NEW YORK - In 2006, photographer Christopher Schulz envisioned an artistic nude magazine for gay men that was unlike any other on the market. In April 2007, his first issue of Pinups magazine was released and slowly gained attention through Schulz's grassroots marketing. Today, issues five and six are pro-printed with much wider circulation. The magazine has already become a collector's item.
"I had a difficult time finding a printer who was willing to do the job," he told AVN Novelty Business. "I decided to take matters into my own hands and go the DIY route. I used a copy center to print the magazine, which was a Xerox process, and the first four issues were printed in very small edition-only 200 each."
After gaining popularity, partly thanks to the magazine's MySpace page, Schulz was able to make the leap to a more professional printing process for the last two issues.
"I now have the magazine printed offset with a much larger edition size," he continued. "Issues five and six exist on a much larger scale and sell at a faster rate. I still have a hand in every step of the process, except for the printing, which is handled by a press in New York. I do everything from conceptualizing each issue to casting, shooting, layout, and distributing."
Pinups magazine is unlike any other gay men's magazine in that each issue contains no advertising or any editorial content. Each issue contains the best photographs Schulz takes of a specific model or two models that are taken together during a shoot
"There are several characteristics that set Pinups apart from other magazines," Schulz explained. "Each issue exists in two formats-book form and poster form. Viewers can flip through the pages or remove the binding and tile each sheet together to form a life-size or, in some cases, larger-than-life poster of each model. Pinups does not feature text, which is another unique characteristic. There are no articles, reviews, or interviews of any kind. There are only photographs."
The models Schulz chooses also distinguish Pinups from other nude men's periodicals-a refreshing change to customers who have seen enough of the unattainable perfect man's image.
"The subjects of the magazine are not the traditional types of men seen in adult publications," Schulz said. "These men are typically more natural in appearance, typically hairier, without six packs."
Issue six began shipping this week and features "Scott," who Schulz photographed in three different locations in Phoenix, Ariz., in May.
To place an order, contact Schulz by email: [email protected].
Visit ANB's gallery page to see excerpts from Pinups magazine, Issue No. 6.
