Walking Into A Porn Set
When I set out as a novice photographer, I never expected to find myself walking into a porn set. Driven by ambition and a passion for photography, I accepted an invitation that seemed like a routine group shoot. Little did I know, this day would offer more than just a lesson in lighting and angles.
Fruit salad
or rather
how I accidentally walked in on a porn set.
Unknowingly Accepting The Invitation
I had been shooting for about a year, I was very close to hitting a few huge milestones and start getting paid work as a fashion and commercial photographer. Before any money had ever changed hands, I was invited by a photographer I knew to come and take part in a group photo shoot event. There would be about 12 photographers and as many models including food and drink. There was normally a participation fee but I had been requested by one of the models to be in attendance.
At this point, I was just a nice kid with a camera and had no idea what to do with it.
It was about a 2.5 hours drive north to a lovely beach house that looked like a weekend escape destination. Beautifully manicured frontage with a tropical vibe. There was a sign on the door suggesting photographers make their way around the back via the side gate.
An Amazing House And View
I swear, the large pool was surrounded by about an acre of timber decking with a barbeque large enough to cook for an army. I was quickly met by the model I had worked with once before and she introduced me to one or two of the other models and photographers there that she knew.
One of the models was cutting up lots of fruit off to one side. I was approached by another model I hadn’t yet met to photograph her in the pool. We went through a few simple poses, through the session her bikini top came loose and fell to one side. I awkwardly pointed out that she was exposed and she laughed at me. She knew, IT WAS ON PURPOSE!
I Was So Naïve
I can laugh at his happening now, I am now a very open minded and very difficult to shock kind of person but it begs the question that no caution was taken here to ensure that I was ok with this. If the roles were reversed it could be perceived as very unsettling. With all the latest allegations rocking the Hollywood Press, it is actually comforting to be able to see and experience tangible progress in these areas.
Anyway…
One of her friends arrived and she thanked me and skitted away. I sat down to chat to the photographer I knew who had also just arrived at the event. A very sheltered man with broken English. He wasn’t sure what he had walked into either.
Asked To Do Some Extra Shots
The model I knew came back over and said one of the models wanted to do some shots with the Fetish props in one of the rooms! Very light bondage stuff. Some silk ties connected to a large rack. Nothing to extreme here. A few well placed lights made it quite dark and created a nice sensual mood coupled with lace corsetry and whatnot.
I was comfortable here. I was in my element. A few other photographers jumped in to grab some shots as they really liked my lighting setup. This actually gave me a major buzz. They all had much better cameras than me and so it was one of the first times I felt like I might not be pretending. The photography industry is a very self-loathing place. Most peoples are assholes to each other.
A Special Lunch
As we were finishing up, someone let us know that lunch was ready.
Lunch was the fruit salad.
A fruit salad laid out on top of one of the models. Sans clothing.
![Walking Into A Porn Set](https://adultsmart.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Model-With-Fruit.jpg)
I didn’t have any lunch that day.
Clear Communication Is Essential
At this point I decided I was probably going to call it a day. I didn’t have any problems with nudity or working with and around it. I wasn’t extremely happy with how the event had been organised with only some of the models and photographers being aware that there would be more going on than just for the creation of art and portfolio building exercises.
My bag was back inside the house, I was giving the people I knew a lift to the station. We all agreed to leave and so we went in to grab my gear. As we went inside, we were greeted by a sight I will never forget.
This was around 2009. Super high speed internet was still not entirely common. I had seen plenty of porn but it was not as much a part of the tapestry that makes up the internet as it is today.
A Shocking Sight
Legs spread eagle, strapped in and or onto a shoddy, homemade bench was one of the models I hadn’t met. It was surrounded by about 5 photographers who happily documented the experience. The machine that was doing all the work was sluggish. Accompanied by a dull whirr and clunk. It was not pretty. It was not flattering. Again it was not announced or agreed upon for some of us.
I learned a host of valuable lessons on this day about communication and consent within the BDSM scene. The fact was, I hadn’t thought much about these things but if I could feel uneasy, as a male, with a camera in these situations then it should be at the forefront of everyone’s minds at all times.
I have never allowed control of a creative get together to be out of my hands again. Any work I have done since in the BDSM, Kink and Fetish categories have always been one on one in private sessions between myself and the model, couple, rigger and/or client.
Why You Need To Be Careful In These Situations
Something like this can so easily tarnish reputations or cause serious trouble for groups or individuals with poor organisation. I stopped going to these kinds events unless I knew the organisers personally and even then it was to only ever be introduced to someone who wanted to work with me. It was a very steep learning curve from this day forward to navigate becoming a successful photographer both in and out of the kink world.
![JJ Maher Photographer](https://adultsmart.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/JJ-Maher.jpg)
Explore JJ Maher’s captivating world through his lens! A pro photographer specializing in adult erotica and unconventional portraits.