KEVIN LOREAUX - EROTIC PHOTOGRAPHY

Lucy

2012-02-26T21:36:00.000-08:00

Time for some pretty pictures.

Sonia

2012-02-19T08:21:00.000-08:00

These are very recent images from a shoot with Sonia, a very versatilely talented musician. A classically trained cellist, she often records music inspired by dreamy soundtracks. Her most recent effort, though, is a hip hop album that she is just finishing up. For these shots, I was trying out my third bathroom studio- and I thought that I'd try something different, considering this bathroom has a tub. I always wanted to do some Ophelia inspired imagery- long one of my favorite visual allegories. I assumed that it would probably wind up looking cheesy, but I'm actually very happy with these- which definitely has a lot to do with Sonia being quite the muse.

Lucy & Nathalia

2012-02-14T16:14:00.000-08:00

It always seems to be easy to get two girls to do a shoot together- I can't recall ever getting a decline after suggesting it. It's actually much harder to get a guy to do a shoot with the girlfriend or wife. The woman is typically game- it tends to be the guy who is apprehensive. Guys tend to not like having their performance documented. I actually had a few shoots not materialize because the guy got cold feet. It was something that was a bit frustrating at first- getting guy/girl shoots was something that I really wanted to add to my portfolio for a couple of reasons. One reason was aesthetic- I wanted some balance, since I thought that a lot of girl/girl looked unbalanced. The most important reason was that I knew that once either a woman and/or couple viewed my portfolio, and saw some images like that, then they would be inspired to try it as well. Which is exactly what happened. People don't always know what they want until they see it. Not everyone has the imagination to envision possibilities, nor do they necessarily want to be the first to try something new. But when they see a good example of how it will turn out- it definitely breaks the ice. That's how I wound up doing so much erotic photography in general. It's a domino effect. When people see my work, they often get a very visceral reaction- "Oh, I want to be involved in that!".

Kel

2012-01-27T16:11:00.000-08:00

The following quote is from a NY Times article that I read recently:
"No organ is more promiscuous than the eye, and no appetite more insatiable than the hunger to look. These truths go a long way toward explaining the preoccupations of a culture whose interest in imagery is defining."
I could easily have a lot to say about what I feel regarding this quote. It is probably best to just leave it here on it's own, though, since the reason I like it so much is that it sums up many vague thoughts that I have- and so well in just a couple of sentences...

The following images are of Kel, from a recent shoot.

Lucy & Nathalia

2012-01-22T08:21:00.000-08:00

Here is a Helmut Newton influenced image from a recent shoot with Lucy and Nathalia.

Natalie

2012-01-04T16:53:00.000-08:00

Newest favorite model, Natalie. I like how these two images are so similar, yet so different at the same time. In the first I focused on the face, which is friendly and inviting. On the second I'm focusing on the rope and breasts, and there is wonderful tension happening. While I definitely like the second image better, I none the less find the comparison really interesting.

Meredith

2011-12-01T16:22:00.000-08:00

Some more Mer, some more windows. I love the diversity of characters that occasionally appear in the window. The fact that there can be two separate scenes happening simultaneously- the characters down on the street, and the model inside- and that they often have nothing to do with each other, really amuses me.

Sarah

2011-11-14T16:03:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've last shot with Sarah- we need to shoot again soon...

Diane F

2011-11-09T21:53:00.000-08:00

I've probably done too many images like this- eyes closed, close up on the face. They're like mandalas to me- I just keep doing them every shoot, until I get it right. In that case, maybe I haven't done enough of them, and perhaps I'll never get it right... This one is a personal favorite, though.

Mara

2011-11-07T17:12:00.000-08:00

Every time that I look at this image I think, that although it it one of my favorite images, that it wouldn't be nearly as good (and not a favorite) without the biting. It seems to pull it all together, as well as lend it that extra punch. The biting was genuine, as opposed to posed- which makes it all the more effective, as well.

Autumn

2011-11-04T07:54:00.000-07:00

Autumn has my favorite kind of eyes to photograph. In a portrait they are soulful and expressive. In erotic images they are bedroom eyes- sleepy, yet they draw you in. From the very beginning eyes have been the main focal point in my photographs of people, and that has never changed. I can always help someone's eyes connect to the camera better with a few tricks, but there is only so much that I can do. In the end, either someone's eyes connect to the camera or they don't. That is why it is only every so often that I create a portrait where the eyes simply get a intense visceral reaction from most viewers. It's a constant frustration, but when I get it, it's such a joy. I don't care for cliches (does anybody?), but "the eyes are a window into the soul" none the less applies to many of my images. The eyes are the best non-verbal indicator of our emotional and intellectual state of mind. I don't even know if I believe in humans having actual souls (I've met a few that definitely do not), but that doesn't matter. Photographs are an illusion, and if the illusion of seeing into the soul is there, then that illusion is what matters to me.

Izzy

2011-10-24T21:24:00.000-07:00

Slightly older favorites of Izzy that I've never posted...

Heff

2011-10-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

I typically try to stay away from blatant (or worse, juvenile) phallic imagery- but I just couldn't resist here...

Christine

2011-10-11T07:44:00.000-07:00

I love when someone welts up from scratches so easily...

Maggie

2011-10-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

My version of The Scream.

Jade Vixen

2011-09-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

I've really been interested in reflections lately, this one being nicely abstracted. I'm sure that most people are not even looking at that, yet alone interested...

Tanya Dakin

2011-09-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

These are old ones, from back when it was so easy to shoot at Eastern State Penitentiary. You could just wander around and do nudes anywhere you wanted, and no one bothered you. Now it's impossible to do nudes there, and they confine you to one place. Thinking about it is like a golden period that you wish you could revisit...

Meredith

2011-09-27T11:14:00.000-07:00

Mer moved to Chicago earlier this month, so I will only be able to shoot with her during her occasional visits back to Philly. Sadness.

Tali DeMar

2011-09-19T12:13:00.000-07:00

A couple of new ones of Tali DeMar...

Katelyn

2011-09-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

I'm not even sure myself how I managed to get the angles and spatiality. It probably has more to do with Katelyn- a great model makes my job easy. It makes me smile when I look at it.

Lucy

2011-09-07T07:49:00.000-07:00

I bought this penis candle online from the Lucky Mojo Curio Co. about a year ago, but I had been waiting for the right person to use it with. Lucy is terrified of fire, so she is probably the perfect person!

Heff

2011-09-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

I hate good taste. It's the worst thing that could happen to a creative person.

~Helmut Newton

Kess

2011-08-31T07:23:00.000-07:00

I'm shooting with Kess today, although technically she's retired from modelling. Looking forward to getting a nice, genuine portrait out of her- which usually is not difficult...

Lucy & Nathalia

2011-08-25T15:29:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of images from a recent shoot with Lucy and Nathalia, which I was really looking forward to. It was a good shoot- although I've been working on it in piecemeal, since I've been crazy busy lately...

PXE

2011-08-22T11:24:00.000-07:00

These images are from my first shoot with a model who goes by the moniker PXE. It's pronounced pixie, which is fitting due not only to her petite size, but her squeaky voice. Her voice is a dead ringer for Carol Kane's voice (from Taxi). She's definitely one of a kind- a fascinating person, capable of switching back and forth between a bubbly cartoon character and and intense sexual persona.

Sarah

2011-08-19T17:43:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple from the last shoot with Sarah- continuing with showing some prettier, but still erotic imagery.

LeeLoo

2011-08-18T07:50:00.000-07:00

I've been trying not to include any fashion oriented work of mine among the work highlighted here, but lately any fashion type work that I've been doing has definitely been very influenced by my darker, moodier erotic work. I've been using the same gritty backgrounds, not to mentioned that the clothing itself is mostly fetish stuff. So I'm breaking my own rules, and will be including some images that could be candidates for a fashion mag...

Lee

2011-08-04T19:55:00.000-07:00

I definitely need to shoot with Lee again soon...

Tanya

2011-07-26T07:07:00.000-07:00

This is from a 5 minute shoot with Tanya Dakin- short but sweet is sometimes better... Tanya is on the cover of Philadelphia Weekly this week, as well as being the cover story. Go Tanya!

Cahira & Kiki

2011-07-14T07:33:00.000-07:00

More explorations of lyrical movement and raw textures combined in one. If it was just pretty and refined, it would bore me to tears- but I love the combination...

Tanya

2011-07-05T20:20:00.000-07:00

I like the mix of angles and curves on this one.

Di

2011-06-26T17:49:00.000-07:00

Di had a cupping session (glass cups with a suction on top, which leave distinctive marks) the night before, which I was delighted to see. That, coupled with some other very recent markings, gave me a wonderful assortment of textures to work with. I was very happy with this shoot!

Cahira & Kiki

2011-06-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

A lovely first shoot with Cahira & Kiki. I love the fluid, dance like feeling of movement in these. It's something that I'm always trying to get, but it's notoriously difficult to translate dance into a still photograph. Of course, incorporating the blur of movement helps, and I do sometimes use this tactic- but that often feels like cheating to me. Or even worse, it can seem like a cheap trick. When I can get that feeling with out the blur, it makes me happy.

Meredith & Nick, Part II

2011-06-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

A while back I posted some images from the 2nd shoot with Meredith & Nick, which where perhaps a little bit more romantic. Well, a little bit, anyway. These are a little more rough...

Izzy & Chelsea

2011-06-10T09:25:00.000-07:00

For a while now, I've had this LARGE coffee table book on Pro Wrestling in my library of photo books. I never forget just how large it is, mostly due to fact that I carried it all around Boston after buying it at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. It is half made up of 70's to 80's male wrestlers, and the other half is nude women "wrestlers" shot in Atlantic City hotel rooms in the 70's. Since the cover is an image of the women "wrestlers", it tends to get quite some attention. Everyone seems to be at least amused by it, although some absolutely love it. I've been meaning to do a shoot based on it for years, and I finally got around to it a few weeks ago. The results are only loosely based on it, mostly because the book's images are very amateurish. Not that that is a bad thing- they are amateurish in a spectacularly awesome way. I just wanted to take the idea, and do it in my own style. More interpretations will probably soon follow...

Setsuki

2011-06-06T14:31:00.000-07:00

Setsuki is a circus performer, so whereas I usually do the rope work, this just her and a simple heavy chain that we linked up to the ceiling hooks. The brick wall, which is always behind the backgrounds that I typically use, is a nice departure. I've tried the brick before, and did not like it- I think that I got it right this time...

Heff

2011-06-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

I feel as if I'm just starting to figure out how to best utilize my rooftop for getting the shots that I want. The first image is the decrepit wall that gets blasted with greasy exhaust from the Chinese restaurant below. That makes for a great background! The exhaust starts blowing around 4-5pm, so I usually shoot before then. The light is typically best before then, anyway. I love the fire escape in the second shot, but the stuff behind it tends to be too busy. Blowing out the detail- which isn't difficult, since the bars are so graphic & silhouetted, looks wonderfully simple. On the third shot, blowing out detail that is busy but accentuating detail that is textured, seems to work well. Shooting out there with Heff doesn't hurt, either...

Erica & James

2011-05-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

I am of the firm belief that neither nudity, nor explicitness, is necessary to make an image erotic. I think that such is the case with these three images. I typically start shoots with clothes on, and try to get something interesting there, first. Not that I'm going to abandon nudity anytime soon, since I like the idea of creating the question of whether it's art or porn. I do not believe for a moment that my work classifies as porn, but of course, that is just my opinion. I enjoy being the provocateur, and I like other people to ask that question about my work themselves. In the end, there is always someone, somewhere, who finds Victoria's Secret catalogs to be good porn- not to mention even more seemingly innocuous imagery elsewhere. Beauty and/or porn, as well as what is perhaps erotic, is always in the eye of the beholder.

Manchester

2011-05-13T10:19:00.000-07:00

This shot was a pleasant surprise, since I did not know that she had this tattoo on the inside of her lip, until she did this. Apparently, although they tend to be less painful than other tattoos, ink does not usually last here. They need to be redone, or they fade into oblivion. Something about the acid and chemical content of the mouth. The body also absorbs the pigment inside the mouth. These tats last from 1-5 years, depending on the person. Interesting factoid of the day...

Christine

2011-05-10T09:52:00.000-07:00

This shot is actually a few years old. Besides that I've always really liked it, it seemed to mark a turning point for me. I think that this is my first successful image employing an extreme point of view and perspective, which I've continued to explore ever since. I find the idea of creating a lush deep space, starting with only the beginning in focus, to be a great way of forcing the viewer to see things the way that I often do while shooting. Of course this kind of spatial illusion is nothing new- it goes back to Andrea Mantegna (an Italian painter from the 1400's) and The Lamentation of Christ. At first that painting looks like a study of foreshortening, but he actually reduced the size of the feet, among other things. Likewise, I can use lighting, depth of field, and Photoshop to create little tricks, making it seem like three feet goes on and on...

Setsuki

2011-04-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

These two images are from a brief initial shoot with Setsuki. btw, that's her real, given name! I'm always excited when I get a very genuine portrait such as this one below. They are not easy to come by, despite the fact that I'm always trying. It depends more on the person I'm working with, rather than necessarily what I do. There are certain qualities that need to be present. Things such as eyes that can lock with the camera, yet be translucent as well. Expressions that are natural and relaxed, almost detached. Usually someone who feels comfortable wearing little to no makeup. Still, the right time and place- not to mention luck, play a large role. I can't help to be painfully aware that some of the most memorable portraits were created by extremely capable photographers, yet could never be repeated or matched. They remain well known solely for that one image, rather than their complete body of work. Steve McCurry's "Afghan Girl" or Dorothea Lange's "Migrant Mother" are good examples of this phenomenon. A rarer thing is a photographer who can consistently attain superb portraits, such as Richard Avedon, or Yousuf Karsh. But even Avedon has "Dovima with the Elephants", and Karsh has "Winston Churchill". Of course, I don't have that defining image yet- perhaps never will. But there are a few images that I capture that give me hope that there is still a chance...

Katy & Kitty

2011-04-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

These images might seem a little out of place with any thing else in this blog. They were intentionally part of a shoot with Katy & Kitty, and I've been dedicating a portion of many of my shoots to shooting these images. They're for my body scape series, which I have not shown anywhere on the web but here, although some were incorporated in my body painting show at Mew gallery last year. btw, I hate the term body painting, but I can't seem to come up with anything better. The lighting, texture and mood are the same as everything else here, so I suppose that they do sort of belong with this body of work.

Meredith

2011-04-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

These are some out takes from a recent shoot with Meredith, for her new paysite. Of course the images used for the set of 40 pics look completely different- pretty much formula soft core porn, in color. The lighting was even and straightforward, and I only employed my film noir lighting for the more interesting shots. I'm not very fond of doing sets because the post production is very time consuming, despite the fact that I try to rip through it. The typical porn producer would consider my "ripping through it" extremely time consuming. I need to work on letting go and just setting some auto levels to each image. I don't know how to be a hack. There are many days when I wish I could be. I do have to admit, however, that it's a blast shooting these sets! Porn formula is so easy. I don't even have to think about it. I just shoot and have fun. In my personal work I need to be so intensely focused- constantly moving lights, looking for the right angle, checking the camera parameters, et cetera. In the work that I post here, I'm always trying so hard to come up with something that is on a different level. I tend to forget that, perhaps, I should be enjoying these shoots more. I just saw your eyes roll... I'm serious, though. As Ming-Ming always says on Wonder Pets, "this is Seer-wious!!"

Izzy & Chuck

2011-03-31T12:37:00.000-07:00

Izzy is someone that I've photographed many times, both her alone and also with other women. She also happens to be a fantastic erotic photographer in her own right- you can see some of her work at http://www.jisobeldelisle.com/. Her previous boyfriend had no interest in being photographed with her, which is why I have not previously done a girl/guy shoot with her until now- she is certainly uninhibited enough. Chuck is her new man, who is much more suited to her personality in all ways. This was our first attempt at a shoot- but I think that we can do even better. There is definitely more to come...

Li

2011-03-26T11:21:00.001-07:00

Li is a medical doctor with whom I've shot many times. She is one of my favorite people to shoot with, which could have something to do with the fact that she has a fetish for being photographed. She actually gets off on being photographed, and although this could be said of quite a few women that I've photographed, with Li it is very intense and definitely different. She enjoys working with other photographers as well, and while she says I'm her favorite, I'm never under any illusion other than it is the camera providing the connection. When the camera goes down it is like an on/off switch. That's part of what fetishes are- object related. When that object is no longer there, neither is the fetish. None the less, I have to admit it is fascinating to control someone like a puppet on a string with a camera. Li has several unique fetishes like that. Another is uniforms- the more formal, the more intense it is for her. A Marine decorated with lots of medals does a lot more for her than a Army private with none. Lots of people have reactions like that to clothing, but with Li it is intense beyond description. I find it curious that playing dress up and/or role playing would do nothing for her- it has to be genuine. She also has a Playboy bunny fetish. Her ultimate fantasy is to be a Playboy bunny- she says she would give up being a doctor to be one! Of course she owns a bunny outfit, but the interesting thing is that it is vintage from the 60's. With her own nameplate. She is quite particular like that...

Katy

2011-03-25T07:14:00.000-07:00

Katy is a rockabilly girl who is obsessed with Henry Miller. It’s something that we have in common, among other things. Pinup images are a genre that I've focused on in the past and continue to occasionally create. There have not been any of my pinup pics represented here since it is a style that is so very different from this work. I'm definitely still channeling Bettie Page, though! Katy, of course, has many tattoos- certainly not very pinup. In the past, I’ve always strove to be dead on as far as re-creating the looks of yesteryear. I feel as though I've been hitting a stride lately in developing my own distinct style. Now I've been trying to incorporate that when doing the pinups, portraits and Hollywood glamour photographs.

Izzy

2011-03-24T07:56:00.001-07:00

This is one of my personal favorites. I was thinking of a Fellini film when I shot it, and it still reminds me of Fellini film as an image. I have to admit that there is not much humor in my work, with the exception of my portfolio of dolls & toys. This one cracks me up, though. That has a lot to do with Izzy, who never takes things too seriously, and is always a blast to work with. btw, she was shaking her tits at pedestrians below, before & after the shot- which was even funnier than the image itself...

Sarah

2011-03-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

Sarah is a professional model, and these images are from one particular shoot we did. Although they may not look different from other images of mine, I have to say that working with her is much different than working with most people. She doesn't need any direction, and I don't need to say anything. With others (especially someone who has never been photographed before), I am able to get images that look very good, but it can be very hard work. Sarah has a way of moving around that is exquisite to watch, and easy to photograph...

Mistress Jade Vixen

2011-03-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

Jade Vixen is a very well known dominatrix, who is also an old and dear friend. Some of my most memorable images were created with her, although they have usually been fashion or vintage looking images rather than raw and erotic. There are several good reasons for this, despite that she has a very edgy and uninhibited persona. For one thing she typically tends to be in control and dominant (or wants to portray that in her images), whereas my erotic images tend to portray a submissive with some wild abandon. She also has an exquisite collection of vintage clothes- so we've usually gravitated towards showing them off.

Meredith & Nick

2011-02-24T19:42:00.000-08:00

Well, I think it's official- I believe that I've photographed Meredith more times & in more situations than anyone else that I've worked with in the past. This is the second shoot with her and Nick. I don't think that I've ever had a bad shoot with her, and I'm still looking forward to many more. Shoots with her couldn't be more laid back. In fact, we sometimes smoke up beforehand- something that I rarely do, since I definitely prefer to be in full control of my facilities when I'm shooting. Sloppiness is probably not a bad thing to introduce into my work. I like the unpredictability of it- but I'm not willing to go there with someone new, and especially not if I'm getting paid to do a job. I have been experimenting more with paid work, though- and people seem to be digging it. Me, too.

Kitty

2011-02-10T11:18:00.000-08:00

More goose pimples...

Mistress Thora

2011-02-07T10:17:00.000-08:00

More explorations of texture. I'm not looking forward to winter ending, as goose pimples will be much harder to come by.

Thora & Meredith

2011-01-31T17:35:00.000-08:00

This shoot is my first one in a dominatrix's dungeon- Mistress Thora Nang's. While dungeons have long interested me, and I've had access to some in the past, I've avoided shooting in them. They usually seem too contemporary or cheesy to me. Not to mention that I would not have the same control or comfort that I have in my own studio. The benefit, though, is that everything is right there- it's like being a kid in a candy store. Which is an understatement in Mistress Thora's dungeon! She has an incredible selection of equipment, apparatus and furnishings. It actually causes sensory overload- I have no idea what to try out next. I'll definitely be back there to shoot again...

Lee

2011-01-17T08:06:00.000-08:00

This tie is fairly traditional Kinkabu, although the use of cheap twine definitely is not. Kinkabu usually employs quality jute rope (or hemp rope). I tend to be more concerned with my own aesthetics rather than being proper. I think that the twine gives a wonderfully rough look- practically falling apart as I apply it. It's difficult to work with, and it's not comfortable- but I none the less want to try some more of this. It really digs into the skin and leaves nice marks, too...

Jade Vixen

2011-01-12T14:07:00.000-08:00

I've always, as far back as I can remember, taken pictures of marks left by clothing. These marks fascinate me because they seem to be like ghosts that soon fade away. The pictures of them were always simply documents, though, as opposed to having the same importance of whatever else I was shooting. Consequently, I was really dropping the ball on subject matter that could of had the potential strength of anything else I photograph. Lately I've been spending much more time shooting these intriguing textures, not to mention tying corsets and ropes ever more tighter to achieve better marks...

Meredith

2011-01-10T09:04:00.000-08:00

These images are documenting a practical matter- washing the icing off from the icing shoot, which I've previously posted. A very nonchalant fifteen minute shoot that was more goofing around and chatting (along with Izzy), rather than shooting. I often get better shots with Meredith just being casual, as opposed to thinking about it too much.

Kess

2011-01-04T09:41:00.000-08:00

These two images of Kess represent an example of something that I've been working on during the past couple of years. I've been going back to older images and completely starting over from scratch, and finding new ways to finish them. That is the beauty (and possibly the frustration) of the potential of negatives- whether film or digital. The possibilities of what a technically good negative can be turned into are endless. In the past, my modus operandi was to retain good solid blacks, make sure that the lightest areas were not blown out- and then let everything else fall in between. This was a logical way to work in the darkroom with film, with some burning & dodging here and there to help. Using layers in Photoshop, though, allows me to exploit areas of detail that would have been impossible or at least extremely difficult in the darkroom. Rather than exploiting the possibilities of distorting or retouching images, I'm finding that instead I can create levels of detail that inherently exist, but were way beyond my reach in the darkroom. That is to say that I'm not making detail up, but merely excavating it very carefully, much the way an archaeologist carefully excavates a dig with fine brushes and other tools. After all, that's exactly what Photoshop is anyway- a very powerful tool. Of course, all tools can be used either heavy handedly or with fine precision. I've discovered that using fine precision is allowing me to make images that are hyper real, instead of becoming hyper fake.

Speaking of detail, the images that I post here are actually scaled down versions in order to be viewed easily on the blog- if the image is clicked on, a larger and more detailed version can be seen...

Laura

2011-01-01T20:11:00.000-08:00

The following quote is from a NY Times article that I read today:
"No organ is more promiscuous than the eye, and no appetite more insatiable than the hunger to look. These truths go a long way toward explaining the preoccupations of a culture whose interest in imagery is defining."
I could easily have a lot to say about what I feel regarding this quote. It is probably best to just leave it here on it's own, though, since the reason I like it so much is that it sums up many vague thoughts that I have- and so well in just a couple of sentences...

The following images are of Laura, from a shoot about eight months ago.

Samantha

2010-12-30T09:52:00.000-08:00

This is from six months ago. I hate shooting in the summer. My studio is like a combination brick oven/greenhouse with the mixture of bricks that gets constant sun during the day and large windows in between. Although I amp up the air conditioning before shooting, it is quickly negated by the hot lights. Fans, which create wonderful goosebumps in winter, are simply just a little relief in summer. Another reason that I used to disliked shooting in summer was tan lines- I used to hate them, but recently I've come to embrace them. I still do not care for tans in general, but very pale skin contrasted with a dark tan line creates a feeling of something that you shouldn't see- a visual treat. Next summer I need to find a couple of models with some serious tan lines. I guess that this posting is a call out...

Lee

2010-12-29T13:12:00.000-08:00

2nd shoot with Lee, and I've finally figured out that this is the combination of texture & lighting that I've been searching for and wish to pursue. Hopefully most models will not mind the scratching and resulting welts, not to mention bruises that are necessary for it. Most already show up with interesting bruises and bite marks already. I've always employed fans (in winter, preferably) to achieve a tightness of skin and goosebumps- most do not particularly care for that, but suffer through it- for the art. Of all the ways that I can think of to torture people, apparently fans in my cold warehouse studio are the most evil. In fact, just last week was the first person who said that they actually enjoy being cold and getting goosebumps. Ironically, I think that the scratching and bruising are going to go over much better than the fans in winter...

Syn

2010-12-28T13:16:00.000-08:00

These are a few images from my first shoot with Syn, which I believe is just a warm up shoot. I say that because, well, here is an inventory list she sent me regarding what she will bring to the next shoot:
In addition to 2 pantyhose cocoons in black, and a huge amount of pantyhose in various colors and thigh highs and fishnets in various colors I have: 1 box large Nitrile gloves, black, 1 box medium Nitrile gloves, black, purple rabbit fur flogger, fuzzy handcuffs, black, Purple bondage tape, Black bondage tape, Black Vet wrap, Wrist cuffs- fake leather, 2 pair, Wrist cuffs- real leather, Cupping set with 12 cups, Hitachi wand, Hitachi Trinity head w/ clitoral, vaginal, anal probes, Hitachi head - knobbed (beads), Prostate/Gspot Stimulator, Jennings Dental Gag, Collins Speculum, Regular Speculum, Mens pleasure wand xl, 2 Jelly Anal Beads, Ball Gag, Blind Fold, Wartenburg wheel, Snake bite Kit, Anal Plug vibrator, Small anal plug, medium anal plug, Pyrex Dildo, Pyrex beaded (knobbed) dildo, White paraffin candles (wax play), Strap on Harness, Rubber Cock rings, Jelly dong, Jelly double ended dildo, Vaginal/Anal dual vibrator (u shaped), G spot butterfly vibe, Waterproof rabbit, Large Rabbit with rotating beads, Glo in the dark dildo with removable ribs, another rabbit, Head Honcho sleave, Blue vibrating bullet, 5 Function neon green bullet, Orange glo in the dark bullet, Clothespins galore!, Liquid latex in various colors, Massage oil candles, Massage oil, Hot rocks, Massage heart. I should be getting more wax play candles... I am waiting for them to ship. I also have the reject bin and the hilarious bin. Rejects: ribbed vibe (supposed to be bendable, but isn't), flesh colored vibe, small black vibe, water proof bullet. Hilarious because they are huge! HUGE black dong, huge Colt Driller dildo with spikes!

Lee

2010-12-22T11:45:00.000-08:00

These images are from my first shoot with Lee- I'm actually waiting for her to arrive for a second shoot as I type this. Well, there's the doorbell... hence my shortest entry yet. Pictures are worth a thousand words, anyway.

Meredith & Icing

2010-12-20T13:43:00.000-08:00

These are a few out takes from the end of a shoot involving some fantastical makeup to portray an Ice Queen. The finishing touch was a collar made of vanilla icing. So Meredith ate all of the icing at the end of the shoot, and here are the results. I really love these fun shoots- I think that I should do this type of thing more often.

PXE

2010-12-15T14:47:00.000-08:00

Apparently people are actually reading my posts. I really thought that I would just be writing here to get it all out for myself- placing my thoughts and intuitions into concrete words. It's interesting to look at the stats and notice that I'm found via "thumb sucking fetish" & "eroticism in a window" being Googled. Although I assumed (and sometimes knew) that my images were being lifted (sometimes deviously), it's also interesting to be able to see where they are going by looking at the stats. Some examples of this are people who write blogs based on erotic photography that they find & lift- almost always with credit and links back to me. So consequently I can read what somebody who has a inherent interest in work like mine and others like me has to say. I'm liking this blog thing, while still trying to resist spending too much time on it.

These images are from my first shoot with a model who goes by the moniker PXE. It's pronounced pixie, which is fitting due not only to her petite size, but her squeaky voice. Her voice is a dead ringer for Carol Kane's voice (from Taxi). She's definitely one of a kind- a fascinating person, capable of switching back and forth between a bubbly cartoon character and and intense sexual persona.

Window Series

2010-11-27T14:06:00.000-08:00

I've already represented quite a few images from the window series, but here are a few out takes that I have not yet posted. The first image is definitely a rare example of humor in my work. I wish I could pull humor off more often, but I only like it when it's genuine- and preferably, at least slightly twisted. Those guys were standing there respectfully and gratefully for about twenty minutes, without any hooting or hollering. Only in Chinatown. I love the diversity of audiences that I get looking up at the window. Most people are completely oblivious to the show that's a stone's throw away, and just walk on by. Of those that do notice, some do a hilarious double take, some try and strike up a conversation, and others just quietly enjoy their luck. They are indeed lucky for the most part, I believe. I would much rather be them than me at that moment- how often do you get see something like that walking down the street? My favorite was the old Chinese lady that stood there shaking her head in mock condemnation- how offended could she be if she decided to stick around forever, rather than leave?

The second image garnered the opposite reaction compared to the first one. They were trying to be too cool for school, only occasionally looking up, despite being there for about fifteen minutes. I found that really interesting, even though it's not as amusing as the guys looking up.

Also of interesting note is that most of my models tend to be a little disappointed about the lack of attention that they get in the window, despite their best efforts. Most of my models are serious exhibitionists. I always let the one or two that don't want the attention know that they will mostly be ignored, and even they seem surprised that, indeed, they were ignored. The exhibitionists are so happy, though, when they get that just right audience...

Ellen

2010-11-24T06:47:00.000-08:00

I've always really liked this image, even though out of context it does not hold any particular meaning for anybody else. Well, it happened to be shot just after a very intense shower scene. So consequentially she is taking a relaxing smoke break, hair still dripping... Photographs are often like that. A favorite quote of mine by the photographer Diane Arbus sums it up best- "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know".

Lola

2010-11-18T11:16:00.000-08:00

There are many reasons that I get hired for erotic shoots, which is why it has become a very nice addition to my business. Often a woman does a shoot as a gift for her boyfriend or husband, or vice versa. Occasions for this can be a wedding, anniversary, birthday or Valentine's day. Just as often, women hire me just as a gift to themselves- they might not even have a boyfriend or husband. Reasons for this include to boost self-esteem, images for posterity (since they won't always look this good), or just to have a new & different experience. An erotic shoot is like a day at the spa- relaxing & fun.

Not everyone is aware that dominatrixes, escorts and strippers also hire me for erotic promotional images- either for their websites or advertising. Escorts and strippers who hire me typically just need very formulaic, straightforward (although glamorous) images with lingerie and then nudes. Sometimes, though, they ask if we can do something more interesting since they have seen some of my more erotic work. Or they come back another time to do a more erotic shoot. Lola is one of those who wanted to do something more interesting as well...

Sarah

2010-10-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

These images are from the second shoot with Sarah, who I photographed for the first time a few weeks ago. They are not quite as erotic as our first shoot, but I am none the less very happy with them. She is a joy to work with, and I know that I can get something different from her every time. I hope to work with her more often in the near future...

Meredith

2010-10-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

Meredith is one of my closest friends, and she is probably my favorite person to shoot with. We've done every type of shoot together- pinup, fashion, portrait, abstract bodyscapes, as well as many erotic shoots. Shoots with her are always very laid back and usually without any agenda- pick up the camera and shoot. This shoot seems to be part of an emerging series featuring toys...

Jezz

2010-10-25T06:54:00.000-07:00

This image of Jezz comes from an early suspension shoot. I was not particularly happy with the results of the shoot in general because of the black background that I used. You couldn't necessarily tell that the person was actually suspended, since they disappeared into the black. I've since employed a white background that is separately lit with fresnel spots, which gives a greater sense of depth and spatiality. I did, however, really like this close up of her face with a hand made rope gag. It's always nice if you can get a little gem out of what is otherwise a failure- albeit a trial & error failure that I learned from.

Sarah

2010-10-22T07:07:00.000-07:00

Sarah is someone that I just met a few weeks ago, and we have already done a couple of shoots together. These images are from our first shoot. The initial plan was to simply do one of my turn of the century set ups. This series is like the old timey boardwalk photographs, except that they more resemble actual vintage images, rather than being campy or hokey. I find it interesting there is such a fine line between being genuine versus stereotypical. It's like what David St. Hubbins says in Spinal Tap- "it's such a fine line between stupid an' clever". I also like to turn it up to eleven. But I digress. Sarah turned out to be very open to the work that I've been concentrating on lately, not to mention that she is quite the muse. I hope to work with her more often in the near future. I'll post some images from our second shoot (which went very well) as soon as I finish them...

Jess

2010-10-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

Jess is a model who was being photographed in my studio by Donna, a model/photographer/friend. I decided to casually and quickly take a few shots of her myself. The result was one of my favorite portraits. It is off the cuff, yet somewhat raw, genuine and erotic. For some reason, it really speaks to me.

Tali DeMar

2010-10-20T07:28:00.000-07:00

Tali DeMar is a burlesque performer based in Los Angeles. She specifically hired me to do a fetish oriented shoot with her for her website- http://www.talidemar.com/ We also did some glamorous pin-up stuff, but it was grittier imagery that she was most interested in. In a previous post I showed some of the bondage pics that we did, and here are some other out takes. She is a blast to shoot with, and I can't wait until she swings by Philadelphia again.

Katy

2010-10-18T19:38:00.000-07:00

Scars, especially self inflicted ones, are something that I've avoided photographing for a long time. It's not because I was squeamish or shocked by them, but because I did not want to portray them like a sideshow attraction. I wanted to portray them more as an elegant and/or interesting document. Consequently, I've been incorporating them into bodyscapes where they are simply part of the rest of the texture going on. Or even one step better, they just happen to make an appearance in an image that is not necessarily about them...

Li & Carl

2010-10-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

Photographing Li and Carl was one of the first really explicit girl/guy shoots that I've done, and it is still one the the most intense. While I've since done shoots that are perhaps more explicit, this set the benchmark for me on the type of intensity that I'm looking for lately. I often give a little direction as to what I think will work before shooting, but I don't recall saying anything to them before shooting- I just picked up the camera and started looking for angles. Well, I guess that I sometimes tend to perhaps make doing these shoots sound simpler than it is. I am constantly moving lights around. I'm also constantly thinking of making sure that these images are raw and uncensored, while striving to be anti-porn at the same time. Not that I have anything against porn, but it is what it is- it's a definitive formula for a practical use. I'm always trying to go against the formula and beyond to rise above and create something more genuine, to let people see more possibilities in sexual imagery. There are plenty of amateur photographers trying to pass off what is essentially porn as fine art- especially with the advent of digital cameras. One can even walk into an art gallery and see erotic work that is essentially, or basically porn being poorly passed off as art. I want to get a visceral reaction from viewers, change perceptions, or ultimately have someone say that my images are like nothing that they've seen before...

Meredith & Nick

2010-10-06T09:44:00.000-07:00

Meredith is a close friend and someone that I've photographed many times. I've photographed her alone, and also with other women as well. We had talked about doing a shoot with her boyfriend Nick before, but it took a while before we finally got around to it. Both the sentence that starts off this post and the images that follow are very similar to my post and images from yesterday. This is not a coincidence- Mer & Izzy (she is in the previous post) have a lot in common, and this shoot and the other bear a marked resemblance to each other. The chemistry is the same. The same intensity is there as well, although this does come at least a little bit from me- while I tend not to interfere during these couples shoots, I let them know in the beginning what I'm looking for. I like for there to be a push & pull, a realness without posing, and I tell them to ignore (as much as possible) my presence. I also like consensual violence, which I think makes for more dynamic images. That request does not seem to ever pose much of an issue with the people I've been working with lately...

Meredith & Mara

2010-10-04T08:27:00.000-07:00

Mara had seen some of the photographs that I took of Meredith, and mentioned that she would really, really want to shoot with her. The feeling was mutual for Mer, so that was easy. In fact it always seems to be easy to get two girls to do a shoot together- I can't recall ever getting a decline after suggesting it. It's actually much harder to get a guy to do a shoot with the girlfriend or wife. The woman is always game- it tends to be the guy who is apprehensive. Guys tend to not like having their performance documented. I actually had a few shoots not materialize because the guy got cold feet. It was something that was a bit frustrating at first- getting guy/girl shoots was something that I really wanted to add to my portfolio for a couple of reasons. One reason was aesthetic- I wanted some balance, since a lot of girl/girl looked unbalanced. The most important reason was that I knew that once either a woman and/or couple viewed my portfolio, and saw some images like that, then they would be inspired to try it as well. Which is exactly what happened. People don't always know what they want until they see it. Not everyone has the imagination to envision possibilities, nor do they necessarily want to be the first to try something new. But when they see a good example of how it will turn out- it definitely breaks the ice. That's how I wound up doing so much erotic photography in general. It's a domino effect. When people see my work, they often get a very visceral reaction- "Oh, I want to be involved in that!".

Autumn & Jenn

2010-10-03T12:39:00.001-07:00

Both Autumn and Jenn have a lyrical way of moving around, and Jenn has amazingly expressive hands as well. I've actually done a previous shoot just concentrating on Jenn's hands. These images are probably prettier than anything else in this blog. I still think that they have a nice rawness, which is most likely due to the fact that there is no re-touching involved here. The lack of re-touching is a hallmark of all the images in this blog- something that I've been trying to get away from lately. Digital offers so many options for changing an image. More often than not, I think that those options can be a detriment rather than an advantage for improving the end result. With film I was often frustrated by the lack of options in the darkroom, but with digital one has to beware of relying too much on the unlimited supply of them.

Viktor & Natalya

2010-10-02T13:55:00.001-07:00

Viktor & Natalya are both body builders, so they could both physically take whatever the other had to dish out. That was interesting. Needless to say, they had a lot of chemistry going on. I said almost nothing the whole shoot- I simply told them to do their thing, and I just moved the lights around often and looked for good angles. Which describes my method for shooting couples in general- I give a little bit of direction in the beginning, and then I stay out of the way. I like these shoots to be genuine, and the best way for that to happen is to not interfere.

Katleyn & Izzy

2010-10-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

Tacked on at the end of these pics is an image that might seem very out of place with any thing else in this blog. It was intentionally part of the shoot with Katelyn & Izzy, and I've been dedicating a portion of many of my couple's shoots to shooting these images. They're for my body scape series, which I have not shown anywhere on the web but here, although some were incorporated in my body painting show at Mew gallery last year. While it is indeed both of them, it is actually a triptych of three separate images fused together. Ironically, I'm not typically a big fan of image manipulation to this extent, but I've been very happy with this series. I think that drastic image manipulation usually comes off as really cheesy, but this is my attempt to make it more elegant and thought provoking...

Kellie

2010-09-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

Kellie is a friend of Jade Vixen, and Jade brought her by when they were traveling together. The main reason for shooting was to do a dual suspension along with Katelyn. Kellie has a lot of tattoos, and while that may not seem out of place among other images posted in this blog, it is something relatively new to my body of work in general. The reason that tattoos are conspicuously absent from much of my work is certainly not because I don't like them- I do, actually. The reason is that most of my influences come from classic masters, and I've always wanted my images to have a timeless feel- so I've always either avoided using models with tattoos, or made sure not to show them. I've always had the same policy with contemporary clothing, hair & makeup- I've seen some otherwise great images from the 80's & 90's that look painfully dated simply because of the clothes, hair or makeup. Lately it seems that all of the most interesting models, or models that are the most uninhibited, have many tattoos. Not to mention body modifications, body piercing's, scars, et cetera. So I've kind of given up excluding these things from my work, and I've actually embraced them. I still tend to stick with vintage looking hair, makeup and lingerie, though. I honestly don't think that there have been any great new strides made in those departments in the last 30 years. I'm very happy with the recent work I have been doing, but only time will tell which will hold up better- my newer work (which is also digital), or my older work in film...

Izzy

2010-09-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

Izzy is a photographer who happens to model for me on occasion. Izzy is her nickname. As a photographer she goes by her given name, J Isobel DeLisle. Some of her work can be found at her website- http://www.jisobeldelisle.com/. All of her work is erotic, and she is very good at it. We share a strong affinity for photography, which certainly helps with shooting together. Or perhaps it's just that she likes to take her clothes off. Seriously. She even likes to be undressed when behind the camera. Despite that we both have high standards with our work, our shoots are always very laid back- we don't work that hard at it. Which is something that has changed about my working style- I used to be an obscene perfectionist, whereas I've really loosened up quite a bit lately. I think that has improved my work for the most part. A model who has worked with me for a long time recently mentioned that she misses how I used to move her in 1/8 inch increments until I got the shot right. I don't really do that anymore...

Jenn

2010-09-28T08:08:00.000-07:00

Jenn is Jade Vixen's sister. Jenn is her real name, and while I alway's use Jade's real name in private, for good reasons I never mention it online. That's a shame, because I particularly like Jade's real name. Jenn and Jade couldn't be more different than each other in real life- ironically they often look remarkably similar in my images of them. That probably has more to do with the fact that I like to create personas in my images- many of the people that I photograph are often portrayed as more of a reflection of myself than themselves. Most people that I photograph are typically a little taken aback when see my images of them (in a good way)- even though they were there for the shoot! They simply are not used to looking at themselves in the way that I portray them. My images are an illusion rather than a mirror. I've photographed Jenn many times, and I typically have created glamorous pictures involving elaborate makeup with her- because she's actually very laid back and doesn't wear makeup. These images are a little closer to her actual personality, but they are still definitely a persona...

Samantha & Eamon

2010-09-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

I met with Samantha and Eamon a few weeks before this shoot, and I was really looking forward the the actual day of the shoot because they both seemed like perfect subjects. They both had some very intense fetishes that piqued my interest, as well as the fact that they were obviously really looking forward as well. Before I photographed them in the shower, I just shot Samantha alone in the studio. I was a little worried at that point, because she was very nervous, apprehensive and wasn't quite sure what to do. I actually got some great images of her alone in retrospect, but it didn't seem like it at the time. It was a different story, though, when I started shooting them together in the shower. I didn't have to give any direction at all- they just did their thing. For about an hour and a half! Their chemistry was amazing. Shooting this was easy, if not a little exhausting just because of the length of time spent in a steamy bathroom, with hot lights.

Katelyn & Jon

2010-09-25T20:12:00.000-07:00

Katelyn is someone that I've photographed several times before, and Jon is a friend of hers. This shoot was actually a lighting test/ dry run for a much more elaborate shoot for a sexual lubricant advertisement. It featured two different models and another photographer the next day (as well as two more assistants, a makeup person and creative director). The advertisement shoot was similar, but more posed & romantic, rather than spontaneous or intense like most of the images posted here.

Shower series

2010-09-24T15:29:00.000-07:00

I started the Shower series about three years ago, when someone who hired me asked if I could photograph her in the shower. I've since done some intense and/or explicit images, as well as some beautiful and/or romantic ones (which seems to describe the two alternating variations of my work lately), but that particular shoot was actually one of the most intense shoots I've ever done. Most of the shower shoots were shot in the 2nd floor shower, which I built from scratch about six years ago. In the past year I've been shooting in the 4th floor shower, which at first I didn't like, but it has been growing on me. Both do have the benefit of being open at the top and rising up twelve feet, so that I can shoot from up above, as well as light from above. Eventually, I'm sure that I'll move on to some fancy tub or other shower, but I'm still satisfied shooting in the new shower for the moment.

Below are some favorite out takes that I have not posted before.

Suspensions

2010-09-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple of years I have been doing suspensions in my studio in collaboration with Ian. He is very experienced with rope bondage and suspension. Some more of his work can be seen on his website at http://www.shibaritai.com/ . In the BDSM world, "full suspension" refers to suspending a person's entire body off the floor with the aid of ropes, chains, or cables. A typical full suspension is an advanced and somewhat risky form of rope bondage. It involves the use of elaborate knots, and many practitioners use modular rope segments that can be quickly released in case the subject experiences a loss of circulation, unwanted pain, or loses consciousness, etc. This is one of the reasons that Ian does the suspensions. Besides that I'm not really experienced enough to do suspensions, it wouldn't be wise for me to be oblivious to someone's safety while I'm photographing them. Most of the rope work that is photographed on the floor, however, are things that I have done myself.

One of the reasons that I began an interest in doing a series on suspensions is that, both in books and surfing the net, it is very hard to find many well made photographs of suspensions. It's not difficult to find well done rope work, but the the combination of great rope work and images seems to be greatly lacking. So it seemed to be something really worth taking on. After this portfolio builds and expands (I'd like to move the setting outside in trees, for example), I'd like to perhaps get a book published on it.

Amaya

2010-09-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

For those who don't already know, Kinbaku is traditional Japanese bondage which translates literally as "the beauty of tight binding". It is also often called Shibari, which translates as "to bind". A nice bonus of practicing Kinbaku are the marks that are left behind afterward. While the rope itself is very obvious, I think that the marks left behind tell a interesting story of what already happened.

I don't have much to say about Amaya, since Ian the suspension guy brought her by- and I only worked with her for about a hour on this shoot. I don't recall much conversation. I haven't seen her since- I can't say that I really know her at all...

Mistress Astrid

2010-09-21T09:19:00.000-07:00

Astrid is dominatrix. Many people seem to be unaware, unfamiliar or misinformed about what a dominatrix is or what they do. The term dominatrix is often used to describe a professionally dominant woman (or pro-domme) who charges money to engage in erotic topping fantasy play with submissive clients. Sessions are often conducted in dedicated play spaces (dungeons), but can also occur in client homes, by telephone or online via chat. Usually a dominatrix wears alluring outfits and dominates a male or female by verbal humiliation, whipping, spitting, and occasionally urinating on the submissive or slave to get him/her aroused sexually. A dominatrix will not, nor is ever supposed to do any lasting phsysical/mental damage to the submissive. They will never perform anything sexual (fluid exchange) as a professional. BDSM does not include sexual interaction in a professional setting. A dominatrix is also usually called Mistress or Domina, as well as other surnames- hence Mistress Astrid.

During the past few years I've become very familiar with what professional dominatrix's do and their lifestyle. It is mainly from photographing them, as well as many conversations with those that I've become good friends with. I've never personally experienced a session (I have watched a few), since I'm not a masochist and don't really have any inherent desire or need to experience that. I'm none the less fascinated by the psychology of it all, as well as fetishes in general. It is certainly not a coincidence that fetishes and BDSM are a major sub-context of this blog, despite that I don't necessarily have any more fetishes than the average person. Maybe a few more...but I think that most people perhaps have fetishes without even realizing it- perhaps call them obsessions or distractions, because they think that fetishes are something that only weirdos have.

Astrid, by the way is a dead ringer for Molly Ringwald, even though she was just born when Molly Ringwald starting acting. This resemblance is only heightened by the fact that she tends to dress in eighties styles with her everyday clothes...

Katelyn

2010-09-20T13:04:00.000-07:00

Katelyn is a former cutter- someone who practiced intentional self harm and the direct injuring of body tissue without suicidal intent. I've photographed women who were cutters before, but never with the specific reason of wanting to document it. When I initially met with Katelyn, we were both a bit apprehensive- she because her scars were always re-touched out, and I because I wanted to make sure that my images weren't like sideshow pics. I was also worried because I tend to be wary of someone who might not be in the best state of mental health. Turns out that all fears were unnecessary- we are now good friends and we have always both been very happy with images that we've made. Sometimes, I actually remove her scars if I think they take away from an image, but I don't do any re-touching if they seem to strengthen an image. She also happens to have one of the best tattoos that I've ever seen- the orchids that wrap around her side and over her left breast. I tend to have a intense dislike for tattoos over the breast (or face)- it seems like a taboo that is best avoided. But I think that it works exquisitely on Katelyn.

Autumn

2010-09-19T19:59:00.000-07:00

Older images of Autumn...

Fayth

2010-09-18T14:18:00.000-07:00

Fayth is someone with whom I've done a couple of suspension shoots with. She is from Florida, but she passes through Philadelphia every year right before Christmas. So it seems that we do an annual shoot now. This shoot was a quick shoot without a suspension. I had just started shooting in the new shower, and was complaining that I thought it looked too institutional compared to the beautiful tile of the former shower. So she asked if I had some heavy duty pliers...

Adrian Louise

2010-09-17T19:19:00.000-07:00

When I first started using the 4th floor as a studio as opposed to the 2nd floor, I was both looking forward to new shooting possibilities and lamenting the loss of others at the same time. I was losing the tall windows that people could stand in, as well as the shower that I built from scratch and loved so much. On the other hand, I was gaining a much larger shooting space, as well as access to the adjacent rooftop. At first I wasn't sure how to best utilize the rooftop. There is a stucco wall which looks pretty nasty because there is a vent that blows exhaust from the restaurant below. At first I really despised this, because it represents everything that I dislike about Chinatown. Someone with some respect for others could have easily blocked and/or diverted the exhaust. Instead it just blasts away directly at my bathroom window (and the surrounding wall), so that the window had to be permanently sealed up a long time ago. Looking at this wall just pissed me off. Actually, I initially tried shooting on that wall- with a flash fill-in because it's in the shade. I didn't like that look. So later I tried shooting with out the flash, and the raw images looked very flat. Thanks to the wonders of Photoshop, I was able to really give the wall some pop- and make the grime look as grimy as it deserved! That awful wall is now one of my favorite places to shoot against.

Adrian Louise is someone that I just recently started working with. I have not really taken on anybody new in the past year, and I tend to be apprehensive about doing so. This is because I'm very happy working with the few muses that I now work with, and who never let me down. Well, Adrian Louise is awesome! I've worked with her twice now, and plan to keep working with her! As a side note, she really dislikes her scar from an abdominal hysterectomy. Of course, I really like it. I love scars- they tell a story, and the more extreme the better. So I remove the scar for her pics, and leave it in for myself. Oh, by the way, Adrian Louise is a very serious foot fetishist- more to come with that...

Kess

2010-09-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

Kess is a powerhouse in a very petit package. She is also like a monkey- she can climb anything, as exhibited in a couple of the window shots. She is extremely quiet- we rarely say much when shooting, but she is definitely quite the muse. Like Tanya Dakin, she has worked with so many photographers, and everyone gets something a little different from her. It's easy to get a very glamourous image out of her, despite the fact that she is half the size of a super model. I prefer to try and extract the soulful facial expressions that are just waiting to be tapped into.

Leslie

2010-09-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

Leslie lives in Brooklyn and is a vegan. Not that those two things necessarily have anything to do with each other. She occasionally visits Philadelphia, and we either do a shoot or do lunch at Harmony, the vegetarian restaurant up the street. Leslie comes across as a very natural hippie chick in person, but actually has quite a few intense fetishes. We've done a couple of suspension shoots, which she loves. She used to be a cutter- that's what the marks on her legs are.

Mistress Jade Vixen

2010-09-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

Meredith

2010-09-10T13:23:00.000-07:00

Meredith is one of my closest friends. She is probably my favorite person to shoot with. Shoots with her are always very laid back and typically without any agenda- pick up the camera and shoot. I always get something good, but if I didn't I don't think that she would mind, which is why I never feel any pressure. Not that I usually feel much anxiety over shooting anymore. I used to get anxiety about any upcoming shoot, but nowadays I only get anxiety about something that has to be done exactly right with a very demanding client. Still, shooting with someone new, I always feel a need to really impress them (not necessarily a bad thing...). The fact that they perhaps have never done a shoot before only adds that much more pressure.

Tali DeMar

2010-09-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

Tali DeMar is a burlesque performer based in L.A., who specifically hired me to do a fetish oriented shoot with her for her website- http://www.talidemar.com/ We also did some pin-up stuff, but it was the grittier (yet classic) Bettie Page fetish imagery that she was really looking for. She is a blast to shoot with, and I can't wait until she swings by Philadelphia again.

M

2010-09-08T19:21:00.000-07:00

This image is from a shoot with a woman who was involved in a horrific car accident a few years ago. I initially met with her right before the last major operation of her recovery, and then I did a shoot with her a few weeks later. She wanted to both document herself, as well as feel good about herself with some glamorous images. I have to admit that I was initially apprehensive, since I hadn't actually seen her scars at first and I had to wait a few weeks. In the end both of us were very happy with the results. I did get some pretty shots, which actually wasn't difficult- she has a nice body and a attractive face, which amazingly was untouched in the accident. This image here, though, is the one that I thought is one of my most powerful images. It seems to really affect people who see it, as well as myself. On a side note, I did two versions of this image for her- one with the scars retouched out, and one with no retouching. I think that the untouched version is all around a better image, and I was happy to hear that she felt that way too.

Daniella

2010-09-07T11:05:00.000-07:00

Daniella hails from Austin, Texas. This shoot was a day that she was passing through on travels. A short shoot, but I love the first window image, which figures in the window series. The window series is a large body of work that always features the center window of my 2nd floor studio window. I hadn't cleaned the windows on the 2nd floor for ten years (as well as toys that have sat on the sills), so they had developed a wonderful patina.