THE LALA RI EXPERIENCE

In January, I reposted a photo of Lala Ri on Instagram with a simple dream: “I want to photograph her this year.” She replied to my surprise and delight, “Let’s do it.” We hopped on Zoom, and started planning, and by March, she flew to the Bay Area for this shoot.

This series captures Lala out of drag because, during this time, she was taking a break—stepping out of the spotlight to rest, reflect, and focus on producing shows. A few weeks after this shoot, she announced her return to the stage as a drag performer once again. These portraits live in the quiet in-between of the Lala Ri Experience. They’re tender, powerful, and full of presence.

Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Lala Ri is best known for her unforgettable runs on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 and All Stars 8. She was crowned Miss Congeniality, became a fan favorite for her humor and heart, and has since become one of the most celebrated queens in the franchise. With her commanding presence, signature charm, and ability to light up any stage, Lala is a force in the drag world—and beyond.

Lala is one of those artists I’d place in the Queer Time Capsule without hesitation. Her talent is unmatched. Her energy is magnetic. Her spirit is unforgettable. She is gracious, collaborative, and full of heart. She made time in the middle of a busy life to create something beautiful together, and I’ll never stop being grateful for that.

Let this wall remind you: Queer greatness doesn’t need a costume or a stage to shine. Lala Ri is the moment—always.

QUEERS IN 2025

These portraits were created to reflect a different kind of truth—one that isn’t always joyful, but is deeply human. Each image captures a moment of real emotion: anger, grief, shock, vulnerability. These are honest expressions from queer people navigating an increasingly uncertain world.

You won’t find posed smiles here. You’ll see presence. You’ll witness people showing up exactly as they are.

Here I document what words often can’t: the weight of a moment, and the strength it takes to live through it.

Let this wall remind you: Slow down, look closely, feel the weight of this moment. This is what art can hold when words aren’t enough.

THE ARTIST

These images reflect a journey—my own evolution as a queer artist, creative, and community member navigating a world that often tries to make us small. In my career I’ve used photography to claim space, ask questions, and make sure we are all seen on our own terms.

Throughout history, artists have turned the lens on themselves—not only documenting what they look like, but who they are in a moment. This year my self-portraits have reflected the wide variety of emotions I’ve experienced, everything from sadness to complete joy. My self-portraiture has been an act of radical resistance in the face of erasure. This practice of self-love and self-acceptance helps me find new ways to celebrate myself each time. I refused to be silent.

The behind-the-scenes photos are just as essential as the final polished images. The images I’ve selected show how much experimentation, failure, trial and error, and practice are part of a creative process. They capture the in-between moments, messy studios, lighting set ups, test shots and of course what we wore.

These aren’t outtakes. They’re evidence. Of care, of hustle, of practice and of how much work it takes to make something look effortless. The behind-the-scenes images matter because they show what it really takes to pull something like this off.

Let this wall remind you: Queerness isn't just my identity—it's the lens through which I imagine, create, and build every piece of this work.

FEMMES

This wall is a tribute to femme identities—femme is a sexual orientation, a gender identity, a fashion statement, and a way of moving through the world. Queer Femme is close to my heart; it’s an unapologetic representation of how I identify.

These portraits were taken in my studio in Sausalito over the past few months. I invited a handful of femmes I’ve been connected to since I moved to the Bay Area in 2006—and they brought their friends, expanding the circle of badass femmes I’ve had the privilege to photograph. What you see here is a community of femmes showing up fully and representing their queerness on their own terms.

Let this wall remind you: We’re here, we’re QUEER, and we’re magical.

PORTRAITS

Surrounding the capsule are 18 photographs of people who have shaped me—people I love, admire, and have had the deep honor of photographing. You’ll see my partner, closest friends, muses, chosen family, and community members from across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum.

These portraits hold connection, resistance, tenderness, and love. These portraits are my entry into the time capsule.

Let this corner remind you: Our lives are worth documenting now!

THE QUEER TIME CAPSULE

In this corner sits the Queer Time Capsule—a container for our memories, our stories, and our legacies. It exists to make sure we add ourselves to queer history—especially now, as our very existence is being threatened and erased.

Queer Time Capsule is a project rooted in preservation, defiance, and deep love for our community. At a time when our histories are being erased, distorted, or forgotten. It’s a living archive—an evolving record of our queer existence, shaped by the people living it. It holds our stories, the truth of our lives, and the promise that we won’t be forgotten.

This is just the beginning. The story of this moment isn’t complete without you.

SILENT SCREAMS


What does it look like to hold both rage and joy in the same breath? Silent Screams began as a self-portrait—taken in the wake of Trump’s election, mid-scream, unfiltered and raw. It was a moment of personal release. A refusal to stay quiet. A body saying: I’m still here.

Part protest, part portrait, all heart—Silent Screams is a living archive of queer emotion. A collective release. A documentation of what it means to show up, take up space, and never be silenced.