"It's a gas gas gas..."

Well, the other night, I finally got my obligatory gas mask shot... seems de rigeur that if a photographer is going to do any fetish work or shoot with alt models that one must have a gas mask image. ("De rigeur" is French for "not quite a cliché.") Well, maybe it is a bit cliché, but how can one pass up a $10 gas mask? I've been saving it for the right model, who I should have known would be the ever-popular Sativa. Besides being a tremendous model, she is an absolute "gas" to shoot and hang out with. We have a few others from this part of the shoot that I feel are pretty interesting. More eventually.

Coincidentally, there's a gas mask image (or some sort of mask) on the promotion for another event this weekend (further evidence for my theory that every month has ONE weekend where everything has to happen at the same time), called "Shadows in the Night" which will begin almost immediately after the end of the "Dark Visions" exhibit closing reception this Friday in Toledo. Going to try to shuttle over there after the reception and put up a few pieces for what is likely to be an entirely different crowd. Featured will be fetish performances by the elusive Miss May so it looks like not much sleep before the group shoot Saturday. All in the name of art, I assure you.

Kinky Boots

Couple of favorites from the last group shoot in Toledo. Taking the lesson to heart that when you show a model in heels, make sure you can see the heels... not quite sure how this model wants to be credited, so for now, we'll just leave her name out of it.

Was working on some other shots tonight when my computer farted and I lost something like 90 minutes worth of work (long story)... wish I could find ONE solution to my editing needs. Need to take a closer look at Lightroom, I guess, as it's earning rave reviews.

Don't forget, show in Dayton Thursday night, another (possibly TWO) in Toledo Friday night. Click the pix under "Exhibits" at right for details.

"Cruel Shoes"

Got a nice feature over at Deviant Art -- this shot of Iris in "ballet heels" was selected as a "Daily Deviation," one of thirteen images/items selected and highlighted on the site for the day. Went from having a handful of comments to about 6 pages of them, mostly saying "cool image, and those shoes look like they hurt!" Well, I guess the appearance of discomfort (or actual discomfort) is a big part of fetish, so these fit right in. Thanks to Iris for bravely offering to model these "Cruel Shoes" for this shot.

If you're of my generation, you may recall that "Cruel Shoes" was a book of short writings put out by Steve Martin back when he was the hottest stand-up comedian on the planet... could it really have been 1979? While I didn't realize it at the time, or until just now, perhaps what struck me as something of a nonsense story back then was actually a peek inside the foot/shoe fetish mindset. Here's the text, glommed from The Compleat Steve, although you owe it to yourself to hear Steve's performance of the piece.

Cruel Shoes
Anna knew she had to have some new shoes today, and Carlo had helped her try on every pair in the store. Carlo spoke wearily, "Well, that's every pair of shoes in the place."

"Oh, you must have one more pair..."

"No, not one more pair... Well, we have the cruel shoes, but no one would want..."

Anna interrupted, "Oh yes, let me see the cruel shoes!"

Carlo looked incredulous. "No Anna, you don't understand, you see the cruel shoes are..."

"Get them!"

Carlo disappeared into the back room for a moment, then returned with an ordinary shoe box. He opened the lid and removed a hideous pair of black and white pumps. But these were not an ordinary pair of black and white pumps; both were left feet, one had a right angle turn with separate compartments that pointed the toes in impossible directions. The other shoe was six inches long and was curved inward like a rocking chair with a vise and razor blades to hold the foot in place.

Carlo spoke hesitantly, "... Now you see why... they're not fit for humans..."

"Put them on me."

"But..."

"Put them on me!"

Carlo knew all arguments were useless. He knelt down before her and forced the feet into the shoes.

The screams were incredible.

Anna crawled over to the mirror and held her bloody feet up where she could see.

"I like them."

She paid Carlo and crawled out of the store into the street.

Later that day, Carlo was overheard saying to a new customer, "Well, that's every shoe in the place. Unless, of course, you'd like to try... the cruel shoes."

Thanks also to Johnny Flamethrower for nominating the shot for this nice little honor. Cheers Johnny!

Vamps Red

"We Are Latex" ascending a staircase.
Featured performer Vivian Ireene Pierce and MC Miss Emily Marilyn
A very cool tattooed girl whose name escapes me.
The Adorable Maddy and Mickey
Ryan among the Black Swamp Girls before the fashion show.
Small photos from top to bottom, Miss May, Mistress Kali and Emily Marilyn strike a pose. Boyd gets tickle tortured by Vivian and Maddy. Urn. Facing Perdition. Vivian in trouble again with Mistress Michele. The Fire Show with Miss May and Mistress Kali. Sam the Butcher with Emily Marilyn. Julie Simone's spanking booth. The lovely Kiki. Faith and friend swap licks.

The night before The Dirty Show, Andi and I were acting as semi-official photographer's at Vamps Red, an event featuring a variety of f3tish performers, bands, DJs and a fashion show. Pretty challenging lighting... people dressed in black, in rooms painted black, with virtually no light. Sort of snapshot event photography, but Boyd's happy with the results, and there's a chance an image might go to Skin Two magazine, but I'm not holding my breath. The night was enough of a success that they're talking about doing another one this summer... stay tuned.