Dedragging: Mykel's Come As You Are Session
De-Dragging Portrait Session | Drag Queen Photography | Come As You Are Boudoir | Apollo Fields NYC Portraits
Dedragging: Mykel's Come As You Are Session
She has one rule, well actually She has a full list of rules because She is a boss like that, but the most important one is: “Never take off any drag until you are home and the door is closed. Serve the full fantasy and commit to the gag.”
The night is over and in the car back I am itching to regain control of my normal body functions. Since leaving the house six hours ago, all I've been thinking about is taking off the drag that has deprived me of these basic needs. My feet have lost all feeling in the spiked heel death traps I have fastened to them. I go to take them off and give myself the beginning feelings of freedom from the martyrdom that is drag, but She reminds me, “Bitch, you’ll be fine. No one wants to see a flat-footed drag queen hobbling into her building. Buck up buttercup, we’re almost home.”
After an awkward farewell from my Uber driver, who is clearly going to spend the rest of the night compartmentalizing his sexual desire for She, I grow more and more excited to de drag with every brittle step I take. I am so close to freedom I could cry. The elevator is empty. No one can see me. I go to peel off the wig and free my head from the giant band of torture elastic. “No, no, no, No. What if the sexy neighbor is in the hall? I’m not going to be a bald headed bitch.” She scolds.
The terrifying bounce of the old elevator arriving on my floor reminds me sharply that I’ve had to pee since leaving the house. Being that my penis is taped up my own ass, I have to just forget about all bathroom requirements entirely. On two dead feet and a piercingly full bladder, I full on run/wobble from the elevator down the hall, looking like a drunk freshly birthed giraffe. I unbutton her dress and let it fall to the ground, while savagely ripping off her thumb and index finger nails with my teeth.
“What are you...?” Ignoring her completely I dump out the contents of her purse, and squat like a monkey to frantically get the keys. Out of the corner of my eye I see that hot neighbor coming out of his apartment. “I fucking told you! Oh my God! Get inside right now!” I unlock the door and lunge into the entry hall while incomprehensibly stammering ‘great to see you, have a good night’.
Immediately I’m dodging my dog Tux, who has undoubtedly been sitting in the same spot since I left, plotting his triumphant fanfare of love and adoration upon my return. I leap over him and make it to the bathroom just in time to peel down five layers of Capezio tights, releasing my foam butt pads like coiled snakes in a can.
The downright emotional release that comes from ripping off the duct tape and allowing my penis to emerge into an oxygen filled environment is life changing to say the least. Also the terrifying sight of it slowly accordioning out from the cave of my pelvis is something directly from a sci-fi horror movie. “There ya go buddy! Sweet release.” She says with kindness and understanding.
There I am, suddenly a man in a beautiful wig and makeup, tights rolled down to my calves, a nude lace bra, adorned in diamonds and jewels, and fully bedazzled plastic nails on. There is nothing more powerful than straddling a toilet and peeing in six inch heels. I catch a glimpse of me, her, us in the mirror and can’t help but feel proud. “ I love being gay.”
I waddle into my bedroom while avoiding the land mines of toys, ropes, and balls lovingly set out by my dog. I pry off my heels and try to set my feet flat on the ground, but anyone who has spent any significant amount of time in heels knows that your feet are going to be frozen in place like Barbie’s plastic arches for the next few hours. “Also, good luck with your lower back pain for the rest of the week darling. You’re fucked.” She’s right. I’m fucked.
Whoever invented underwire should be burned at the stake. “For. Real. Though. Henny.” She says while taking the first deep breath of the night. The alarmingly red indent around my torso after taking off her bra is a mere battle scar. I wear it with begrudging pride. Now comes the most painful part of de-dragging, taking off the nails. There is no kind way to tear off your own cuticles. You have to find your numb happy place and just bite those claws off and spit them victoriously across the room. “Oh shit, look out, he’s butch all of a sudden.”
I stand back from the mirror, and take a good last look while blood and oxygen begin to freely flow through my body again. Even though I’m a naked man standing there, I still see the woman I made looking back at me. It’s strange to say the words “woman I made”, because in reality She is shaping me. She gives me the power to see society see me, and I am strengthened every time She takes over. She is softer in her inflections and gestures, yet She requires more physical and emotional strength that I just don’t have when I’m a man. She’s a brave boss.
We stare at each other for minute. The corner of her lip smirks, and the sassy sultry sound of her voice says, “Bitch, you look stunning.” We grab the wig, and for a moment the world is in slow motion. She gives me a final wink, and I snatch it off my head. She’s gone for now. She was fabulous tonight.
Talent: Mykel Vaughn
Photography: Apollo Fields
Location: The Denizen Co.
Portland Oregon Photographers
Hungry for an adventure? Here’s why we’re hooked on the PNW.
Our Trip to Portland, Oregon | Apollo Fields Travel Photography
“If I know my wife—she’s gonna love milking that cow,” I declared to everyone surrounding Sierra, the gentle hobby farm, Portland(ish)-based cow. It all started as a joke—a one-off comment made by my brother, Matt, and his wife, Morgan—to go to a local farm at night to milk a cow after an epic powder day of snowboarding on Mt. Hood. To our surprise, we all responded, “well, that could actually be fun,” and just like that our winter vacation to Portland, Oregon, got off to an authentically Apollo Fields start.
The following day we took a scenic route through the foothills of Mt. Hood, meandering on winding streets beneath mossy branches, vines, and canopies, surrounded on either side by vegetable, livestock, and tree farms. The quick transition from the below freezing, fluffy white sloping facade of the mountain’s coniferous trees to this foggy, almost magical forest instantly inspired in us a sense of wide-eyed childlike wonder. I didn’t realize I appreciated the diversity of flora until I imagined the contrast of the barren branches of the east coast with the explosion of ferns and teeming life of the Pacific Northwest.
We continued on a self-guided tour of waterfalls, short hikes, and scenic pull-offs as we made our way back down to Portland proper, driving along the Columbia River Gorge, and taking in our first view of the Portland skyline. The first thing I noticed were the many bridges that reached over the Willamette River (which bisects the city), whereupon Matt informed me that aside from being known as the “City of Roses” because of all of the roses that adorn the highways and streets, Portland is also known as “Bridgetown” or “Bridge City” (“The more you know…”). The easy access to nature from the city reminded Heather and I why we loved living in Colorado as we were quickly began to fall in love with Portland.
After trying a bunch of local breweries (shout out to Cascade Brewing and Base Camp Brewing), bakeries, and coffee houses, we rounded out the trip with a drive to and Cannon Beach on the coast. 55 degrees and overcast, we hooked up with one of our east coast comrades and he showed us one of his local surf spots. Again, another short hike captivated us with towering trees, babbling creeks, and thriving life in the trail’s every nook and cranny. I saw a creek flow into the ocean for the very first time. By the time we left that beach, our hearts had officially been won by the Pacific Northwest.
Heather and I realized on the flight home that this vacation was the first one we have taken since our honeymoon to Negril, Jamaica in November 2018. Yes, we’ve traveled to a bunch of states this past year and enjoyed documenting one epic wedding after another, but it was so damned refreshing to just kick it with one another and our families and friends. It didn’t hurt that we found a corner of the planet that we might want to eventually call home, but for now we’re refreshed and revitalized. Whether you find peace on a snowboard, on a hiking trail, in the city, or beside a cow, never stop exploring this world to find where your heart is at ease—there is truly no better feeling in this life. Cheers to 2020 and beyond.
Photography: Apollo Fields
The Burr Homestead Wedding Photography in Fairfield, CT
Laura & Bill's Colonial New England Wedding | The Burr Homestead Mansion | Fairfield, Connecticut | Farmhouse Weddings Photography | Apollo Photojournalism
I met Laura and Bill a few years ago when we were photographing a wedding in Old Quebec, Canada. They are both dancers and I was so inspired by their awesome skills on the dance floor and got some amazing shots of them in the Chateau! Fast forward a few years and they got engaged and were looking for a wedding photographer. I was so excited when Laura reached out to have me travel to Connecticut for their own wedding!
The Burr Homestead Mansion, Fairfield CT
Laura and Bill celebrated their wedding with all of their closest friends and family at The Burr Homestead Mansion in Connecticut. This historical property was the perfect venue for this couple, who I got to know through a wedding that we shot in Quebec two years ago. I loved photographing their big day even more because we knew most of the bridal party already, which made the day so fun and exciting!
Laura and Bill live in New York City and are both fantastic dancers. We got our first taste of their abilities on the dance floor in Quebec, so we already knew how important this part of the day would be for them.
The Wedding Day
The day started out quiet, with everybody casually arriving at the mansion with all of their clothes and accessories. Some of the women in the bridal party are hair and makeup experts, so the bridal suite was a buzz with everybody getting ready! In the grooms room, the guys were hanging out, getting dressed, and enjoying some whiskey and cigars together.
The skies began to threaten rain as we were close to the first look, and amidst all of the business, Laura and Bill had to reroute their original plan to get married in the open garden space outdoors because the rain was imminent. The first look was such a sweet moment – I just love how Bill took Laura’s hand and kissed it when he first saw her! The bridal party watched through the windows of the mansion, which added a little flair.
The ceremony had to be moved to the front of the mansion to keep guests dry. Laura had her heart set on it being outdoors and this backup plan ended up being a great option! People had a great time watching them exchange their vows, and then we did some fun and formal portraits afterwards. The rest of the night was spent dancing, toasting, eating, and drinking! It was a late night, but trust me we got down on the dance floor with everyone too.
Connecticut Wedding Venue: The Burr Homestead, Fairfield CT
Wedding Photography: Apollo Fields