frain, the creator of the women's party. Have a look at the images Westword used here.

Here are a few shots; also check out all of them on Flickr

February First Friday

SEE THEM ALL ON THE FLICKR PAGE

Every month, I photograph Babe's Around Denver's First Friday. 1500+ lesbos, a gaggle of drag queens, and a smattering of men--gay and straight. It's always a fascinating character study, and a maddening lighting conquest, and I have a lot of fun stealthy documenting the mischief of the evening. Here are some highlights from the gogo dancer auditions (yes, there are always gogo dancers; sadly most of them are unavailable--believe me, I've tried!), drag queens in the rock band room, and some random portraits I found quite lovely. Enjoy the highlights, and please, check all of them out here
Also, please make sure to visit www.babesaroundenver.com
For other lgbtq events, be sure to check out the cafevivid.com site; for the best of lgbtq businesses, visit www.justqme.com