The latest issue of Inspiró magazine celebrates male beauty and sensuality through the eyes of photographer Mark Alan along with eleven other homo-visual artists. The 100-page publication contains a multitude of artistic forms—–collage, ceramics, photography, found objects, digital art and line drawings—–in vivid exploration of love, diversity, sexual fever, and the erotic expressions that bind them together.

Mark Alan, an American now living in Spain, is also the creator of The Male Muse online, and publisher of Pulp, Wolfpack and Happy Trail. Available for 35€, Inspiró magazine is printed on premium matte paper because Mark believes in the idea of luxury when it comes to lust. As refined as it is daring, this second issue of Inspiró is filled with deeply evocative images that keep calling you to look again.

How would you describe your work?

Having shot fashion in my early days, there tends to be a bit of an editorial vibe that still sneaks into my work. Not one to really rely on a lot of props, when working with men, I tend to like to capture the essence of who they are, stripped away of anything distracting. I’ve been told there’s a relaxed sensuality to my work, but other times I explore more overt sexual tones.

How do you like to capture the male beauty through your lenses?

I have a variety of techniques that I like to use, from relying on natural light to studio work. One thing I find very enjoyable is working in a model’s home and improvising with his living space. How I approach each session depends on the model and what I know, or think, they can bring to the lens.

Who is behind the concept of each photoshoot? Is it always what you have on your mind, or do the models provide inspiration too?

It’s always great if shoots can be very collaborative. I may have a few ideas in advance that I want to explore, but there’s something very exciting about bouncing ideas off each other and capturing the energy of the moment.

What has been the funniest moment that can happen during a photoshoot?

One time while shooting in a hotel in London, my models and I looked out the window to see two construction workers had risen up on a crane to repair something on the building right across the street. We were up on the fifth floor, so it was quite a surprise. The workers got quite an eyeful of these two naked hotties.

What is the inspiration and the idea behind this magazine?

There are so many artists and photographers that I find inspiring, many of whom I have followed online for years. Some of them are well-known and others are very obscure. One day I thought, wouldn’t it be great to have a publication to showcase these amazing creatives all in one place? An ongoing magazine where readers could be exposed to the work of artists I admire. I had already been publishing my own photography in my zines Pulp and Happy Trail, so creating something new with a bigger vision seemed like an exciting project. The first issue was a bit of a challenge to gather talent to feature because I didn’t have anything but my vision to present for what I wanted to create. I’m very grateful to those 12 initial artists who believed in me for Inspiró’s debut. Now with Inspiró Two out and the third and fourth issues under way, the magazine is finding its following.

Why did you choose the name Inspiró for your magazine?

Naming the magazine was the biggest challenge. We wanted something evocative and unique and actually had a couple of other options before we settled on Inspiró. My husband, who does the page design on all my publications, came up with the idea of searching online for translations of the word ‘inspire’. While on that search, the Latin translation inspiró came up and really stood out, mainly because one interpretation of that spelling is ‘he inspired’. We both knew right then we had our name.

What do you like to photograph?

Outside of photographing the male form, I love travel photography and documenting things that capture my eye from different places I visit. I also enjoy shooting everyday objects in public spaces, creating art out of things we all just pass by on a daily basis.

Have you ever captured your own fantasies during a photoshoot?

Yes, absolutely! Especially lately, I have been exploring my interests in fetish and kink. In the past, while living in the US, I hadn’t really thought about bringing those themes into my work. Now living in Europe and collaborating with models who are also into the scene, it’s been very liberating to express my fantasies through them.

Has there ever been a photoshoot where things go out of hand?

For sure. I always communicate with a guy ahead of our shoot to see what he is comfortable with and how he wants to express himself on camera. If a guy, or guys, wants to get sexual on camera, that of course is always exciting to document. There have been many times when a guy surprises me, and things get much hotter than I was anticipating.

What are you working on now, and what are your future plans?

Beyond the current magazine lines, I’ve got another I’m wanting to create to focus on more fetish and kink themes. We’ll see how that develops. Plus, I’m always traveling around shooting content for my pay site, TheMaleMuse.online, which keeps me very busy.

Purchase your copy of Inspiró 2 at The Male Muse Store https://themalemuse.store/collections/inspiro