For nearly six years, photographer Daniel Rinehart has been photographing Miss and Mr. Gay America preliminary and national pageants. We thought it was time to get to know the man, so herewith is an interview with Mr. Rinehart. Throughout the Q&A Daniel shares ten of his favorite photos in a countdown from 10 to 1, captioned by Daniel.
1. How long have you been photographing Miss Gay America pageants?
I began following MGA pageants in 2013 in northwest Missouri. I watched a friend get crowned and 4 years later found myself snapping images for Michael & Rob at Asia (O’Hara)’s step down in Memphis and then at the return of Mr. Gay America in Dallas, TX.
2. How many days out of the year are you traveling to or from drag pageants? And to which pageants?
I don’t really keep track, I support all the promoters as a visual designer behind the scenes and then contestants leading up to the national contest. I try to get to most of the local city contests and support local talent and also serve as a city promoter. I recently was offered an opportunity to judge in St Louis. I can always be found at Missouri, Show-Me State and I try to get to at least one more during the season.
3. How did you get started photographing pageants?
I realized there was a lack of photo presence coming from MGA pageants and met several dedicated photographers at the national contest my first year there. Barb & Kathy are the go to photographers for the week and get some of the most amazing images. I provide supplemental content to Michael & Rob for press releases and maintain a catalog for future use behind the scenes.
4. You are clearly a huge drag fan. What is it about drag and drag pageants that you love so much that you will travel the country for it?
I wouldn’t say I travel the country but it is amazing to see the growth of this performance art form and encourage artists.
5. And since you cover so many MGA pageants, what is it about MGA that makes it your favorite system?
It isn’t fair to say you have a favorite system. MGA to me places entertainers on a level playing field from the foundation of drag, where boys dress in a feminine form and provide an illusion of a female persona on stage. I have lots of respect for other systems because they each provide a challenge to the competitive spirit each contestant brings to the stage and each have qualifications to challenge entertainers year after year.
6. What have you learned about shooting drag queens or photography in general over the years?
Don’t do studio sessions. I don’t have the patience to sit in a studio and edit images for hours. I’ve learned to build a network and embrace photographers for their creative attributes and refer studio sessions. I enjoy how Scotty Kirby (Arizona) captures light around his subjects and Gingersnap Photography (Missouri) plays to the subjects inner desire for an image that is both clean, edgy, and will often step outside a proverbial box. Vixen Pinup (Missouri), Carrie Strong (Oklahoma)and Laura Dark (Ohio) create very clean images, while Kristofer Reynolds and The Drag Photographer are go to collaborators for concept images. There are so many wonderful collaborators behind the lens and each MGA should work with multiple to get a diverse portfolio. I’ve learned I am good capturing moments in real time.
7. Have you ever done drag?
Yes, in fact before I became a promoter, designer, and photographer I was preparing for a contest in MGA and I was pulled to the side and told I would be an amazing promoter. I ended up opening a prelim that took the spot of the one I was going to compete in and gave Regina La-Rae her ticket to go and win The state contest that year. I have a business acumen that brings a lot of value to contestants locally and that is what brings me back time and time again, and keeps me from dabbling in makeup and spending coins at the MAC counter.
Next two questions are from Miss Gay America co-owner Michael Dutzer:
8. What has been your favorite year to photograph?
I really enjoyed the aesthetics Asia (O’Hara) planned at her step down, and i appreciated the tears that fell across Deva (Station’s) cheeks as she was crowned and looked up at a screen with the MGA logo on it. My favorite moment was watching Stephanie Lane receiving a category award for evening gown. It was a touching moment for a contestant that has challenged herself so many times to do well and embody excellence, so that would make MGA 2017 my favorite year.
9. What is your favorite category to photograph?
Is crowning a category? The raw emotion in a step down and crowning tell a journey if you have had the pleasure of walking alongside a reigning and seeing these contestants come try each year. MGA has truly become a family and the reunion each year grows richer in quality, creativity and compassion for the world around us. Hopefully that is captured in the photos and moments I have shared.
Above: 2. Transition to the New Era - Rob Mansman & Michael Cutzer of Mad Angel Entertainment embrace Larry Tyger & Terry Eason of L&T Entertainment during the first "new era" national pageant under Mad Angel Direction, MGA 2017 Indigenous.
10. You are also a graphic designer and have designed many of the promo posters as well as the annual program.
I challenged myself to take on the program and was embraced wholeheartedly. Michael and Rob are devotedly to the contestants and know where to delegate. Michael did the program the first year and then Mr. Gay America came along and I threw my name in.
I created a style guide to follow and make it easier to assemble and embrace the “new era” with a clean look. I view the program as the legacy of MGA for the audience to take home since the DVDs aren’t ready obviously by final night. It’s a fun way to look back and see who competed and if you build the collection you see where MGAs started up until they were crowned. They are a living encyclopedia of excellence.
I follow a guideline for posters and promotion with the rules and national office preference strongly taken into consideration. I don’t want a promoter to ever feel diminished because their design isn’t meeting the national caliber. I’m by no mean the official designer, in fact I feed a lot from other designers making posters and sometimes build from their layering and design in future concepts. Posters are just like programs, a legacy of an amazing reign, and I treat them as a piece of artwork. That passion resonates with many promoters and I am grateful for their business year after year.
11. When did you start doing graphic for MGA?
Asia brought me on board for Indigenous. It was a unique time for The system as it was a “new era”. There were many long calls over aesthetic and cohesion.
12. Can you share your 3 favorite posters from over the years?
Buckeye America 2018 - this poster was designed with Deva popping out of a magic hat and we did a saw and cards magically disappearing. We also created a deck of cards with the poster on the reverse side and an animated gif version that sparkled across the image for social media.
Missouri America 2016 - this poster started the whole journey with Asia. We wanted to create a piece that was timeless and created a scene like that from a movie poster. My goal was to change the standard and not just have a national titleholder popping out and not appearing to belong. That’s what I strive to create is a poster that is cohesive with the reigning titleholders photography and the state/regional titleholders photographer.
Midwest 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 - three different promoters entrusted me to bring to life the vision of their preliminary. And four entertainers I deeply respect reigned each year, Vicki Valentino, Adria Andrews, Mulan, and Nina DiAngelo. They were all so unique and challenging and is the preliminary I have contributed toward the most over the years. •
Above: Daniel Rinehart of Deejers Design. www.deejersdesign.com
Related:
Meet Miss Gay America Photographer Duo BjKj Illusions, a.k.a. Barb & Kathy Wilt-McCrickerd
BACK TO THE MISS GAY AMERICA WEBSITE
MGA ON FACEBOOK
MGA ON INSTAGRAM
