It’s quite the surprise that the latest edition of the gay bookzine ELSKA that landed in our in-tray this morning is all about the men of LA. Elska’s raison d’etre is that when it lands in a city it seeks out and photographs and interviews regular local guys across the whole LGBTQ spectrum in their natural habitat or on the street.
Eleska’s editor and chief photographer Liam Campbell told Queerguru “We’ve had a lot of requests from readers to feature LA, but we had always resisted because we believed the negative stereotypes about the city. We feared that the image of Angelenos as vain, self-obsessed, and body fascist would be true, making the city incompatible with a publication known for championing imperfection and different types of beauty.”
“Fortunately, like most stereotypes, the reality was different and the men we met in LA really shared our values. We were also excited that one of the most diverse US cities yielded one of the most diverse Elska issues, furthering our aim to spotlight those less visible in our community.”
There are a handful of well-known faces included but Campbell insists that they too had to play by his rules – meaning that the images are natural, unairbrushed, and spontaneous; and the stories are personal tales rather than regurgitated press releases.
Elska is available in a classic collectible print version or in a downloadable e-version. A companion e-zine called Elska Ekstra Los Angeles is also available, containing 403 pages of outtakes and behind the scenes tales. For stockists and details of how to order online: http://www.elskamagazine.com
