2010 Golden Iris Nominees: Photographer of the Year

This was a year that saw seasoned photographers Steven Klein and Rick Day produce some of their best work, while newer talent simply impressed the heck out of us—like Ralph K. Penno. We first covered the German lensman's remarkable work last spring, and he made the Midterms list just two month later. French photographer Nicolas Valois arrived on our radar too late to make the Midterms list, but his consistently impressive work since then has earned him a well-deserved spot on this list.

Finally, London-based Dimitri Theocharis was the winner in the Midterms voting, which secured his Golden Iris Award nomination. But Theocharis' sublime photography would have earned him a spot on this list even without the support of Gay.com readers.

Go below for profiles and photos of the 2010 nominees.  

Photos (clockwise from top left): Dimitris Theocharis, Rick Day, Ralph K. Penno, Nicolas Valois, Steven Klein

Rick Day

Whenever we encounter a shortage of Eye Candy-worthy photos, Rick Day can always be counted for a sexy new session that delivers in terms of caliber of model, quality of photography, and popularity with readers. But Day's photos are not just a hit on Gay.com, he's one of the most posted contemporary photographers in the entire gay blogosphere. His images are also splashed across the covers of a host of global gay glossies, from Germany's Männer (above center) to Australia's DNA. While he's an accomplished outdoor photographer (as his ongoing Rufskin campaign shoots and Golden Iris-nominated Pioneers book attest), his interior work is where he shines brightest. For whatever reason, the simpler the setting, the more Day is able to pull something intimate and unique out of his subject. It's a quality similar to what Francesco Scavullo had—who could plop down anyone in front of a white seamless and produce a photo that was unmistakably Scavullo. It's also what earned Day his second consecutive nomination for Photographer of the Year.

Steven Klein

After a two decades-plus career in photography, Steven Klein has become a bit like the Meryl Streep of his medium. Klein's work is so top notch, his only real competition is himself. And 2010 was a year in which Steven Klein topped Steven Klein. Beginning last spring, we were introduced to his traffic-stopping images of model David Agbodji for Calvin Klein (above left), which looked like nothing else seen before in mainstream men's fashion advertising. At the same time, Klein's ravishingly randy photos for the Dolce & Gabbana campaign (above center) began rolling out, re-injecting classic masculinity into the world of male modeling. But perhaps his most notable work was in the casting and directing of Lady Gaga's decidedly homoerotic "Alejandro" music video (above right). With more than 105 million views of the video on YouTube, Klein's visual sensibility is now set to influence an entire generation of Little Monsters.

Ralph K. Penno

Ralph K. Penno's playful and marvelously well-executed images of fitness models made us smile more often in 2010 than just about any other photographer's work. That's because Penno displayed a wicked sense of humor—like sticking a stuffed deer into a winter shoot (above right)—which was enhanced by his diverse skill. The German lensman both precisely recreated an ancient mecca digitally (above center) and tracked down a  summer blockbuster-worthy location for a sailor shoot (above left) just months apart from each other. When Penno makes an unorthodox choice, it's clearly not because he lacks the tools to do anything else. And he's injected vibrancy into a genre that rarely veers from images of models flexing in a drab studio or working out in a gym with mirrored walls. It's a wonder why someone with this much talent isn't already shooting international advertising campaigns.

Dimitris Theocharis

When Dimitris Theocharis received the highest number of Midterms votes in this category, we frankly were a bit surprised. Not because he was lacking in any way, but because he's a fashion photographer in the purest sense. And Gay.com readers, as a whole, are not fashion purists. But Theocharis does have a unique vision. Who else would put boots on Luke Worrall's hands to compliment Cherry red eyebrows (above right), or shoot River Viiperi like a sexier member of the seminal British music group My Bloody Valentine (above center)? And the influence of British music seems to be a key factor in the London-based photographer's gay appeal, as a queer undercurrent has long existed in England's best music acts. Theocharis' 2010 photos often committed the same subversive seduction as Bowie's best album covers. Which may be why Gay.com readers responded so enthusiastically to his work—they have a firsthand understanding of the beauty of counterculture. 

Nicolas Valois

We first became aware of Nicolas Valois' work through a beautiful short film he made called Solar Beauty. But that black and white video didn't prepare us for the depth of the French lensman's talent. His gorgeous color sessions were both painterly and cinematic. There's no doubt that Valois' background in television informed his vision, but he's clearly a student of history as well. His visual references pull from centuries of art and culture, which are refined through the modern twist he employs. While we love encountering Valois' work in print, his photographs would be more at home hanging on the walls of galleries and museums. This man is a true artist.

The Golden Iris Award winner for Photographer of the Year will be announced on December 24th.

Click here for complete Golden Iris Award coverage.