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aramvartian.com
Aram
@aramvartian.com
3.1K followers 990 following 3.7K posts
Co-producer of @killeverymonster.com, co-founder of @deadghostpro.com, editor of @unpreparedcasters.bsky.social, photographer. He/him

🎲 Join my games at startplaying.games/gm/vartian

🏳️‍🌈 Find my photography, appearances, socials, and shows at aram.gay
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aramvartian.com
He is an American citizen. ICE agents brutalized him anyway, then an agent stole his phone and sold it for cash at a kiosk.

Lock them all up.
A "Now This Impact" graphic featuring a photo of a young man sitting on a medical exam table with a torn grey t-shirt, looking down somberly. Large text overlay reads: "ICE choked out a 10th grader, stole his phone, then sold it. HE WAS JUST TRYING TO GO TO SCHOOL." A blurry still from a video showing law enforcement agents wrestling someone to the floor in a store. The text overlay reads: "'I was going to school!' Arnoldo Bazan, 16, screamed as ICE agents put him in a chokehold in a restaurant supply store. One agent held his knee into his father’s neck... The agents chased the pair through Houston... Bazan filmed much of the altercation on his phone. He told the agents he was a minor and that he was a citizen, but that didn’t stop them." A photo of a person lying on a hospital bed wearing a neck brace while a medical professional attends to them. The text reads: "Eventually, after being questioned, Bazan was dropped off at his family home... his injuries showed he had been choked. He was later moved to the trauma unit." The text continues to explain that when the family tried to use "Find My" to locate his confiscated phone, they found "the officers had sold his phone to an electronic vending machine near an ICE detention facility." A portrait of Arnoldo Bazan and a woman, presumably his sister or mother, sitting together with serious expressions. The text explains that ProPublica confirmed the footage was still on the recovered phone, but "Houston police haven’t interviewed the family." It quotes Bazan's sister saying officers told her, "We can’t do anything. What can HPD do to federal agents?" It also notes their father, Arnulfo Bazan Carrillo, was deported after the incident.
January 15, 2026 at 4:14 PM
aramvartian.com
Post a game you remember playing that nobody else remembers:
A screenshot of a retro 8-bit video game map screen from "Utopia" for the Intellivision. The background is solid blue with pixelated yellow and green landmasses. Text at the bottom reads "FINAL SCORE" and "TOTALS 1082" in orange and white block letters.
January 15, 2026 at 7:42 AM
aramvartian.com
I am struggling to understand what is going on with this AllSaints bomber, @dieworkwear.bsky.social.
January 13, 2026 at 10:42 PM
aramvartian.com
I am going to keep taking pictures of my beautiful friends and places devoid of people. I am going to keep making digital memories, no matter what tech rolls along to insist my methods are obsolete.
A vibrant night photograph of a building labeled "Silver Beach Pizza" with a "Front Pick-Up" window. The structure is illuminated by bright purple neon lights lining the roof, casting a colorful glow on the pavement below. A vintage bicycle is mounted above the window as decoration. A dramatic black-and-white photograph of a bearded man with tattoos using an angle grinder in a workshop. He is leaning into the work, sending a massive, bright spray of sparks flying across the frame, illuminating his safety glasses and tank top. A close-up, high-angle portrait of a man with voluminous, messy red curly hair. His head is bowed and the curls fall forward, obscuring his eyes and forehead. Soft, warm lighting highlights the texture of the hair against a muted background. A low-angle shot of a tall, green-patina church steeple topped with a cross, set against a dark void. A motion blur effect creates concentric, ghost-like ripples of the tower radiating outward, giving the structure a vibrating appearance.
January 13, 2026 at 7:23 PM
aramvartian.com
The same people who screamed it was fascism to stay indoors in order to save lives are now telling us to shut up and stay home while our cities are overrun with a national police force.
A screenshot of a text block on a black background. The text reads: "Republican Rep. Roger Williams of Texas, for example, appeared on NewsNation just two days after Good’s death and told viewers, 'People need to quit demonstrating, quit yelling at law enforcement, challenging law enforcement, and begin to get civil. And until we do that, I guess we’re going to have it this way. And the people that are staying in their homes or doing the right thing need to be protected.'"
January 13, 2026 at 5:53 AM
aramvartian.com
Accurate.
A screenshot of a Reddit post titled, "If the mind flayer managed to reach our world, how many minutes do you think it would last before the US Gov killed it?" The post includes an image of the giant, spider-like Shadow Monster from Stranger Things looming over a person. Below, a top comment by user CaptBlackBeard1680 reads: "It uses a hive mind, abducts children and harasses a gay kid. It would become the next republican president."
January 12, 2026 at 3:02 PM
aramvartian.com
When someone asks me how my political views have evolved over the last decade.
A folded black crewneck sweatshirt featuring white serif text centered on the chest. The text reads "KILL THEM" on the top line and "WITH KINDNESS" on the bottom line. A horizontal strikethrough line crosses out "WITH KINDNESS," subverting the common idiom.
January 11, 2026 at 11:53 PM
aramvartian.com
I forgot how much I enjoy nightlife photography.
A DJ stands at a mixing deck on a stage illuminated by blue and purple lights. Behind him, a projection screen displays a large, metallic 3D geometric logo—a cube or hexagon shape—against a glowing halo. In the foreground, the silhouettes of a crowd are visible watching the performance. A profile shot of a shirtless performer with tattoos bending forward at the waist. The figure is illuminated by purple stage lighting and wears light-colored athletic pants.
January 11, 2026 at 11:58 AM
aramvartian.com
I really love this filter.
A DJ wearing a black t-shirt and headphones looks down at his equipment. Behind him, a screen displays a pattern of white stars connected by lines, resembling constellations. The scene is framed by large, concentric purple light rings creating a tunnel effect.
January 11, 2026 at 11:55 AM
aramvartian.com
It is always good to see friends I have known for nearly half of my life.

Ben through an amazing party tonight in Chicago.
A DJ with a beard and headphones, wearing a black t-shirt, stands at a mixing deck. Behind him, a screen displays 3D orange hexagonal tunnel graphics. A vibrant, swirling ring of orange light blur encircles the frame. A scene on a dance floor bathed in deep blue and purple light. On the left, a slender man with curly hair and sunglasses wears a black t-shirt. To his right, a woman in a long-sleeved blue top and black lace shorts dances while holding a drink. Other dancers are visible in the background. A dance floor scene washed in deep blue light. On the left, a slender man with curly hair wears sunglasses indoors. On the right, a woman in a fitted blue turtleneck and black lace shorts dances with her eyes closed while holding a drink. A side-profile shot of a DJ with dark curly hair wearing a white sleeveless turtleneck. He is focused on the mixing deck, surrounded by a chaotic, vibrant vortex of purple, white, and blue light streaks created by a motion blur effect.
January 11, 2026 at 11:19 AM
aramvartian.com
“First off: fuck you, Nikki.”
January 10, 2026 at 6:41 PM
aramvartian.com
My account got locked (again) on Twitter, and I just couldn’t be bothered to go through the steps to get it back.

There is nothing to return to.
A cartoon illustration showing a bald man with glasses and a goatee crouching inside a large, golden birdcage. The cage features a silhouette of a bird near the top, resembling the Twitter logo. The man is holding the bars and looking out with a neutral or slightly resigned expression.
January 10, 2026 at 1:28 PM
aramvartian.com
At the train station heading into Chicago for the day, hanging out with the giant idol to Frosty emerging from the frozen Michigan tundra after a thousand years of slumber.
An early morning photograph of a wireframe light display standing on a grassy lawn. The structure outlines a cheerful figure, possibly a clown or snowman, wearing a large blue hat and holding a red mallet-like object. The figure features a white face with a red nose and a smile. Two green illuminated heart shapes stand on the ground on either side of the main figure, set against a deep blue morning sky.
January 10, 2026 at 12:56 PM
aramvartian.com
Trump has waged a war on women his entire life, and his presidency has been no different.
A screenshot of a text paragraph reading: "Black women in particular found themselves under attack. Early removals of Black women included Carla Hayden, the librarian of Congress; Gwynne Wilcox, the first Black woman to serve on the National Labor Relations Board; and Lisa Cook, the first Black woman to serve on the board of governors of the Federal Reserve Board. Meanwhile, Peggy Carr, the first Black person and the first woman to be commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, was cruelly and unexpectedly escorted out of the building in front of her staff." The phrases "Early removals" and "Peggy Carr" have red underlines.
January 9, 2026 at 10:31 PM
aramvartian.com
🥹
A close-up portrait of a performer in elaborate traditional costume. He wears a red robe with green and pink floral embroidery and a plush beige scarf. His hair is adorned with a large, vibrant headdress overflowing with red, orange, and teal flowers. His makeup features heavy pink shading around the eyes, red lips, and a red symbol on his forehead. He has a short beard and a gentle expression, set against a blurred background of festive lights at night.
January 9, 2026 at 7:26 AM
aramvartian.com
When someone tells you “their eyes softened,” this is what they mean.
January 9, 2026 at 4:06 AM
aramvartian.com
I am headed to Chicago Saturday night for a dance party thrown by my good friend Ben at The Sanctuary in Chicago.
A dark, promotional event flyer featuring the title "Hörtechna" in stylized gold gothic lettering at the top. Below, the date "January 10th 8:00p-2:00a" and location details for "The Sanctuary, Epiphany Center for the Arts, Chicago, IL" are listed. The center of the poster contains a black-and-white portrait of a man (labeled "HÖREN") with messy dark hair and heavy eye makeup, posing with his hands near his collar to display several large, ornate rings.
January 8, 2026 at 9:25 PM
aramvartian.com
Minneapolis Mayor to ICE: “Get the fuck out of our city.”
January 7, 2026 at 9:04 PM
aramvartian.com
The first one is a strip of glass blocks forming a narrow window.
A street-corner view of a two-story red brick building. The address "610 SHIP STREET" is mounted on the façade next to a tall, vertical column of decorative glass blocks. The ground floor features a storefront with large windows beneath a shingled awning, and an alleyway extends into the background on the left.
January 7, 2026 at 7:51 PM
aramvartian.com
Took a nice birthday walk with the new halo filter.
A vertical column of illuminated, textured glass blocks glowing in warm gold tones. A spinning motion blur effect creates a vortex of yellow and rainbow-hued rings radiating from the central pillar. An abstract light painting dominated by frenetic blue, cyan, and red circular light trails. The spinning lights surround a faint, stationary wireframe light figure in the center against a dark background. A neon sign featuring a pink coffee cup with steam and the word "Cappuccino" in blue script, centered within a vibrant tunnel of swirling pink, red, and blue light trails created by a long exposure. A low-angle shot of a tall, green-patina church steeple topped with a cross. A motion effect creates ghost-like, concentric ripples of the tower radiating outward into a dark void.
January 7, 2026 at 5:49 AM
aramvartian.com
One of the best things to happen to me in the last decade was becoming friends and creative partners with @djmalenfant.bsky.social.

We made @killeverymonster.com as a critique on the largest TTRPG company on earth. We made @deadghostpro.com because we love telling stories with games.
A cartoon-style graphic of a purple, octopus-like creature with four tentacles. The underside of the tentacles is yellow with visible suction cups. Instead of eyes, the creature has two large pink "X"s set against yellow circles. The background is a textured orange grid, and the text "KILL EVERY MONSTER" appears in yellow capital letters across the bottom. A neon sign displayed against a dark brick wall. The sign features the outline of a classic arcade ghost in glowing pink and blue tubes. Inside the ghost outline, two "X"s inside circles represent dead eyes. Below the graphic, the text "DEAD GHOST PRODUCTIONS" glows in purple sans-serif letters.
January 6, 2026 at 7:40 PM
aramvartian.com
I’m going to head out this evening and play with light for a few hours.
An abstract, long-exposure photograph featuring hundreds of overlapping, circular light trails in white and warm orange. The glowing streaks form a dense, chaotic vortex or tunnel effect against a dark, textured background. In the center of the swirling lines, several small, stationary points of white and amber light appear like distant stars or sparks.
January 6, 2026 at 7:24 PM
aramvartian.com
During this time, I began to explore my personal photography.

I spent a lot of time capturing pictures of buildings devoid of people and broken bicycles.
A dramatic, high-contrast silhouette of an industrial water tower and city buildings set against a massive, glowing orange sun. The sun fills most of the frame, creating a bright yellow-to-orange gradient sky with a strong red lens flare at the bottom. A long-exposure night photograph showing a train rushing across an elevated track. The train’s movement is captured as bright, horizontal streaks of blue and white light. Below the tracks, a city street is illuminated by glowing streetlights and a large green billboard. A low-angle, wide-angle "fisheye" photograph of a bright blue Cannondale bicycle locked to a black metal post on a snowy city sidewalk. The bike is missing its rear wheel, and a red brick building labeled "BARREL HOUSE LIQUOR" is visible in the background. A high-angle, vertical shot looking down at a city intersection during a heavy snowfall. Large white snowflakes blur across the foreground. Below, a red car and a white car wait at a traffic light, and rows of parked cars line the wet, dark asphalt streets next to multi-story brick buildings.
January 6, 2026 at 3:58 PM
aramvartian.com
I spent seven years with the Blade, including helping restore and rescue the paper after our parent company Window Media went bankrupt.

It remains one of the best projects I have ever been a part of.

Soon after, I was hired by another queer newspaper, Metro Weekly.
A profile shot of a smiling man at a night event, holding a professional Canon video camera with a blue RØDE shotgun microphone attached. He is wearing a dark beanie, glasses, a white t-shirt over a striped long-sleeve shirt, and a black backpack. The background is a bustling, softly blurred crowd with bright blue and white lights. A "BYT BRIGHTEST YOUNG THINGS" logo is visible in the bottom right corner.
January 6, 2026 at 3:38 PM
aramvartian.com
When Prop 8 set up a series of legal challenges state-by-state, I told my publisher we needed to start capturing video.

She replied, "You're the website guy. We have a camera advertiser. Here's a budget of $5000. Go figure it out."

I immedtalty fell in love with holding a camera.
A portrait of a smiling man with glasses, a goatee, and a grey cap wearing professional headphones and a grey backpack. He is wearing a bright magenta t-shirt with "Legalize Gay" and "Repeal Prop 8 Now!" printed in white text. He is holding a professional Canon video camera with a shotgun microphone attached, standing outdoors with a large stone building and a crowd in the background.
January 6, 2026 at 3:38 PM