It’s rare that I approach men in public, especially a gay bar, about modeling for me. I don’t want to be “that guy” that “happens” to be a photographer. Plus, dancers and bartenders tell me that they are asked quite often. BUT every now and then I will see a guy that I can’t resist. It really doesn’t happen often for me in person. LK was one of those.

He was dancing at the Tin Room in Dallas. A male gogo/strip club that’s dark, decent well drinks, fun beats and a good place to just hang back. LK was there for the night from Louisiana and was easy to chat with. He asked what I did and of course I showed him my work then offered him a shoot. He asked for my number and said he would hit me up next time he was in town. A few months later, he did.

We set a time to shoot at my place in Austin which was along his route from San Antonio to Dallas. Dancers are fun to work with because I love to hear their gogo stories as we shoot. LK had plenty to share.

I had forgotten how short he was and in the daylight he looks really young, although he was in his twenties. So my goal here was to age him a little and give him some volume.  I kept the furniture in the shots to a minimum so he fills the frame and stayed away from passive poses so he would have more of an alpha vibe.

The light bar was something I had always wanted to try. It would recreate the club lighting that first drew me to LK. My favorites however are the B/W shots of LK from headside on the mattress. I lit the scene to resemble moonlight hitting him in bed. The next image in color gives the impression of waking up with him in the morning sun.