Leather Life: Images of Leather, 1996–2003
Your humble columnist has taken a lot of photos over the years. A good part of my summer has been spent bringing all my pre-2003 non-digital photos, including the photos shown here, into the digital domain. I hope you enjoy this photographic look at our community/tribe/nation as it was between 1996 and 2003.
1996: Steve Kelso appearance at the Town House Bar, St. Paul. Photo by Steve Lenius.
1996: Steve Kelso autographing posters, Town House Bar. Photo by Steve Lenius.
1996: Whip demonstration at Folsom Street Fair, San Francisco. (The white blur, just above the white line in the street, is the tip of the whip.) Photo by Steve Lenius.
1996: The scene in the Congress Theater, Chicago, as Joe Gallagher (on podium, center) wins the International Mr. Leather 1996 title. Photo by Steve Lenius.
1997: Kevin Cwayna, Mr. Minnesota Leather 1997 who became International Mr. Leather (IML) 1997, and Chuck Renslow, executive producer of IML. Photo by Steve Lenius.
1997: Kevin Cwayna, moments after becoming International Mr. Leather 1997. Cwayna brought the International Mr. Leather title home to Minnesota. Photo by Steve Lenius.
1997: Paul Rozendaal lifts comedian Lynn Lavner at the Atons of Minneapolis 25th-anniversary run. Photo by Steve Lenius.
1997: Members of the Atons of Minneapolis at their 25th-anniversary run. Photo by Steve Lenius.
1997: The Atons 25th-anniversary run included a trip to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Photo by Steve Lenius.
1997: Minnesota Olympus Leather contestant B.D. Chambers shines his boots before the contest, which was held at Club Metro. Chambers was the winner of the Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1998 title. Photo by Steve Lenius.
1997: Savage Aural Hotbed, the local band that makes music and pyrotechnics with power tools, performs during International Mr. Leather 1997 in Chicago. Photo by Steve Lenius.
1998: International Mr. Leather 1998 Tony Mills, right, is congratulated by David Kloss, International Mr. Leather 1979 (the first man to hold the International Mr. Leather title). Photo by Steve Lenius.
1998: The Leather Market at the Congress Hotel, Chicago, during International Mr. Leather 1998. (After being hosted at other hotels, for the last several years the Leather Market has been back at the Congress Hotel and has looked very similar to this.) Photo by Steve Lenius.
1998: Members of Ballet of the Dolls perform at the Mr. Minnesota Fantasy contest at Club Metro.
Photo by Steve Lenius.
1998: Mario, the new Ms Minnesota Leather 1999 titleholder, at the conclusion of the contest at Club Metro in St. Paul. Photo by Steve Lenius.
1998: Roger Gregg (standing), Mr. Minnesota Leather 1998, and his boy, David McCammon (kneeling), Minnesota Drummerboy 1998. Photo by Steve Lenius.
Two photos of a salute during Pantheon of Leather to leathermen and leatherwomen who have served in the military. Photo by Steve Lenius.
Two photos of a salute during Pantheon of Leather to leathermen and leatherwomen who have served in the military. Photo by Steve Lenius.
1999: Joshua Smith (center, in white), Mr. Minnesota Leather 1999, onstage during the International Mr. Leather 1999 contest and show at the Congress Theater, Chicago. Photo by Steve Lenius.
1999: Miss Allison Brooks performs at the Mr. Minnesota Drummer 1999 contest at Club Metro, St. Paul. Photo by Steve Lenius.
1999: Twin Cities resident Cori Ander, the new Ms Olympus Leather 1999, is held by Erick Lundgren, the new Mr. Olympus Leather 1999, at the conclusion of the Olympus Leather 1999 contest at Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré, New Orleans. Photo by Steve Lenius,
1999: A group of bikers outside Galtier Plaza, St. Paul. Photo by Steve Lenius.
1999: Bruce Chopnik (center), moments after becoming International Mr. Leather 1999, is flanked by first runner-up Sean Reilly (left) and second runner-up Mike Hargiss (right) at the Congress Theater, Chicago. Photo by Steve Lenius.
2000: Venus DeMars performs at a kink party at the Town House Bar, St. Paul. Photo by Steve Lenius.
2001: Members of the Black Guard of Minneapolis. Photo by Steve Lenius.
2002: CLAW (Cleveland Leather Annual Weekend) presents a check to the Leather Archives & Museum. Photo by Steve Lenius.
2002: Dance and R&B diva CeCe Peniston is greeted during her performance by Marcus Hernandez, leather columnist for San Francisco’s Bay Area Reporter, during the International Mr. Leather contest and show at the Congress Theater, Chicago. Photo by Steve Lenius.
2002: Ryan Goldner (left) and Scott Reikofski (right), tallymasters for the International Ms Leather 2002 contest, Omaha. Photo by Steve Lenius.
2002: International Ms Leather 2002, Russ Cosgrove; contest producer, Amy Marie Meek-DeJarlais; and International Ms Bootblack 2002, Kari LaVecchia, photographed in the lobby of the Redick Plaza Hotel, Omaha. Photo by Steve Lenius.
2002: At the conclusion of the Mr. Minneapolis Eagle 2002 contest, from left: Andrew Bertke, second runner-up; Wayne Butzer, Mr. Minneapolis Eagle 2002; and Ryan Douglas, first runner-up. Photo by Steve Lenius,
2003: Human ponies at the Knights of Leather Tournament run. Photo by Steve Lenius.
