Here is the second part of our exclusive interview with photographer Michael Epps (click here for Part I), featuring more gorgeous portraits of Marlon (boy, was this guy popular!) [left] and Saint and Sinners [right], a stunning black and white series of photos taken ‘through the years’ at the New York Gay Pride.

What’s the most important quality a photographer needs to have?
Speaking entirely for myself, I believe having a clear vision is the most important ingredient in any great photo. If I don’t know what I want, I rarely get it.

Define the word “beauty”.
True beauty has no rules, and can’t be bound by societal restrictions, no matter how hard we try. Beauty is in everything.

Do you feel that your identity changes when you lift the camera to your eye? Do you act differently?
I try to be me with or without the camera. I’m not an aggressive person by nature, but I have discovered a little self assurance can go a long way.

How do you know that a photo is really good?
Sometimes I instantly feel good about something i’ve done, and other times I have to put it away for another day or month, before seeing it’s positive merits. Feedback from photographers I respect is also helpful, and appreciated.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Desire.

What turns you off?
Ignorance… It’s not bliss.

What is the one lasting impression you want to leave in your photos?
“I wish he would take my picture.”

On top of being a most talented artist, could Michael Epps also be a bit of a mind-reader? Enter the stacked gallery below, enjoy the depth of each shot, and if you’re like us, secretly wish he’d take your picture.

Michael Epps