Steampunk is a SciFi genre with a Victorian twist. The clothing, culture, and machinery are all based in Victorian history but along with most SciFI there are plenty of liberties taken. The aesthetic is familiar enough but seems to belong to an historical past that didn’t quite exist. Steampunk culture has bled into comic books, movies, art and of course conventions. These conventions , similar to the world famous ComicCon, provide fans for all parts of the Steampunk universe with a gathering place.

In the Fall of 2011, I attended bodybuilding competitions in Central Texas in order to document the athletes as well as show a behind-the-scenes look at their preparations. My goal was to learn what type of mental and physical preparation it took in order to compete in the world of female bodybuilding. The competitors photographed in this essay are amateurs, meaning that they were competing to earn a spot on the pro tour and ultimately compete for prize money. The actual competition is a series of one minute stage appearances in which the women must pose in front of a panel of judges. The athletes are scored on how well they pose, their musculature, and their overall appearance.