Magnus Hastings is Leading the ‘Rainbow Revolution’

Magnus Hastings, the British photographer known for his reputation as a leader in the field of drag photography, recently released a new coffee table book called Rainbow Revolution.

A collection of vibrant portraits that celebrate the expanding spectrum of queer identity and visibility, this book was inspired by Hastings’ social media campaign #GayFace, a project that quickly became a viral sensation. Rainbow Revolution is packed with more than 300 photographs of everyday individuals and celebrities. From Kathy Griffin to Luke Evans to RuPaul’s Drag Race alum, Hastings wanted to depict the queer community in all its technicolor gloriousness.

Accompanying the photos are powerful essays from some of the subjects detailing their personal stories. Hastings says the essays elevate the book and give it a purpose beyond social media recognition.

OUT FRONT had the opportunity to chat more with Hastings about Rainbow Revolution, how rewarding this project was, and how he became the drag scene’s go-to photographer.Hi, Magnus! Thank you for taking some time to chat with me about your new coffee table book, Rainbow Revolution. How did this project begin, and can you tell us more about the concept and inspiration?
I was trying to come up with a new project after Why, Drag? Obviously, I was shooting lots of drag stuff, and I just like my work best when I am doing my own thing. So, basically, what do I want to do next? This started off as #GayFace, and I wanted to do something called gay face because I love that phrase. Although it was used in a derogatory way, I wanted to go into what the face of gay is.

This was in 2018, and it was incredible, amazing, and diverse. I then wanted to use social media because that is where everything is nowadays. All the power is within social media. I thought about what the most social media friendly thing was, so I bought a square and turned it into a white box. It can be like theatre. People can express themselves however they choose.

Then I thought about doing a social media drop. I was aiming for 100 different boxes on the same day at the same time. Like boom, they suddenly came from nowhere. I have never seen something like that before. So, I built a box within three days, and I had Alaska in the box as a test, and that was fun. This was going to be amazing. I approached people with an image of Alaska so they would go, oh great, if Alaska is doing it, then this should be fun. That came in very handy.

I wanted this to be a project that was very trans heavy, racially diverse, size diverse, age diverse, span into everything. I also wanted people to see these pictures and really get into them. Leaning more into the creative side, the boxes become more exciting. I went out finding leather queens and just putting up my feelers and asking who knew who. It was the hardest three months of my life, and I was terrified somebody would leak something because there was a buzz about it. People wanted to be involved. That was great, but no one was allowed to have their pictures until the day of the actual drop because I did not want anything leaked.

I also had to retouch a lot, and it completely fucked me over. I had to make sure all the edges of the boxes matched, and everything was fitted. Little tweaks here and there, and I had 10 days to retouch 120 pictures. I was up until two in the morning and going insane. It was horrible, and there was a point where I no longer wanted to do it, but I knew everyone was waiting for this. Finally, everyone got their pictures, and they were all dropped. Every single person without fail dropped at the same time. It went berserk.

It is amazing that this project then turned into a book packed with over 300 photographs of everyday individuals and celebrities. You kind of mentioned it, but people started coming to you asking to be involved?
Yes. After the photos dropped, people were really excited by it and wanted to be a part of it. People wanted to be part of this thing that happened, so that is why it went on and on for so long. So, I built a box at DragCon, charged $50, and gave half the money to the True Colors Foundation. The aim was also to do something well to be able to give back to queer people experiencing homelessness. Because I cannot think of anything worse than being homeless and being thrown out of your home, I wanted to do something. Whatever little it is. I am still doing that with print sales.

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What do you hope audiences take away from this project?
Once I started putting the book together, I had like over 1,000 pictures, and I chose 300. When we added assets, I reached out to very different people asking them to answer some questions, and then they were turned into essays. Initially, I was like, there will be little things, but when I got the answers back, they were incredible. People really opened up and shared their stories. Some of them are moving, some are funny, but I ended up with 19 essays, and those shift the book to something beyond just photographs. That is what I want people to take away from it. I want them to read the essays.

People are telling their stories, but in a human and empathetic way. When you read them, you actually get a glimpse into why someone wants to be called “they” and understand it. So, I want people to take joy away from this book and take a glimpse into the lives of these people. There is a trans man who talks about just having top surgery and how he started transitioning. It is very interesting to see all these different perspectives.What has been the most rewarding part for you?
Coming up with ideas and creating stuff, as always, it was like a great big craft project. When I come up with an idea and bring that to fruition, I am a complete workaholic. To the detriment of relationships and everything. I was constantly buzzing around with it and doing something. People would come to me with their ideas, and I would say it’s your box, do what you want. Other times, I would spend a lazy afternoon coming up with ideas.

Beaux Banks came to me saying what he wanted to do, and I said I don’t want another porn star in a jockstrap. I can’t think of anything more boring. Then I looked at his Instagram and there is a picture of him in Army stuff, and that triggered me into thinking about that wartime pinup girl type thing. Let’s do it as him. We had the bomb made, he’s riding on the bomb, it’s super camp, and I also painted out his back foot. You see that he is standing on a box, but his back foot is painted out, so it looks like he is flying.

It’s like a school production or something. The technicality of it was gratifying and fun, but sometimes a nightmare and boring. Living with the box for two and a half years in my home was not fun. Also, just learning more about people with these essays. As much as I am part of this queer spectrum and world, I still learn more and more. The whole thing was very meaningful, and it also made me feel like I am part of the change.

You have stated that out of everyone you have met and photographed, Ruby impacted you the most. Who is Ruby, and what did she do to make you say that?
This family came in, and it consisted of two gay dads and their three kids. Two boys, and Jacob, another boy. They came in, but Jacob was all shy. I was trying to coax him, but he was very shy. Then the parents said that Jacob wants to become Ruby now. He was about five, I think. He went off, put on his red dress, came back, got into the box, and basically shooed everyone else out of the box. He just came alive. The picture that I got; it is just so wonderful. I was like that when I was a little boy, and it was shamed out of me.

I wasn’t allowed that, so seeing parents be so open, understanding, and allowing Ruby to express exactly who they are, it is wonderful. Afterwards, each image has the net of who it is underneath and what they do, so I went back to the parents and asked what to put. I put something like “Jacob, AKA: Ruby.” They said that Ruby lives by Ruby now. It’s so amazing. I also very much wanted it not to just seem like this was a little girl. You need the story because it is so amazing.

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Have you always had a passion for photography?
Yes, I always have. My dad had a darkroom, and I would watch him develop pictures. They were always of beautiful women, and I would watch them emerge out of the water. I was always very into it, but I wanted to be an actor. I went off to drama school and did all that stuff, but I taught myself when I was a teenager. I found all my dad’s old lighting equipment, and I turned my bedroom into a darkroom.

I developed pictures in my bedroom. I was always visual, and also because it was immediate. When I was at art school, I was the worst. I didn’t want to be doing normal math and things like that, so I got myself into a good art school, but I couldn’t draw or anything. Photography has that instant, immediate thing. I could create something and then see it. That is what excited me.You are known as the go-to photographer for the drag scene. How did you fall into that crazy world?
Because it was my world. When I stopped acting in London, I was doing a show, and I decided that I did not want to act anymore. I was in the West End, and my agent called and said there was a great big audition on Broadway, and I did not care. Wasn’t going to do it. I threw myself back into photography full-time, and then I was immersed in the SoHo gay world. I was always drawn to drag. As a child, I have always been like a little drag queen. I cross dressed and lip synced; it’s what I loved, and I understood it.

So, I have always been drawn to that, but the real turning point was when I went to Sydney. I got off the plane and was in the Oxford Street area, and it was like coming home. Drag was such a high level, and it was so wonderful to me. I then started photographing drag queens there. The first one I really got was Vanity Faire, Courtney Act’s sister. I walked into this club and saw this beautiful creature, and I said, ‘I want to shoot you.’ She was like, do you have a card? I tumbled into her hair place the next day with my book, she looked at it, and kind of went okay. Then we did a shoot, and she was three hours late. It was a fucking nightmare, but when we did the shoot, it was amazing. Because I got the seal of approval from her, all of Sydney opened up to me and I started shooting drag queens.

It was Sydney that really started it. Then I moved here to West Hollywood the same time Courtney did, and we had already done lots of stuff together. Through all that stuff, the drag queens got to know me. They knew I was good, and they know that I see them in a completely different way.

Who would you love to get your hands on to photograph?
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She is gorgeous and amazing.

What more do you hope to accomplish as a photographer?
I don’t know. I am always learning. This book was hard because it is so much of a theatre piece and everything is lit the same, but I am always trying new things.Before we wrap up, are there any other upcoming projects you would like to mention or plug?
No, because it’s COVID. The one thing that I did which I think should have been picked up because it was fucking genius was my #MASKUP one. I enlisted superstars and it was very clever, and I was like, why didn’t somebody pick that up. If you talk to any one of my friends who don’t live in America, I’m going, you don’t understand. Mask wearing is still headline news, which is so ridiculous. They’re like, what are you talking about? Anyway, I wish that one received more attention. Other than that, I am working with a queen from the new season of Drag Race and we have a whole project going. So, that is keeping me entertained.

To stay up-to-date with Hastings, follow him on Instagram, or visit his official website. Rainbow Revolution is available to purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and everywhere books are sold.