Pumping iron + smoking weed

Things I learned on the photo shoot for the SF Bay Guardian's Pot Olympics cover: 

1. The secret to staying young is exercising every day (especially skiing in the winter and hiking and/or playing volleyball in the summer) and smoking weed.

2. With the right equipment, my apartment (specifically the central space connecting my kitchen, living room and bedroom) can be transformed into a photo studio.

3. If you put your energy into doing the things that you love, everything will be OK.

4. Everyone has a cannabis card.

5. My neighbors do not care if the hallway smells like weed for an entire day.

6. Michael Keeney is a fantastic photographer. (But I already knew that.) 

7. Medium is a hell of a show.

Guardian photo of Brad Olsen by Michael Keeney

Read the story here; flip through the full issue here.

Nude beaches

For the SF Bay Guardian's 40th annual Nude Beaches issue, I decided to transform an iconic nude image — Michelangelo's David — into a nude beachgoing bro.

I used Photoshop to transform the statue into a sand sculpture, and added modern neon props and colorful light leaks resembling an Instagram filter for a cover that's both a humorous allusion to an iconic work of art, and a parody on hipster culture. 

I had SO MUCH FUN transforming iconic works of art in Photoshop ... despite the fact that putting a beer can in David's hand may be one of the most despicable things I've ever done. 

WARNING: Past Nude Beaches cover photos, displayed at the end of this post, contain full-frontal nudity and are not safe for work.

Below are the cover photos from the past two years, both photographed by Matthew Reamer. (WARNING: NSFW!)

For the 2013 issue, I decided to experiment with nude typography. I gathered a group of friends (and friends of friends) to spell out the word "NUDE" on San Francisco's Baker Beach (the nude-friendly end, obviously), then used Photoshop to superimpose "BEACHES" on the sand below them.

The 2012 issue featured a photo of three people hanging out (literally) (sorry) at Baker Beach. It was the first time in the Guardian's history we were allowed to feature a penis on the cover, and we took full advantage. The cover photo attracted attention from Jezebel, whose online commenters also applauded us for featuring beautiful, real bodies.

Fun fact: The 2012 nude beaches shoot was the first photo shoot I ever coordinated for the SF Bay Guardian.

Photo by Matthew Reamer

Photo by Matthew Reamer

Good golly, Miss Ronnie

For the SF Bay Guardian's July 2 issue, I used a sassy file photo of Ronnie Spector from the '60s, plus a sassy typography treatment in summery colors for a cover that's both classic and playful ... in addition to showing off Ronnie's (wait for it) sass.

Read Emma Silvers' story on the original bad girl of rock 'n' roll here.

The Identity Project

I love the Identity Project. It's a simple concept: photographs of LGBTQ community members accompanied by a strip of text explaining how they define themselves. But its beautiful, honest black and white portraits pack a powerful punch.

I initially discovered the project on Instagram while Insta-stalking artist Lisa Congdon, who was photographed for the project. (She's the extraordinarily happy, tattooed wife in the layout below, bottom right.) I immediately fell in love with the project, and it's been a happy addition to my photo feed ever since.

When publisher Marke B. put out a call for suggestions for the SF Bay Guardian's Hot Pink List — our annual list of queers we adore — queer femme Sarah Deragon, the photographer behind the Identity Project, was at the top of my list.

But as fate would have it, Sarah missed her plane flight home, missing her Hot Pink List portrait session on the Friday before we went to press. We found a wonderful replacement, but we were all disappointed about not being able to promote the Identity Project in this year's Queer Issue. So when we were hit with a bunch of last-minute ads on Monday and decided to increase the issue's page count, I knew exactly how I wanted to fill that space: with the Identity Project.

With Sarah's permission, we repurposed her already-done Hot Pink List interview, and I collaged her Identity Project portraits (and their labels) together in a layout I had been looking for an excuse to try. And I love how it turned out!

All photos by Sarah Deragon for the Identity Project

See the online version here.