Magnus Hastings – Rainbow Revolution

Rainbow Revolution was a Rainbow Revelation for me!

Being a white, sheltered, cis gendered gay man who has a lot of learning and hearing to do, it’s not very often I have the privilege of glimpsing the lives of people whose experiences are wholly different to mine, with a really intriguing concept from celebrity photographer Magnus Hastings.

Not only is Rainbow Revolution “a collection of vibrant portraits that celebrate the expanding spectrum of queer identity and visibility” it also gives the reader the opportunity to view some very human stories and share in the struggles and triumphs the subjects have gone through… that‘s then led them to the point where they are comfortable enough to share so much of themselves with so much visible joy in front of a camera!

Even our own Courtney Act gets in on the fun with her mate Shane Jenek, in a brilliant bit of photographic tomfoolery.

 Each subject starts with an empty white box to play in and the results are truly stunning. Not only as vibrant and as colourful as you would expect from such a diverse range of LGBTQI folks and supporters, you also get to see a visual representation of who they are creatively.

And while there are a sprinkling of noticeable celebrity names amongst the participants, the true magic comes from the portraits and stories of regular, every day people and Hastings has everyone covered – from doctors and dentists, writers and dancers to sports teams and tradies. Every accompanying story is a special peek into the lives of some pretty brave humans.

“Of all the extraordinary people I have been lucky enough to photograph in one of my boxes, I think Ruby has impacted me most,” reveals Hastings. “When Ruby arrived for the shoot, Magnus was introduced to a sweet, shy kid called Jacob who he had to coax into doing a headstand. Jacob’s dads then informed Magnus that Jacob would like to become Ruby, so Jacob left the box, changed into his red dress, and came back. All timidity vanished as Ruby was ready to rock!

“It is really exciting that the spectrum of what is accepted and celebrated today is broadening so fast allowing people like Ruby to find their tribe and belong.”

Rainbow Revolution will be released on November 24 and with over 300 photographs, it would definitely make a beautiful addition to your coffee table!