The Art of Erotic (blog) Photography

I wanted to share some thoughts on the erotic photos padme and I post on Journey to the Darkside. In this photograph, my padme waiting to be taken from behind, after a good, sound spanking. Taking erotic photographs for our blog has quite an adventure for me as the photographer and just as much or more for my favorite model, padme. It's been my honest pleasure to share some of our favorite erotic photos with all of you; your critical and positive feedback is what makes it all worth while. I wanted to share some of my thoughts on the art of these erotic photographs. Perhaps you could call this things I've discovered along the way. I had no idea I'd enjoy taking erotic photographs so much. Certainly, one can look online and perhaps in adult magazines and see lots of naked flesh, but it seemed to me that it was less often art and more often just nudity. The erotic photograph, as I see it, is more. It is nudity plus fantasy, mystery, and temptation. It has been a challenge to take these photos for all of you, but I'm glad they are appreciated. Challenging as well has been the necessity of "no face shots" on the blog for our own privacy needs. Okay, I've got some great nudes with padme's face, but there just for her and me to enjoy. So, there I was, desire, but little wisdom. How do I take erotic photos I'm actually proud of, I wondered as I set out. My first efforts, despite my earnest and beautiful model, padme, were not that good. Perhaps in hindsight there were a few things wrong; they were rushed, unplanned, poorly lit with lots of distracting backgrounds. But that to me seemed the key; that everything that was wrong with the photos could be used to suggest what to do right. I would have a photography session, and then take each photo and and ask, why did this work, and why did it not work? It came down to the same things again and again...bad lighting, bad backgrounds, bad poses because of rushing or no planning whatsoever. Oh yeah, and the photography equipment I had was wanting. So I've been working on each of these elements over the life of the blog and will continue to work on as my photographic skills improve. I'm reading photography books, reading some great photography websites and blogs, learning more about advanced Photoshop more and more, and continuing to study why my photographs and other people's work and do not work. Lighting: Many of photos don't work for me because of bad lighting. Well, not bad, but lighting that doesn't work in the photograph. You can't see much, or it's all washed out from the glare of too much light from the camera flash. Getting it right is an art. Get some lamps, try not using the flash built into the camera, angle the lights. Try something different. Backgrounds: It's hard to see the model as the central focus of an erotic photo with the cat and a pile of laundry and a few toys laying around in the background. Cropping the photo can help, and Photoshop can remove distracting objects to some extent, but it's easier to just not have the distractions there in the first place with a carefully chosen set and backdrop sheet. Poses: I let my padme try poses, but only I, the photographer, can see though the lens and my padme very much listens to me when I'm taking her photo. The subtlest change in the position of her hands for example can make or break a good shot. So take the time to arange the photo, and I also looked at suggested poses in a modeling book. Equipment: Much as I'd like to have the latest and greatest $25,000 medium format digital camera, I don't think I'm at that level where I need such things. You can do a lot for a great deal less. My best results for lighting so far have been free (sunlight, indoor lights) or almost free (a spot lamp I bought for $2 used). I've used a white cotton sheet for some dramatic effect in some of my black and white photos like the one above. I got an excellent tripod, and it's been a great help in many of my shots; rock steady, no blur, even in low lighting. My camera is just okay, not the top of the line at all. It isn't the camera, it's what you do with it that counts. Well, there it is, my thoughts on the erotic photography you see on this blog. My padme is such a sweet model; how can I resist taking photographs of her? She's my inspiration. Check out our pictures links or browse our blog archives and have a look, then leave a comment or an email. My poor padme is sick today, and I've come home from work to take care of her. I've just tucked her into bed for an afternoon nap. Take care and sleep tight, my slave. And may the Force be with her, and you all. Technorati Tags: erotic photography, nude photography, model