Photo Story: Harmodius and Hoti
My lucky rabbit’s foot has worked every time, or almost every time. It was in my back pocket when I won the raffle for a wine basket. It was around my neck when I got the bartender job at the Sidewinder Club. And it was on my belt the day I met him. We spent six wonderful years together. He made me laugh more than anyone I’ve ever met; every day with him was a surprise. But even my lucky rabbit’s foot couldn’t stop him from following Lars to Manhattan. Not that I blame him for leaving. No one could.
Harmodius and Hoti at the 2nd Annual Castro Street Fair, August 1975.
By permission © 2012 www.dannynicoletta.com
Dan Nicoletta is a San Francisco based photographer who began his career in 1975 as an assistant to the late Crawford Barton, who was then a staff photographer for the Advocate. During that time Dan also worked in Harvey Milk’s camera store in the heart of the burgeoning lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, mecca in San Francisco’s Castro district. He was involved in several of Milk’s political campaigns including Milk’s victorious election to public office as one of the first openly gay elected officials in the world. Nicoletta has continued to document the reverberations of Milk’s legacy for over 34 years, serving as a key point person for LGBT civil rights and Milk related research.
Dan’s work has been featured in numerous settings, including the Academy Award-winning film Milk by Gus Van Sant, the Academy Award-winning documentary The Times Of Harvey Milk by Rob Epstein and Richard Schmiechen, and the award-winning documentary Sex Is by Marc Huestis and Lawrence Helman. (Berlin Film Festival — Best Gay Documentary 1993).
I can’t believe no one has commented on this. I though it a most creative take on a really provocative image without falling into cliches or the obvious. Impressive job.