Credit for all photos in this post: Carrie Strong.
In anticipation of Miss Gay Oklahoma America 2018, we wanted to feature one of the Miss Gay America pageant's favorite photographers, Oklahoma City based Carrie Strong.
On her website Carrie introduces herself:
"I'm a self-taught photographer and retoucher based in Oklahoma City. I began photographing drag queens and female impersonators in 2009 and since that time I have worked with local, state, national and international LGBT entertainers. Recently, I have expanded my work into the fashion, beauty, and advertising worlds, while continuing my business in traditional personal photography."
Carrie's stunning and creative photos of female impersonators and drag queens are arguably some of the best in the business and well worth a professional queen's time and dime for a trip to OKC for a proper professional shoot. (A girl should never underestimate the importance of your photos!)
First, here are photos of the reigning Miss Gay Oklahoma America Alysha Brooks Davenport–solo, and with Mr. Gay Oklahoma America 2018 O'Dey Brooks Davenport (of the legendary Davenport drag family)–followed by Carrie's portraits of Miss Gay Oklahoma 2017 Carmen Devereaux.
Above: Miss Gay Oklahoma America 2018 Alysha Brooks Davenport and Mr. Gay Oklahoma America 2018 O'Dey Brooks Davenport
Above: Miss Gay Oklahoma America 2018 Alysha Brooks Davenport
Above: Miss Gay Oklahoma America 2018 Alysha Brooks Davenport and Mr. Gay Oklahoma America 2018 O'Dey Brooks Davenport
Above: Miss Gay Oklahoma America 2018 Alysha Brooks Davenport
Above: Miss Gay Oklahoma America 2017 Carmen Deveraux
Above: Miss Gay Oklahoma America 2017 Carmen Deveraux
Above: Miss Gay Oklahoma America 2017 Carmen Deveraux
Now, below, that Q&A with Carrie and her 10 favorite photos (in no particular order and in addition to Alysha, O'Dey and Carmen, of course). "Picking these was difficult as hell!!" Regardless, she says, "I'm so inspired by drag, from high glamour to the club kid aesthetic, it is all magical to me."
1 Why and when did you pick up the camera?
I got my first camera on a whim in 2007, a couple of years after I left college. I had no plans to take photos of people whatsoever; my interest ran more to still life work. I spent about 2 years taking photos of flowers, some architecture, but I used my camera fairly rarely.
Drag photography quite literally began my career–I went from photographing queens in a dressing room with no equipment to being flown internationally to photograph an editorial campaign. It has been a wild ride, and none of it would be possible without the drag community!
Above: Alizay Zane Paige
Above: Alotta Vahjeen
2 Why and when did you shoot your first drag queen and who was it?
My first drag shoot was actually also the first time I photographed anyone at all. She was a new queen who could sew extremely well–Jezebell Banks. It was July 2009. She had made a few corsets and I photographed her wearing one so she could show it off. I had no equipment and no experience…thus began my self-taught foray into both photography and retouching. I shot a few queens for free that fall in an effort to get the hang of it, and I had my first paying client in January of 2010. I quit my day job in 2014, and I’ve been a full-time photographer and retoucher since.
Above: Jakkay Monroe
Above: Jezebell Banks
3 How is shooting drag queens different from shooting women?
Hmm…to begin with, I shoot queens and other performers in a completely different style than my other editorial work with models. With drag, the silhouettes are always more dramatic; the photos tend to be much more intense as far as color and contrast, and I’ll use digital compositing to add backgrounds, effects, etc.- that’s not something I generally do in my editorial or commercial work. Drag photography is generally more over the top!
Above: Luxx Bentley
Above: Maria Isabel
4 Have you even done drag?
Ha! Yes, once–it was either Halloween 2009 or 2010. I entered the “Best Drag” competition at the Phoenix Rising, the bar where Jezebell was on cast. I’m proud to say I won, beating out at least 2 actual drag queens–I thank my past experience as a makeup artist and Jezebell for a great piece of hair! I also have been volunteering as a Sister of Perpetual Indulgence since 2011, so that’s occasionally very drag-ish as well.
Above: Roxie Hart
Above: Stefani Mikyles
5 Best advice for any drag queen heading into a photo shoot?
Three things.
One: a queen should always have EITHER a solid idea of what they’d like their shoot to look like, as far as style and general look or mood, OR be prepared to let their photographer piece together a story that makes sense with the clothing choices and makeup the queen has with her. Being wishy-washy leads to uninspiring images.
Two: A queen should always come prepared! Although I do my best to be helpful, I will not always have the nail glue/bobby pins/safety pins/etc. that may have been forgotten. Organization is key, ladies!
Three: If a queen knows she will be nervous, I’d always recommend trying some poses in the mirror at home or at the club. Learn what it feels like to look the way you want to look. It is sometimes surprising that some queens can strike a pose perfect during a lip-sync, but pop them in front of a more formal camera lens and they end up looking stiff and masculine. I’m always happy to play anything that may help queen get relaxed and ready to serve her look, but a queen should have at least an inkling of what that look is in the first place. Even if she is nervous, if she can give me just a little I promise I can lead her the rest of the way there!
Above: TAPE
Above: Vi Karius
Finally, below, Carrie herself, in Sister face.
See much more of Carrie's work at www.carriestrong.com and on Instagram @carriestrongphoto Contact her at info@carriestrong.com.
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