Close-up - Topic: Body Type - 3.26

At the end of each month, I’m opening things up a bit—calling it a Close-up.

A single image… and a topic I’ve been turning over. I’d love to hear your take.

This month’s topic: Body Type.

Bushnstache looks at a very specific moment in time—and with it, a very specific kind of man. Some people love these images. Others feel like they set a standard that was hard to live up to.

At the same time, walk into a bar today and you won’t exactly find a room full of these physiques either.

So what are we looking at here? A fantasy? A product of its time? A standard that stuck—or one that faded?

Curious how you see it.

Men of Color

“Hold there,” Mr. Yato said. “Let the light fall from above.”

Hiroshi stilled, the shadows doing just enough… and not quite enough.

“Don’t move.”

Less reveals more, Yato thought.

Hiroshi kept his gaze forward. Does he see it… or want to?

1. Unknown Model by Tamotsu Yato (shadow play)

This set is a small shift from my first month—focusing on men of color who were very much part of this world, even if they showed up less often. The images are there, and some photographers—Mizer, Juleff, and others—really mastered lighting various skin tones and posing a range of body types.

2. Bill Edwards (tree limb)

3. Ralph Gomes (on a stool)

4. Bobby Gordon (boulder and sky)

That said, the camera wasn’t neutral back then. Who got photographed, how they were framed, and how those images circulated reflected the times—and those times didn’t see everyone equally. You can feel that in some of these photos, where the fantasy gets pushed a little harder—less about the man himself, and more about the idea of him, which can feel… off now.

5. Bill Cerdas (tarp)

6. Nobou Takemoto (twist)

7. James Hargrove (highlights)

For me, it’s simple. I love this era and what it gave us—but I also wish it showed more of the full picture. The world is full of beautiful men…and I have eyes for all of them.

8. Enrico Torres (reclined)

9. Gerald Oglesby (blue seat)

10. Nick Soarez (mullet)

Input?

Info on #1or any other notes?

Briefs

“Turn away—left side,” Bruce said. “Give me that wrestling stance.”

Marty dropped into it, then hesitated. “These too small?”

“Not at all,” Bruce said. “They fit you perfectly—snug as a bug—hold right there.”

Marty settled in, instinct taking over. "If you say so."

1. Martin Adams (wrestler's stance)

Briefs sit right between the worlds we’ve already explored—more revealing than boxers, more flexible than tighty-whities. They could stay hidden under a pair of slacks… or step out on their own, especially as physique culture evolved and color photography brought them to life.

2. Martin Adams (man panties - worth a second look)

3. Art Byman (athletic cut)

4. Ralph Pfundstein (bikini cut)

Over time, they became something more—part athletic gear, part display, part fantasy. Bodybuilders wore them on stage, catalogs pushed them further, and they started to feel less like underwear and more like a statement… even a kind of lingerie for men.

5. Lonnie and Cricket (sheer red and white)

6. Henry T. (bulging stripes)

7. Gary Seeger (sheer rear)

For me, they were also a little safer. If I got caught flipping through a catalog, I could always say I was looking for workout ideas or a new shirt—never mind what I was really seeing… or why certain pages were stuck together;)

8. Frank Hollfelder (coupé relevé in parallel)

9. Ernest Albert (classic - by Arax)

10. Brad (pulling off)

Comments?

Anyone know 6's or 10's last names?  Or other stories or info?

Beard

“You’re thumbing a ride… but you’re in no rush,” Perry said. “Looking for a good time.”

Scott smirked, shifting his weight.

Perry glanced at him—took in the beard, the cutoffs, the sun on his chest. “Hop up on the rail a second.”

Scott did, easy, like he’d done it before.

“Yeah,” Perry said, lifting the camera. “You’ll get a ride.”

1. Unknown Model (probably not vintage, but great cover for today's theme)

The beard feels like a later arrival in this world. While mustaches and body hair show up throughout the mid-century, the full beard doesn’t really take hold until the ’70s—Vietnam, the counterculture, a shift in what masculinity could look like. It’s there in a few earlier images, but it really comes into its own in the Colt and Old Reliable years.

2. Forest Buehl (in sparkles)

3. Paul Baressi (feeling himself)

4. Richard Locke (tight squeeze - beautiful blue eyes here)

Today, it’s everywhere again. Walk into an Eagle bar and you’ll see it—beard, harness, maybe a shaved head to match. It’s become its own uniform, with barbers shaping it and oils keeping it just right.

5. Al Parker (pink and yellow bedding)

6. Mark Wolf (window nook)

7. Dick Trask (speedo)

I’ve worn one for years now, letting it go gray on its own to match the rest of me. My dad did the same, so I can’t help but see it as a certain kind of man—outdoors, a little rugged. And while I get the appeal of keeping it dark, there’s something about letting it age that feels… honest.

8. Judd Cooper (tube socks and a smile)

9. Mike Adams (Paramount)

10. George Dana (out for a hike)

Comments?

Please help me ID #1 and talk to me about men in beards.  Any comments welcome.

Hirsute

“Elbows forward… just a touch,” Bob said. “I want that edge—and the shadows just off you.”

Alan held steady. “You seeing it?”

Bob watched the light trace him, every hair catching.

“Yeah,” he said. “You’re glowing.”

A beat. “…as am I,” he added under his breath. “Woof.”

1. Alan Arnold (on set)

Hirsute feels like a natural extension of the bush—men simply letting their bodies be what they were. No trimming, no shaping, no second thought. Just hair.

2. Dick Dene (that smirk)

3. Joe Canoli (repose)

4. Unknown Model (I think this is from Playgirl?)

This look runs through the whole era—from early Mizer to Champion Studio, Playgirl, and Colt—so clearly it held its appeal. Today, it shows up again in its own way, especially in Bear culture, but back then it felt less like a statement and more like a sign: this is a grown man.

5. Richard Gunning (welcome wagon)

6. Jimmy Hakim (hello!)

7. Joe and John Benson (twins on the deck)

For me, it goes back to those first signs—chest hair, a bit of beard, everything coming in at its own pace. Some had it early, some of us took our time. But once it’s there… well, if you haven’t hugged a hirsute man--shirtless, I’m not sure you can hold onto your gay card.

8. Anthony Page (in the bathroom)

9. Steve Kelso (tugging)

10. Mike West (by Rip Colt)

Feeback?

How do you like the hirsute?  Should it be tamed or left wild and free?  Please help me ID #4 and share any other feedback.

Wrestling

“Alright, let’s see a lift,” Roy said. “Ric—easy now.”

Ric braced. “Hh—yeah… got you—”

“Whoa—whoa—I need to come down!” Turk laughed.

They slipped into a tangle—safe, but not where intended. Roy didn’t hesitate—click.

Turk barked a laugh. “Perfect,” Roy grinned. “I couldn’t’ve planned that any better.”

1. Ric Dreslin aka Jean-Claude and Turk (not sure if this is labeled correctly or which is which??) (close and personal)

Wrestling shows up again and again in mid-century physique photography—studios, backyards, open fields, even mountaintops. It starts innocently enough: a classic, all-American sport with deep roots, a perfectly acceptable excuse for close contact between men.

2. Unknown Models photographed by Edmund Desbonnet (taking support)

3. Fred Degroot and Dan Lurie (not sure this is ID'd right, is this a Townsend photo??) (big dipper)

4. Unknown Models (still a debate of photo credit between Kovert and Urban...we need a tie breaker or some evidence to confirm;)

But over time, that line begins to blur. The holds linger a little longer, the bodies press a little closer, and the camera leans in. What begins as competition starts to feel like something else entirely—something the audience clearly recognized and kept coming back for.

5. Andy Buck (dark hair) and Bob Delmonteque (blonde) (headlock) by Douglas of Detroit (

6. Brian Lambrill (dark hair) and Tibor Urgay (curly blonde hair)

7. Al Abijian (dark hair) and Bob Poling (blonde)

There’s humor in it too. Play, roughhousing, a kind of male bonding that makes closeness feel allowed. For me, that’s always been part of the appeal—the way a headlock or a half nelson could stand in for something softer, without ever having to say it.

8. Bud Counts (below) and Pepper Gomez (above) (on the beach)

9. Conklin Twins - Ritchie and Robbie (on the rocks)

10. Giorgio (the only label I can find, which I believe refers to front model??)

Feedback?