Help Save the Bob Mizer Estate Through Kickstarter

Kickstarter Campaign To Save Bob Mizer's Work
From: Jack Off Junkie

 “Bob Mizer was one of the most prolific photographers of our time, and his work was nearly lost forever. Rescued from hot attics and damp storage lockers, this collection is an enormous visual treasure trove of both Americana and vintage masculinity”. – Dennis Bell, photographer

The photography of Bob Miser has influenced a myriad of photographers over the decades including myself. I remember running across a used copy of ‘Physique Pictorial’ in a small gay themed bookstore in Los Angeles in my 20s. I had never seen anything like it, and browsing through those pages made a lasting impression on me, and eventually on how I approach shooting male nudes. I always found them to be both sexually charges, but filled with youthful innocence and the joys of experimentation.

Back in 1947 shooting homoerotic images landed Bob Miser in jail and he was forced to spend a year in work camp in Santa Clarita, California. But his bravery to continue on behind the camera upon release helped pave the way for the rest of us. You may have never heard of Bob Miser photography but think of him every time you encounter current fashion advertising with shirtless male models.

I recently ran across an article about the preservation of Bob Miser Photography archives, and was shocked to learn the state that they were in. Dennis Bell is a photographer who’s taken ownership of the collection and is painstakingly trying to save every slide, 8mm reel and photograph from their state of decay. You can help through his Kickstarter campaign as he tries to raise $10,000 to fund the materials needed for his efforts.