Parallel Development Week

Yet another entry in the "parallel development" category. Saw some shots by another photographer who's recently been playing around with fishing line tied tightly around a model. The two shots here are from my February session with Candy, when we experimented for a little while with what I'd called "microbondage" at the time. She wasn't too keen on the "lumpy" effect it had on her flesh, and it definitely leaves marks on the skin almost immediately, so since I wanted to do more with her, but didn't have time to wait for lines to fade, we moved on. Still have the fishing line in my bag, and have been meaning to revisit the idea, but we'll see. And again, while I'd done these shots a while ago, I haven't really shown them to anyone before, so I'm just pointing out how some common objects have self-evident potential as photo props.

Thoughtcrime

Borrowed the title of this entry from Lin's very scary blog post this week on Fluffytek, concerning pending legislation in the UK that would criminalize possession of so-called "extreme pornography" and allow confiscation of computers, files or other materials for indefinite periods while determinations are made. Not that I support extreme pornography, but as with any definition of "obscenity," the boundaries are blurry and open to interpretation and expansion. For instance, is this rather innocuous shot actually depicting a situation that is "potentially life threatening" because Rose is tied to the bed? Or because Charity is brandishing a whip? Under the proposed law in the UK, it would be almost impossible to know until the case went to trial.

It's a pretty complex issue, but it would definitely put a chill on a lot of UK fetish and bondage photographers, as well as further limiting personal liberty in general. (Someone visits a website that has a banner ad for the wrong site, or potentially even receives the wrong spam, and when they find that ad in your cache...guilty!) Lin does a great job of spelling it out and the potential risks to their business and indeed anyone doing work that's even a little bit "edgy." And per usual, it's probably OK to depict someone brutalizing someone else, as long as there's no nudity or sexual aspect involved. I know this is a cliché, but between this and the omnipresent video surveillance in the UK, the situation is straight out of Orwell's 1984. I guess all of England's puritans didn't leave on the Mayflower.

Just saw a bulletin from Ivy, a model I've not yet worked with, regarding the pending "six foot law" meant to end physical contact between nude "entertainers" and patrons (or even two entertainers). As she says in her bulletin, "We're not even being considered 'adult entertainment' anymore, we are (in this bill) being called 'sexually oriented business'. How degrading is THAT?!" I wonder how broadly could this law be interpreted... If I'm shooting a nude model as part of "my business," do I have to remain six feet away at all times? Can I not show two models together if one of them is nude? Who will break the news to Elizabeth and Melissa? I know the law, if passed, probably wouldn't apply directly to me as a photographer, but it could be the first step on the slippery slope. On edit: a reader commented that the petition previously linked here was incorrect. The bill seems to be real, but I'm having a hard time finding a specific citation for it.

But perhaps the most disturbing part of today's entry comes from one of our own. Our friend Candy has put her excellent blog "Feminism without Clothes" on hiatus for what could only be called "freedom of expression" reasons. She writes:

Recently I’ve gotten a good deal of positive feedback regarding this blog, some of which has come from photographers. However, I can’t help but feel that for every positive remark, a negative one from someone else has remained unsaid. Modeling is how I make my living, and I’m very concerned that this blog may be making me a less-than-desirable model in the eyes of some people. I will also be removing from public viewing some of my more opinionated entries for the time being.

I think it's a pretty sad day when a photographer doing nude work would rule out working with a model as excellent as Candy because of opinions expressed on her blog. Shouldn't artists (especially nude and fetish photographers) be among the most open-minded and supportive of free expression? And she's now living in what would be considered one of the most politically liberal areas of the country, and she's feeling this pressure? When Candy has voiced opinions, the ones I've seen have been well-reasoned and clearly explained and not intended as "trash talk" or gossip. (I can see avoiding working with someone who does that.) An extremely smart woman, Candy manages to operate on a more elevated level, even when she's talking about bondage shoots or pubic hair or crotchless panties or the roles of women in society. Maybe her fears are unfounded, but that it's even a concern is what I find most distressing.

If you haven't read Orwell's 1984 in a while, I urge you to give it a close reading... War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength.

Candy twist

Here are a couple more of Candy from back in February when she was in the area for The Dirty Show and such.

I'm not sure just how recent the phenomenon is, or maybe it's just my sphere of awareness, but it seems hotels/motels are becoming actual shooting destinations for more and more photographers, and not just the makeshift studio of last resort. Chas Ray Krider of Motel Fetish even goes so far as to use his studio to recreate the look and feel of cheap retro hotels. (By the way, if you're looking for a copy of his long out-of-print book, let me know.) Obviously, Don Nelson has built the majority of his recent work around hotel rooms, but plenty of other photographers are doing a lot of work in them, too. My first shoot with Candy almost a year and a half ago was a hotel room shoot, and she came prepared to turn it into something a bit off the beaten path. Thanks Candy, and thanks for your patience.

Blogrolling...the models

As a part two for the earlier blogrolling entry, here's a quick introduction to the models whose sites I have linked, scientifically sequenced using top secret criteria... obviously, I'd suggest paying their sites a visit for all the latest scoop from them. Tell them I sent ya...
The list starts with Candy (above) and her excellent blog Feminism Without Clothes. I've talked about Candy here a number of times, so I won't rehash it. Suffice to say that she's a wonderful young lady richly deserving of all the attention she's been getting lately. The shot above is from our recent shoot, from which many more treasures wait to be unearthed.

Iris Dassault has been exceptionally supportive of my work, and I really enjoy shooting with her and love the results we've managed so far. I say so far, because I hope to work with her more as the warm weather approaches. Her blog has been praised far and wide both for its images and its thoughtful insights, and rightly so. Check it out! (Or read more Iris entries from this blog.)

Rose and I go back a ways to when I was first getting serious about the model photography thing. While I don't like to play favorites, she's one of the models I always enjoy working with, even though we often seem to catch one another on an off day. Have her on my card for the next group shoot, and I'm looking forward to being on top of my game that day and doing even more memorable new work with her before she graduates and moves even further away. She pops up in this blog pretty regularly if you'd care to see more of our work and read more about her. (on edit: she's since taken down her blog)

...angel del polvo... (Angel of the Dust) is the blog of the magnificent AngelD. Just about as energetic, sweet and funny as a person gets, she can switch into a real zone of intensity in front of the camera and achieves some incredible things with that wrought-iron physique of hers. Of course, she does great with the softer side, and frequently likes to inject her weird sense humor into the proceedings, too. Plus, she appears to be fearless... snakes, rooftops, odd guys wielding nipple rings... she'll work with it and look great doing it. Word is she's moving away soon, too. I miss her already. :( See more AngelD fun elsewhere on my blog.

Beauty is All In The Mind is Crystallynn's blog reflecting her attitude that there are many ways to add beauty to the world. In addition to modeling, she also does work as a stylist/make-up artist (MUA!) among a variety of other talents. Coming off something of a tempestuous year, it looks like she's really going to be directing a lot more of her time into her modeling during the months ahead... which is good news for me! More Crystallynn entries...

Go Back to Sleep is the well-intended, but infrequently updated blog of Sleep to Dream, aka Charity. A sweetheart who always has plenty of ideas, she has a lot more range than she usually explores. Always a pleasure to shoot with her, I'm looking forward to working with her many more times. Read about some of our other adventures

Strangling is the blog of the woman with many names: Mas69ter, Edward, but most simply, Heather. Shoots with Heather always have an accidental quality about them for some reason. Moreso in the planning of the shoots, rather than the results, although I'll admit to things being a bit hit-or-miss with her. My earliest recollection of her is wandering around the Southfield shoot with Andi, topless under a fuzzy white coat with her striking red hair... as she and Andi were walking by, I had Heather stop for a couple impromptu shots with Barbie, so I guess even our first shoot was more or less accidental. She's really only shown up in the blog once or twice before, but maybe more will be forthcoming before long.

Last but not least is The Original Jada, a Chicago model I hope to work with at some point... she was kind enough to give me a link early, and she runs a very lively and entertaining blog, so be sure to check it out. Thanks Jada!

Thanks to all these fine models for their hard work and efforts, and for placing their confidence in me, especially those who worked with me when I was just getting started with the model photography rock-n-roll thing. It's been great so far, and I look forward to a big year ahead.

Of course, I have lots of nice things to say about models NOT listed here, but to my knowledge, they don't have blogs that they're maintianing. Models, if you feel I've left you off my links list, just let me know. Cheers all!

Candy Poses...

Another highlight of this past weekend was the chance to work again with the remarkable Candy, protagonist of the highly regarded Feminism Without Clothes blog. I was fortunate to work with her in 2005 when she replied to a Craigslist ad I posted seeking models to work with while I was in the DC area for a shoot. She got up her nerve, we did a shoot that was something of a watershed for both of us, and she hasn't looked back.

The shot above is something of a tribute to Don Nelson's Hotel Room Nudes... that's one of his shots of Candy on the screen of her laptop, providing her with visual stimulation. I'd received some good advice from Don prior to my first shoot with her, and he'd contacted her shortly after to set up a shot, but they just recently managed to actually shoot together, so it just sort of seemed appropriate. Cheers, Don! ;)

Got to have some fun with her at the hotel Friday night, then again Saturday afternoon at Collingwood, where we tried to keep her from totally freezing. (Note the radiator in the corner of the shot.) Look for more images from both sessions soon. Then after the Collingwood, Andi and I squired Candy up to the Dirty Show where she was the belle of the ball, totally enchanting everyone she met, including Chip Willis, James M. Graham, Lochai, BT, Johnny Flamethrower, Iris Dassault, and I'm sure many others when my back was turned.

Thanks again, Candy, for everything!

Nothing's sweeter than Candy

Received a nice little blog site tribute from one of my models, Candy. She recounts that our shoot was her first time shooting nude (apart from with boyfriends), and that she found the experience positive enough that she felt confident persuing more nude modeling. Now it seems she has a hard time staying clothed before the camera -- lucky for us.

Last November, I'd actually booked a shoot with a fairly high-profile LA model who was temporarily staying in the DC area, and decided to book a few other shoots to make the most of the trip. I had two nice, but fairly uninspired shoots on Friday, and Saturday the model I'd travelled to shoot with flaked on me, including keeping my deposit money, so I'd wasted the entire day, and it felt like the trip was going to be a complete waste of time. Luckily, Candy showed up on Sunday morning for our shoot and saved the day...and the trip.

I don't know if she realized it at the time, or even now, but she was among the first nude subjects I'd worked with, too -- as I recall, maybe the fourth or fifth for me, so I was a bit nervous myself. She was also basically the first model to approach me wanting a "concept" for a shoot -- she had collected dozens of Rx bottles of various sizes and types, so we decided to create something of a total debauch. The girl with the blood red hair in fishnets, heels, lingerie (at least for a few) splayed across the hotel bed surrounded by pills and bottles. Looks like a cross between a drug orgy and a suicide attempt. If I had it to do over again, I might throw in an empty vodka or Jack Daniels bottle to complete the effect, and maybe made her look a little less perfectly beautiful, but I still think we achieved the desired effect.

Sadly, we didn't have a lot of time for the shoot, as I would have loved to explore some other ideas with her, and just do some artistic figure work with her. This shot just hints at the potential she's since unleashed as a figure model. I'm going to have to plan another trip back east to work with her again. So, thank you, Candy -- for the tribute, and for making that trip a success instead of a total write off.