Legend Men
Ron Lloyd has one of the enviable jobs in the world. He photographs extremely muscled men - not at the freaky-deaky level of pro bodybuilding, but way bigger than the average gym or Chelsea queen. He puts them in artistic or exotic settings that, to his credit, are low-key, not camp. They undress. He shoots (his camera). And they are all handsome, to boot.
I know someone else who does this. Only he does it for a micro-empire of websites. And therein lies Lloyd’s dilemma.
There was a time, and it wasn’t so very long ago, when you walked into an urban gay man’s well-appointed home and there, weighing down his coffee table, were the obligatory coffee table books. Some would be paeans to home decor, or food, flowers or kitsch or an artist or style of art. But somewhere in the pile were those books purchased at gay general stores like Rainbows & Triangles in New York City or Gaymart in Palm Springs.
Sometimes, they were even bought in a bookstore, although words are sparse, even by the standards of a photo book. So we know nothing about these hunks except what we ourselves bring the table. I think I’ve seen a few of them in movies; certainly magazine shoots or ads. They are all naked, all excellently posed and all at least seem to be enjoying themselves.
Many of the pictures are PG-13, although there are a lot of ass shots, and a couple of flags are flying at half- or full-staff. There are a few guys with body hair, and, although it’s all manclipped, that should mollify book buyers who shun the "bald rat" look.
The book is concise, well packaged, a good size for a smallish end stand. All in all, a nice gift, which - let’s face it - is the real reason for these tomes. But as artistic a photographer as Lloyd is, I have to question whether a market for these kinds of books will eventually survive the onslaught of the Internet. There was a time, not so very long ago, when we had to resort to books and expensive magazines to get quality photography of such exquisite bodies. Now access to tens of thousands of images is only a click away.
As a bibliophile, I certainly hope there continues to be a market for these kinds of books -- if not quite art, then very, very from porn. High-end eroticism. May it forever provide a visual record of beautiful males!
by Ron Lloyd
Legend Men
by Ron Lloyd
96 Pages, all color. $45
Published by Bruno Gmünder
