Staff & Contributors

By Elisa Shea

AMOS MAC

EDITOR IN CHIEF / PHOTOGRAPHER

Amos Mac is an artist, writer and publisher with a strong connection to printed matter. A magazine addict from a young age, Amos launched OP because of a lack of trans male representation in print media. Preferring to photograph models in their personal spaces over a studio, the photos he creates have been described as “bright, saturated images of people and places who look fucked up and beautiful in equal measure” (SFMoma Blog). He has shown his photographs in galleries and at events internationally, and his work has been published in collaboration with Italian Vogue, CANDY, OUT Attitude UK, Maximum Rock N Roll, BUTT, The/End, and others. He is available to show his work through photographic slideshow along with guest lectures on the subject of trans representation through photography and can be contacted at amos@originalplumbing.com.

Check out his latest publishing venture, Translady Fanzine, the fine art photo collaboration that focuses on one trans woman per issue, and visit amosmac.com to view his other work and to read about his latest exhibitions.


Photo by Amos Mac

ROCCO KAYIATOS

EDITOR / P.R.

Rocco Kayiatos is a San Francisco based writer and rapper/producer who performs under the moniker Katastrophe. He’s a seasoned vet on the mic and got his start competing in poetry slams in 1997. He became one of the first employees of Youth Speaks and performed in over 100 schools across the bay area. Combining his love of music and language, he started rapping and making beats in 2002. He uses his poetic grasp of language to weave dense tales of lives lived outside the mainstreams of education, gender, and culture. Crowned Producer of the Year by OUT Music Awards, Rocco has toured his words and music across America and Europe several times, has guest lectured and performed in dozens of universities, has been featured in a few documentaries, has poems and songs on several compilation cd’s and has released 3 solo cd’s. His writing has appeared in a couple of anthologies and his music has appeared on LOGO and the L Word. For booking information email roccokatastrophe@gmail.com.

For more info about katastrophe, visit roccokatastrophe.com or myspace.com/katastropherap.

Elliot Foxprince

ELLIOT FOXPRINCE

INTERNATIONAL REPORTER

Elliot Foxprince is a photographer and nostalgia addict living in Stockholm, Sweden. He spends his time photographing, illustrating and collecting, and also enjoys traveling, riding his bike and walking by the sea. A connoisseur of fine spirits, Elliot enjoys planning and attending fanciful soirees, as well as experimental cooking. He aspires to become a tattoo artist and can often be found drawing out his own future tattoos.

Check out Elliot’s feature spread of Paris Trans March in OP #2 and an upcoming feature in OP #8!  His photography portfolio can be found via his Flickr.


Photo by Greg Youmans

CHRIS VARGAS

WRITER

Chris E. Vargas is a film and video maker currently based in Oakland, CA. With collaborator Greg Youmans he creates the sitcom series Falling In Love… with Chris and Greg, and with Eric Stanley he is the co-director of the movie Homotopia (2006), and its forthcoming feature length sequel Criminal Queers (2010). He is currently an MFA candidate at UC Berkeley. He is an ongoing contributor for Original Plumbing magazine (check out his work in OP #2, OP #3 and OP#6) and blogs for OP where he writes about visionary endeavors and creative undertakings of gay interest. For additional info go to www.chrisevargas.com.

Photo by Ally Picard

BERLIN REED

WRITER

Berlin Reed is a butcher/chef, writer and occasional DJ/Party Promoter. Portland, OR is his base for the galavanting he does around the country doing events with his project, The Ethical Butcher. He can also be found lecturing at conferences and universities by day and shaking asses on the floor by night as his alter ego, Dreck Wolf. Berlin Reed is currently a blogger on originalplumbing.com, and has contributed to Original Plumbing magazine in OP#2, OP#5 and OP#6.