If New Orleans native Antonio Carrasco's super sexy pinups and glamour nudes weren't enough to get us all hot and bothered on their own, his backstory has certainly warmed out hearts at least: a former "strung out transient" who dabbled in counterfeiting money as a hobby, Carrasco cleaned himself up and took his act on the road to California, where he's amassed a pretty stunning portfolio full of star-spangled nudes and some of the tastiest cheesecake it's ever been our pleasure to drool over. Says the artist, "Now, despite the dark days in the past, the future looks bright." We'll certainly be keeping an eye on his sparkly creations in the meantime. Pulling one's self up by one's bootstraps never looked so hot.

· Intensity Studios (intensitystudios.com)

Previously: Sexy Diptychs by Melvin Moten, West Coast Hotness By Looknsee Photography, Kinky Erotica from Indepth Photography, Photos by Nekosai: Porno Chic, Nude Figures by Sita Mae Edwards, Photos by Guy Le Baube, Photos by Tony Stamolis