15 Portraits of the Real Men of Finland

Elska, the up-and-coming series of gay photography and culture bookazines, has made its latest edition in Helsinki, capital of Finland and world's northernmost metropolis. Known for its honest portrayal of diverse gay, queer, and allied men, in ita newest edition Elska shines a light on the people of what is perhaps the most under-discovered Nordic capital.

Finland's most famous resident was the artist Tom of Finland (Touko Laaksonen), of course. But fear not, these residents are not at all like the sexually frenetic cartoons of Tom's. Besides, we have been out with cartoons before. It's no fun.

Inside Elska Helsinki, the reader is introduced to 13 Helsinkians, photographed in a natural and unairbrushed style, so you see them as they are, imperfections and all. Elska operates under the principle that perfect is boring, that imperfections are a big part of what make people truly beautiful. You can't really connect to a photo in a magazine, but you can to a real person, and it's real people that Elska aims to present.

Elska Helsinki is 164 pages and is available in a classic print format or in a electronic download version for tablet/iPad. A list of stockists and details of the subscription service can also be found on the Elska website: ElskaMagazine.com.