1992 CA As a gay teenager in the 1970s, life was tough. There were no social media platforms to connect with like-minded individuals, and finding any sign of queer life meant sneaking into corner stores to catch a glimpse of covered magazines. These magazines contained the only available source of male queer life that existed, just outside my reach

During those secret moments, I discovered my passion for photography. I would carefully cut out the pictures that caught my eye from the hidden magazines and arrange them in a scrapbook. This practice helped me to develop my own artistic style and hone my skills. Photography became a way for me to escape and express myself.

In an unexpected turn of events, this passion led me to eventually take photos for gay magazines. It's amazing to look back and see how those stolen moments of flipping through those magazines paved the way for my future career.