Ukrainian men shine in 'Elska Odesa's intimate photography

January marks the release of the landmark 50th edition of Elska, a project dedicated to exploring the world and its men through a queer perspective.

This latest edition focuses on Odesa, the Ukrainian city on the Black Sea. Inside, readers can follow Elska author and photographer Liam Campbell as he shares intimate photography of the men he met there and honest stories about the time he spent with them and in this city.

Oleksii V.

“I am so excited and proud to have reached 50 editions, and casting the spotlight on Ukraine is the perfect way to celebrate this achievement,” says Campbell. “The first ever edition of Elska, which was published back in 2015, was made in Lviv, Ukraine. Therefore, it only seemed right that the fiftieth should also be made in Ukraine, but this time I chose to focus on Odesa. Of course, this trip wasn’t as easy as the previous one, considering that it took place in the midst of Russia’s full-scale invasion. However, my love for the country and my determination to mark the 50th Elska in this special way spurred me on. Certainly, I was scared, but I felt that I had to try.”

Yuri P.

“Elska Odesa also marks the first in a brand new era of Elska,” Liam adds. “Previously, I used to plan each issue to the most minute of details. This time, mainly because of the war, I arrived spontaneously. I then just met whichever local men I happened to find, and photographed them where they wanted, when they wanted, and how they wanted. Then, after each meeting, I wrote extensive notes in a diary, which became the basis of the narrative in Elska Odesa. For future editions, I will follow this spontaneous spirit to meeting locals and will use this documentarian/diary approach to the writing.”

Yaro P.

Elska Odesa is a combination of a gay photography book and travel memoir. The photography includes images of several Odesa men who were shot in their city’s streets and in their homes, dressed in their own style and often not dressed at all. The result is raw and refreshingly imperfect. The men featured are not models or any kind of celebrity, just ordinary locals. Their images are presented with conviction, promoting the beauty of the ordinary; the text is presented with sincerity, proving that what is real is more compelling than what is sensational.

Vitalii Ts.

Elska Odesa is available in a collectible print format or in a downloadable e-version. Both are available for order online from the Elska website as well as from a select group of shops around the world. In addition, the companion e-zine Elska Ekstra Odesa is available, containing many hundreds of outtake images of each Odesa subject, plus additional behind the scenes notes from the making of this series. The list of retailers and details of the subscription service can also be found on the Elska website at www.elskamagazine.com.

Ihor M.

Yevhenii P.

Serhii Z.

Sasha T.

Valentin P.

Yaro P.