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Mark I Chester

@sfphotou.bsky.social

1.7K followers 1K following 530 posts

75 year old gay ‘radical sex’ photographer who has documented his life in San Francisco’s South of Market sexual underground since the late 1970s. Authentic. Provocative. VERY sex positive. Also a guerrilla gallery, gay sketch group and rope enthusiast.

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Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · 8h

My appeal!

He’s not nude. There is nothing sexually suggestive in the pix. Bsky is going too far with this nonsense. Your moderation rules desperately need to be updated. What truly pisses me off is the distinct lack of honesty. When you’re more conservative than IG, that’s really saying something!

Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · 8h

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I experience life; feeling every second. Capturing that beauty is exhilarating.

We are in hell; raining fire. Where are truth, justice and what we thought was the American way?

Pandora’s box was flung wide open; all the demons of hell have escaped.

All we have left is hope. And each other. 🫂❤️

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Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · 8h

Photo of @thiccvirtualboy.bsky.social by Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social ©️ 10/11/25. I found Mark on bsky and asked him to model for @gaymenssketch.bsky.social. One pose really hit me, so I asked to photo him.

When I’m photographing a beautiful man (all men are beautiful…) I feel alive.
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Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · 12d

The Asian man to his right is Joe Tolbe, still alive, still an activist and an advocate for our community, now living back in Hawaii where he was born.

Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · 17d

Just sending you and their friends and family 💗 and hugs. 🫂

Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Sep 9

Or is it the fxxxing update??????

Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Sep 9

Grrrrrrrrr!!!!

My chat icons have disappeared from all my accounts. I don’t remember updating Bluesky, but when I go to the App Store it just says open rather than update.

Any ideas?

Have chat icons disappeared for others?

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Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Sep 1

Thanks @deeptrance1.bsky.social.

My more personal rope page is @sfropemark.bsky.social

Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Aug 27

A celebration of Queer Hispanic Culture and the many ways we gather, survive, resist, celebrate, and heal. Expect art that is captivating, soft, bold, real, and straight from el corazón.❤️

Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Aug 27

Rosebud Gallery is proud to present JuntEsTogether in conjunction w/ @sffirstthursday art walk in the TL.

📅 Thursday, September 4th
⏰ 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
📍 Rosebud Gallery – 839 Larkin St, SF

a special group show in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month celebrating Queer Latine Voices in the Bay Area!

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Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Aug 27

Rosebud Gallery is doing a show celebrating queer Latin voices. My photo of Al Lujan was accepted.

With every passing day, in a country attacking brown skinned people, this image and its outrage gets stronger. No one is safe. Everyone except straight white Christian males are in danger and at risk.

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Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Aug 21

Every aspect of this photo is beautifully done: model, superb lighting, great emotional energy and of course gorgeous dick. ❤️😈

Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Aug 18

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FXXX them! I will not be silenced for fighting for a more diverse and equal world. Racism will only be defeated by each of us doing our part. No one conversation can ever be ‘perfect.’ The only way to change the systemic racism we were born into is by challenging each and every hateful aspect.

Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Aug 18

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I still fight for equality/respect. The GLBT Historical Soc canceled my fiscal sponsorship for ‘Racial Portraits’ a book of provocative political portraits of queer men of color. It offended the exec director. I am now persona non grata. Have personal connections? This can’t be allowed to stand

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Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Aug 18

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I have always used my real name while the great majority of my heroes in the radical sex community are only known by scene names. Younger leather queers don’t understand how bad things were. How risky it was to be openly into leather/non-standard sex. Our whole community was firmly in the closet

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Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Aug 18

So this happened. 40 fucking years of photographing/drawing men! 1985-2025. In cement outside my front door.

Thanks to the SF Leather/GLBT Cultural District @sfleatherdist for this honor.

The promise of gay lib was to come out of the closet and live full open, authentic lives without shame.

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Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Aug 13

Model: @justjoon.bsky.social

Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Aug 13

Joon @justjoon.bsky.social

Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Aug 4

Great pix! 🔥📷

Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Aug 2

Photo of Steven @steven336.bsky.social ©️ Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social

Steven sex he never sees his butt, so here is a little butt action.

Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Jul 21

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Somehow this image seemed to speak to me once again. I am hopeful but not very hopeful about what will be left.

Resistance. Perseverance. Survival.

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Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Jul 21

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We are again facing dark times. Rule #1 has always been - survive.

We don’t stop being who we are because dark forces want to marginalize us and make us invisible. It’s anti-democratic. It’s unconstitutional. What is life if we don’t have liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

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Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Jul 21

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We were all afraid. If only fear had been the only thing that we needed to be afraid of. Those were the days when someone seemed fine, then suddenly they were in the hospital and then quickly died. Each death a thunderbolt thru our community and our lives.

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Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Jul 21

Photo of Jack Mance © Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social titled ‘jack encounters x, y and z’ from the series Lost on a Sea of Desire, 1983.

The times were dark. Deaths piled up. Like some sort of evil lottery, no one knew who would be next. In fact, no one knew anything. We were all afraid.
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Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social · Jul 13

Photo of Steven @steven336.bsky.social © Mark I Chester @sfphotou.bsky.social from our shoot 7/12/25.

Steven also likes this image. It is sexy and sensual, suggestive yet discrete. I love the touch of leather. There is so much here to think about. The dedication required for a tattoo body suit!

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