Guy Preston Bailey

August 10, 1992 - September 24, 2018

I’ve experienced loss in many different ways of my life, but I haven’t yet experienced one like this. Trying to formulate my emotions is difficult with the passing of someone so young, it’s hard to really understand. The last time I saw him was I believe at my launch party for yet another project I embarked on during my life in Los Angeles. I had invited him and he responded and told me he’d try to make it. I didn’t expect him to come, as it felt like we have had these celebrations before. After a while, you’re just happy anyone shows up. Yet, once he got word he was going to have off that night, he texted to tell me he would be there. We were both excited to see each other as it had been a while since we caught up. When he showed up, he was one of the people I was happiest to see. He was the ray of sunshine I needed during the chaos. He came with a smile on his face and disposable positive energy, like always.

I met Preston with a group of my close friends 4 years ago, on Cinco De Mayo, at El Chavo restaurant. We had just started our menswear online publication, and had started to do model searches for guys while we were out. This was the first night we actually decided to approach someone, and that someone was Preston. He was spotted from across the room, and I believe brought over to Eric and I to talk to. We planned a time to meet, and shoot, and enjoyed the rest of the evening together taking shots of tequila and drinking Dos Equis. This was the beginning of a beautiful collaboration that I will be ever grateful to Preston for. From the very start, he helped us with the site any way he could. He showed up on time and was always the last model standing. And in between had a smile pasted on his face. He helped me grow as an artist in ways that I didn’t realize until now. When I sat down to rummage through all the archives of images I have of him, I was rushed with so many memories we made and projects we’ve created, in such a short period of time. The images have created a beautiful timeline of the friendship that we formed and that I wanted to share. He helped me find my stride in photography for which I will always be indebted. Preston really was one of the good guys. He was handsome, funny and smart, but what grasped everyone’s attention around him was his kind heart and acceptance of all. A phrase has never rang so true, but devastatingly, only the good die young, and man, we lost one of the best ones.