11 beautiful and revealing pictures of the queer men of Istanbul, from the streets to the sheets
"I was clouded by notions that Muslim-majority places would be antithetical to a project celebrating queer life," says Elska's Liam Campbell
Elska magazine has shared some of typically revealing imagery from its latest issue, which focuses on Istanbul in Turkey.
The latest issue of the publication, dedicated to sharing the bodies and voices of LGBTQ communities around the world, is out now.
In a press release, an Elska rep said: “Inside, readers can get to know a cross-section of ordinary people from the LGBTQ community of what is claimed by many to be the gayest city in the Muslim world.”
The issue contains portraits of queer men on the streets of their city and also in their homes, creating a feeling of closeness and intimacy. The subjects have also penned personal stories for the issue, exploring subjects such as coming out, and Istanbul’s nightlife.
Homosexuality was decriminalised in Turkey in 1858; however, anti-LGBTQ attitudes remain prevelant.
“Almost immediately I saw how much I misjudged the place” – Elska editor Liam Campbell on Istanbul
“I must admit that I had been resistant to the idea of coming to Istanbul,” said Elska editor and chief photographer Liam Campbell. “Despite many messages that the city would make for a perfect setting for Elska, I simply was clouded by the notion that any Muslim-majority place would be antithetical to a project about celebrating queer life.
“But when one local gay man wrote with passionate insistence that Istanbul absolutely had to be an Elska city, and that he knew loads of people who would be interested in doing a photoshoot and story for us, I knew I had to budge. So, I booked flights, asked him to spread the world, and hoped I’d been wrong.”
“Almost immediately upon arriving I saw how much I misjudged the place. Istanbul was not only one of the easiest places to find subjects, but they were also incredibly open. The stories they offered were honest, and the images they allowed me to capture were relaxed, unposed, and revealing. Istanbul truly proved to be an ideal Elska city.”
