One of the (many) things we love about ELSKA, the queer photo zine that features a different city/country every issue, is the way that Liam Campbell, its editor-in-chief, has this skill of digging deep and hanging out with each city’s regular gay guys.  Not the easiest task when the destination is Milan, the fashion capital of Italy, where we (wrongly) assume that probably everyone is a model.  Credit to Campbell, as the men he discovers may not strut on a catwalk but each, in their own way, is a star in their own lives, and, as he found out, extremely approachable and friendly. In fact, it’s one of the lessons that  ELSKA has taught us for 61 issues (!): go beyond the surface and discover the man inside.  The fact he may look so good with just a few clothes on, is a plus\ and ‘buona fortuna’

This edition also marks only the second time Elska has been made as a full collaboration. Campbell shared the work with Milan-based photographer Mauro Padula, with each artist conducting half of the shoots and contributing some of the stories. The combination provides a melding of complementary styles and a contrast of perspectives — one from a local and one from an outsider.