The Company of Men by Blake Little is a photographic exploration that celebrates and updates the traditional archetypes of masculinity. Little’s twist on these various embodiments of virility comes in the fact that all of the subjects of his book are gay.

Photographed over the last seven years, Little’s portraits of these men are unadorned and focus on the individual strength and character of each sitter. Taken as a group, they represent his ideal, a surprising new vision of male beauty that is quietly subversive and powerful. Most importantly, Little’s images shatter mainstream stereotypes of homosexuality and underscores that masculinity lies beyond sexuality.

With these photographs, Blake Little has illuminated a new and seemingly inconspicuous subculture that extends through rural communities, small towns and cities across the country. While each subject appears solitary in their photo, together these men comprise a vast brotherhood that connects them. And while the work captures a social movement that is specific to this time and place, as seen through Little’s camera, the results are timeless.