I may be a bit weird, but I rarely ever get aroused while shooting. It’s during the reviews, when the model and I are seeing what we just created, then my bodies automatic responses can be very revealing. But when we return to the shoot, my mind seems to slip into an altered state, and my body isn’t part of that.

Chris

I do get erotically stimulated, but not in the sexual sense, in the sensual sense. Erotic literally means "of the senses." I am so involved with the composition and angles; the step list I have to run down in my head to shoot B&W infrared film that I am not engaged in any present sexual stimulation. I talk to myself as well as the model durring my shoots. But, I definatley get 'high' from engaging in my favorite art form, from dancing once again with my muse. I totally enjoy looking at a beautiful naked woman in a natural environment, its one of my quality of life events, but its so very much more, at that moment, then a seduction scene. And, when I look through the veiwfinder and get that elusive noetic sense that 'I got one,' that I have an exceptional image here, I'm higher than a kite! It is what life is about for me. I know that I am immortalizing a moment, an image in time and place that will live on well after I'm gone. This is very stimulating for me.

And, the real high comes days later when I have developed the film and printed out some images . . . I sit back and enjoy a glass of cabernet and just gaze upon the image. That is so satisfying for me. Sometimes we will sit my favorite images up on an easel on my patio, sit back, eat a wonderful dinner and drink good wine and appreciate and discuss the images. I've done this with models and they are always so apprecaitive of the entire experience: from the discussion pre-shoot, the shoot itself, and the post shoot dinner and basking in the glow of the experience of art they were a part of creating. All major quaitity of life experiences for me.

I have shot many lovers, and will do so in the future, I'm sure. I have a model release from all of them but one, my first. I have never had sex on a shoot and have no interest in passing up or possibly ruining the opportunity to make great art. I have become lovers with a couple models after the shoot is over and the prints are made.

Credibility is essential when shooting nudes. The models must feel comfortable with the situation or it will show up in the images. And, anyone that feels they were taken advantage of in any way will talk about it and rumors start. Rumors that warn models to be wary of you don't help you as an artist. .I would much rather have rumors of what a 'serious' artist I am, and what amazing images I make. This is more attractive to potential models that anything I know.

Great topic! I have personal expirience as a model on this.
I had a session, my photographer was SO proffessional. Made me feel comfortable! But at the end, we were closer in contact with eachother working and you could cut the sexual energy with a knife! He was wonderfully honest that this was amazing and he was turned on a bit. His honesty relaxed me, and knowing my poses were so hot, it very much motivated me to create some very sexy scenes. He never made a move, If he had id have been like WOO HOO! but when your modeleing its very exposing and vulnerable. Even if your acting your vulnerable. It would be wild..., but wrong to engage in that opporunity. As a photographer, unless photo is negotiated as part of a hot sex scene before hand, I never engage and remain proffessional, but I'm honest and let it go to my head to produce the best work possible!!! This is a very sexy job! and photographers should definately get laid more, but under different circumstances than a shoot. It would be taking advantage of someone vulnerable.
xo Flame

I've been shooting fetish "events" for almost 2 years now but haven't done any private shoots yet, I'm still building my skills and portfolio. I recently had a nice long conversation with a potential model about what I'm after, what I do and don't do, what she was after, general poitics, etc. It helped to build some common ground between us, giving both of us a general idea of each other's character. Personally I'm not interested in shooting porn or "money shots", I'm searching for emotional content. That "something" that shows more than just a naked body, a shot that moves me on many levels, a shot that almost literally takes my breath away.

Starting from this point it makes it easier to avoid mixing business with pleasure. The focus of shooting distances me just enough from what I'm seeing that I don't get that turned on, though it has happened. The real discovery is reviewing the results afterward.

I think having sex with your models puts you on ethically shaky ground. Consenting adults always applies, but the effects of a good photoshoot can be just as intoxicating as many drugs with equivalent poor judgement. I think if your professional relationship with your model leads you eventually to a personal relationship you're in better shape. There is a balance of power between you and your model. If you are just using them to get your jollies there's an imbalance of power, and that's unhealthy and likely unethical. The photographers that use their profession to get some action usually reap what they sow. The same can be said about photographers that treat their models with respect.

Glad to see I've been doing it right. I've rarely talked with other photographers on this and so it is nice to see it in a topic. I have always taken Chrisann along on shoots just because I thought it would be easier then being questioned at lenght when I come home however, and because we like to be together. I have never needed a wavier but maybe I should rethink that being in the SF-M-Bay? At least not for private shoots I mean.
I've aways done this, I install Picture Project by Nikon on their computer and dump them to their computer deleting them from the D200. Then if they want me to work on some I take them on open cd and return the cd. I've never come on to a model. None have come on to me. Chris says I'm a little slow on the pick up on that though and has told me that she felt they had however on the way home.

On several video shoots I've taken part but that get's kind of Gray area ish. So what do you think about that? When you are asked to be part of the shoot before hand and it's part of the planning. Why,,,, no one else was acceptable to the person and it was ok with Chris. She asked Chris to start with. Is there a line there? It was that or pack it up. Everyone was happy with it. Life is a gray scale in my opinion and there is almost never a completely black and white pic. If it is it's probubly a mask( Photo shop joke) and is specific to the selection.

Dan and Chris

We used to do Wedding photography many years ago, through which we were often delighted by the number of girls who offered to pose for us. We received offers from bride’s maids and guests alike. Of course we had to use a great deal of discretion to avoid being fired for our extra activity.

We will admit that we did have sexual encounters with some of the women, but not often. Today - speaking as a DOM, we have even a greater ability to enjoy sex with the often curious women which we encounter! Women today are much freer than women 30 years ago.

Today’s women have a desire to experience and experiment much more than women long ago. ENJOY

Master LatexHer

The relationship that has to exist between a photographer and a model, especially if it is a nude, has to have the impenetrable glass wall that separates art and lust. I have tried to have a romantic relationship with women that I have photographed and it never works but if I have a physical relationship before taking the images it seems to make it more meaningful. Any woman who trusts someone to do intimate photographers of her deserves respect not betrayal by some horn dog.........
www.primostella.com