Velocity Chyalld © Leland Bobbé

This is my recent portrait of Velocity Chyaldd; performance artist/extreme burlesque performer/producer and front woman for for the band Vulgaras. One of the most intense looking people I’ve ever met, I wanted to capture that within a tight frame. It’s lit with one small chimera and soft grid to keep the light off of the background allowing the white background to go grey. I previously shot Velocity for my Neo-Burlesque series and it is one of the portraits selected by the Museum of Sex to be included in my upcoming exhibition there opening end of March.

Magic Max © Leland Bobbé

These portraits are of magician and burlesque sideshow performer Magic Max. Max obviously has great hair and plenty of character in that face so I decided to shoot tight and really pack the frame for maximum impact.

Doc Wasabassco © Leland Bobbé

Fom a recent shoot with Neo-Burlsesque and night life producer Doc Wasabassco.

Apathy Angel © Leland Bobbé

This is my recent portrait of Neo-Burlesque performer Apathy Angel. One of a handful of performers I’ve shot with masks, this was one of the most intense. I love that silver and black.

A quote from Apathy:

“Burlesque is performing and entertaining but it’s also a way of expressing the things that I’m feeling. I like to think of it more as performance art than a sideshow or as body entertainment or stripping. When someone comes up to me after one of my more ‘out there’ performances and asks, did this symbolize or mean anything personal to me, then I feel like I’ve succeeded in getting across my message beyond the audience just seeing a girl get naked on stage. It’s like killing two birds with one stone.”