Today we’d like to introduce you to Les Bone.
Hi Les, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hey, I’m Bone :]
My stage name is Les Bone, I’m a drag artist & videographer/photographer located in DFW. I do video for a marketing firm in Austin, am the residential videographer for a local drag show known as Broad Strokes, & take as many freelance gigs/shows as I can fit into my schedule! I love what I do so much.
Ever since I was little I was both behind and in front of the camera. I started making silly little YouTube videos when I was 12 which is how I initially learned how to edit. Everything kinda snowballed from there. I eventually went to school for film, and once I graduated I started taking whatever odd jobs I could find!
In addition to filming, I was constantly in and out of either dance, gymnastics, or cheer practices growing up. I have always loved performing & the training that goes behind it. I then went on to coach gymnastics for a little over 3 years as my first job. I eventually had to put this passion on the back burner though when I transferred from my community college to university. There, I switched over to waiting tables & bartending.
However, in 2024 I got really lucky. There was a local event going on in Denton known as The Sister Act, where a local nonprofit (called Friends with Benefits) pairs 5 bartenders up with 5 drag artists! The duos come up with a duet as well as individual solos, then compete for the crown. I JUMPED at this opportunity. I got paired with Psyril Cybin and he showed me the ropes!
Over the past year I have been performing as much as I can, and incorporating my love for videography and photography where I can. It’s really awesome getting to be surrounded by so much raw, authentic, and just overall cool art. Getting to document it makes me feel like I have a purpose. My goal is to either do freelance full-time eventually, or open a production studio of sorts. Either way, I just want to do good work for this wonderful community I’ve found. Queer art deserves beautiful documentation and recognition, and I feel really lucky that this is something I’m able to do.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No!!!!! This has not been easy!!!!!! This road is still bumpy as hell. Having to compete in a market where creatives are getting replaced with AI is so incredibly heart wrenching. It’s very dystopian seeing a craft that you’ve spent the past 12 years developing be deemed as “replaceable” when it just isn’t. I am still struggling quite a bit to make ends meet despite working 3 jobs. It’s difficult. And not to mention the extreme scrutiny that the drag community is under, ESPECIALLY in Texas. Hell, my university was one of the first to actually implement a drag ban. It is very scary and definitely leaves me and my friends feeling unsafe at times.
At the same time, I’m not willing to give any of these things up because it is just what I do. It’s what I love. And whether I like it or not, I will always be a drag artist, a videographer, and a photographer.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My drag is all about embracing what makes me uncomfortable and just fully accepting myself. Drag has become a medium for me to express my grief. Whenever I am going through a hard time, drag is the first thing I turn to. Sometimes if what I’m feeling is too much, I won’t even choreograph the number. I’ll just pick the right songs, make an outfit, and go out on stage and figure out how I’m feeling there. Sometimes I yell, sometimes I scream, sometimes I laugh, sometimes I just sit there. Idk. It’s really just whatever I’m feeling in the moment. As long as it resonates and properly aligns with how I’m feeling, that’s all that matters. Growing up, I was so used to not fully acknowledging my emotions for the sake of others. Getting to feel and flesh out my emotions in such a theatrical way really has helped me bridge that disconnect.
As for video/photo, it truly depends on the project. One thing I’ve recently started doing is making promotional videos for local shows. I base the video on the theme of the show, pick a genre I want to parody, and collaborate with the producers/performers! I absolutely love it. I will also shoot video at shows which I also love. I feel like having experience on the stage really helps me with this as I know when to move the f*ck outta the way, how to not block the performers from the audience, and the general beats to hit/emphasize. Same with photography. I also love doing photoshoots with performers and coming up with fun sets that cater to their personas, and editing with their aesthetics in mind. Agh I could go on, but yea. I love what I do :]
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I DON’T KNOW HOW TO SEW!!!!!!!! THIS IS SOMETHING IM SO EMBARRASSED ABOUT BUT IT’S THE TRUTH!!!!!! I will learn though…
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bonegraphy.squarespace.com
- Instagram: @lesssbone / @bonegraphy
Image Credits
@ivanrodriguezphoto
@that_questcaptures
@andysatterphoto
@felicity_filmmaker
