Had there been no mention of that magic surname, would you have known whose photos these are? The usually glamhyped hyperrealist photographer David LaChapelle just published these 4th of July extravaganza called The Americans in Vogue Homme. But while these don’t have the same gloss we expect, there’s the same level of provocation and the same question: what is real? In what appears to be a “normal” American family tradition, grandma is armed with a gun, Spot is guzzling the booze, aunts are enjoying their man-ho, the pastor’s wife is hurling her buffet plate, and Mrs. Smith down the road is displaying her flexibility. Yes, I just came up with those details. But come to think of it, there’s just so much more in there. Look. (via lamjc)