As a gay man, I am part of a culture that is obsessed with rock hard gym bodies. This is the inspiration for HARD, my second photo book in the ongoing series of gay-play books that represent my visual journal into a miniature world of action figures and make-believe. Our Gay Wedding Day, the first in the series, is a lyrical look at a fictitious couple of gay men who decide to get married. HARD follows a group of gay men throughout the day at a gay gym. This second photo album is also created in small scale using action figures. Countless hours of time went into building the sets, making props and equipment, then staging and shooting the photographs. The book contains more than 150 voyeuristic photos of the boys as they do cardio and resistance training, then relax playfully in the juice bar, shower and locker room.