I arrived at the house for my photo session with Jana Cova (pronounced Yana, rhymes with Donna).  It was a last-minute replacement location and I didn’t like it - it was not a good fit with Jana and had too many near-white walls.  For photography, I am not a fan of white walls.

The first thing is to look through the house and decide where to set up for a gallery of Jana. The home owner showed us around to all the rooms.  In a corner of the house we stumbled upon a coffin.  A real coffin!  The owner ignored it like it wasn’t there.  When I timidly asked about it, he assured me it was empty.  It had been rented for use in a “Halloween” party a few nights before.  We joked about using it in a photo set with Jana, and didn’t mention the coffin again after that!

When I started my blog more than two years ago, I thought I might, among other things, use it to write about the Torrid Art photo sessions.  But when the blog finally started, and it came time to write, I changed my mind.  My relationships with the models are critical to my work, and I was concerned that by writing about the photo sessions I might jeopardize my good standing with them.  I may be wrong about that, but regardless, I don’t write about the photo sessions.

But all that has changed, at least for two sessions with Jana Cova.  Jana lives in Czech Republic.  She has been traveling to Los Angeles to work for several years.  I decided to write about Jana and her photo sessions because she is retiring from a long and very successful career in nude modeling.  And because, for all that time, she has been a model to die for, whether you are a viewer of photographs or a photographer.

During the “coffin” photo session in late 2008 Jana stole our hearts with her charm, and then told us she was considering retiring from modeling.  On her model page at Torrid Art I later wrote that I would like her to reconsider. We always need more hot MILFs on Torrid Art, and in a few years she will be an incredible MILF.

She did reconsider - though probably not because I asked her to! - and one year later made another trip to LA.  This trip would seem to be her last, and her decision to retire, final.

Our photo session with Jana in November 2009 was a special one.  I didn’t know her well, having only worked with her once before, but we all felt a connection with her.  I felt sad that I would not work with her again.  Jana is a model with beauty, class, charm and personality.

As a true professional, Jana takes care of herself, both physically and mentally, as you can see in her photos.  I appreciate that with models.  I don’t mind saying that too many models don’t take care of their skin, among other things.  Jana looked better the second time.  She had clearly been working out and her skin was impeccable.

In our photo session in 2008 Jana was totally professional, easygoing, warm and charming.  She was all those things in 2009 in spite of the sadness she must have felt so close to the end of a long, successful career, and leaving so many friends in LA that she had made over the years.

Have a good retirement, Jana.  It was great working with you.

-RAP

[I’m still deviating from my “usual” discussions of erotic photography.  As I said last time, this is where my head has been lately - thinking about some things I learned long ago about photography and art in general.  I thought I would share them with you.]

Last time I wrote about finding your voice and your own style.  Most artists go through a phase where they are copying, to some extent, a style they like.  Eventually their own style emerges.

For photographers, there are many misunderstandings about getting better.  And there are a few myths that may hinder the development of your own style and finding  your voice.

Here are four of the biggest myths.

1. You shouldn’t make photographs that have been “done” before.

Ha!  Don’t make me laugh!  If this myth were suddenly true, photography would come to a screeching halt!  You can, and should, photograph things that have been photographed before.  Seek ideas from the work of other photographers, preferably photographers better than you.  If you can imitate a photo that inspires you, or even copy it exactly, you are on your way to developing your art and finding your own voice.

2. Studying the works of past masters will keep you from developing your own style.

Nothing could be further from the truth.  Studying the masters will inspire you to develop your own ideas, style and direction.

Don’t fall into the childish idea that you wont study the works of the great photographers because you want to “do everything” yourself and get all the credit for your accomplishments. If that’s how you approach photography, your photographs will forever look amateurish and your style undeveloped.

Imagine someone who wants to be a physicist but has this attitude.  Instead of studying physics, they sit in a room, waisting time developing the law of gravity, unaware that it is explained in every beginning college physics textbook.

Don’t waste your precious time.  Study the great photographers, or at least photos that you like, and build on what they have done.

3. You must travel to exotic lands and find subjects that have very restricted access by other photographers or your photographs will be boring.

I’ve got news for you: it’s not what or where you photograph, it’s how and why you photograph.

I once saw an exhibition by a woman who got interested in photography when she was a bored housewife.  For her exhibition, she didn’t travel to the jungles of Bali to take pictures of subjects that had never been photographed before.  The photos in her exhibition were all taken in her house, the subjects were household items.  The photos were meticulous in their composition, detail and lighting.  They were beautiful and touching.  They told of her daily life and her passion for elevating common items to fine art.

4. Good photography is a matter of talent and instincts.

This is perhaps the most damaging myth of all, and is pervasive in all art.  But in photography it’s particularly ubiquitous, and singularly damaging to developing photographers.  Photography has been called the great democratic art form.  Anyone can take a picture.  It’s so easy, especially with today’s inexpensive, automatic, computerized cameras.  It’s easy to believe that good photographers are good because they have “talent and instincts.”

“Talent” and “instincts” are traits that are useful to becoming a photographer.  Other useful traits are powers of observation, attention to detail, and curiosity.  But these traits do not make a good photographer any more than a sense of rhythm, a good ear for tones, and good manual dexterity make you a good musician.

Just like all other art forms, good photography is primarily a matter of commitment, experience, practice, study and plain old hard work.  The most accomplished photographers have one thing in common: single-minded determination.

One thing I learned long ago is that there are no part-time photographers among the world’s elite.  That tells you something about the power of determination and work.

- RAP

[I’m deviating from my “usual” discussions of erotic photography.  This is where my head has been lately - thinking about some things I learned long ago about photography and art in general.  I thought I would share them with you.]

I know.  I don’t write in this blog very often.  But like I said last time, it’s not because I don’t have anything to say, it’s because I am not a writer.  I am a quiet photographer, a visual artist.  It’s easy to know that about myself, that I am not a writer.  It just takes a little introspection and honesty.

Knowing your gross strengths and weaknesses is easy.  But artists need to know more about  themselves than the easy things.  They need to know subtle things that are difficult to learn.  They each need to discover their media, style, subjects and what they want to say.  In other words, each needs to find their metaphorical voice.

These things are discovered along the way as artists develop their art.  Any artist will tell you that it takes time, effort, trial, error, frustration and discovery.  And the process is no different for photographers.

As a photographer, how you express yourself is your style.  It’s your visual signature.  It’s what makes your pictures look like yours.  Your style is part of your voice, along with the subjects you choose, what you are trying to say, etc.

The process of developing your art and finding your voice usually starts with imitating a style you like.  I know that sounds like a contradiction.  How can you develop your own style when you are imitating somebody else’s style?  It sounds strange at first, but it’s natural and encouraged.  It’s how most artists find their own voices.

Photographers may have been moved by the works of a certain master or contemporary photographer.  You like the way the photos look.  You like what the photos say.   Or you may have been inspired by a single photograph, maybe in a magazine ad.  Regardless of the source of the inspiration, beginning photographers are well-advised to go ahead and imitate the style they like.  That is the starting point of most successful photographers and artists

After imitating for a while, you will find that your photos don’t look like that style you were imitating.  That’s when you will know that you are beginning to develop your own unique style.  You will be finding your own voice.

Simply put, that is how most successful photographers developed their own art and style, and found their own voice.

- RAP

Not really “squeal,” but they do make me talk a lot!

About two months ago a beginning model, Davie Archer, contacted me about modeling.  Every now and then we are contacted by models looking for work.  Sometimes they are professionals, sometimes beginners.  Most of the beginners don’t follow through, and I never get to photograph them.  But Davie seemed different.  I invited her to attend my next shoot, which was with Aimee, to see a real photo session with an experienced model.

After meeting Davie at Amiee’s photo session, I knew my instincts about her were right and that she would follow through.  We are now planning a photo session together, her first time modeling!

In the meantime, we have met to discuss modeling and the “biz” in general.  I talked to Davie for about two hours.  I could have talked much longer, but by then we were both tired.  I’m the same way with beginning erotic photographers.  I can talk about erotic photography for days.

So if I have so much to say on the subject, why don’t I write in this blog more often?  Clearly, it’s not because I have nothing to say, it’s because I am not a writer.  I am a photographer by trade, and a visual artist at heart.  I am a quiet man, and writing this blog puts me in the very position I despise: the public eye.  I can talk about certain subjects one-on-one for hours, but writing is different, and publishing my writing as a blog is different still.

My next blog entry will be about finding your voice. If you are a photographer, your voice is your style, and what you are trying to say, if anything.   Unfortunately for the visitors of Torrid Art, my artistic style is visual, and does not include writing a blog!  Sorry about that!

- RAP

Hi everyone!  After all the changes to Torrid Art, I finally have my voice back!

Torrid Art has gone through some big changes recently.  One week ago this new site design was launched.  I think our webmaster, Martin, and his little helpers did a fantastic job.  They are still working out the kinks, so if you see anything that doesn’t seem to be working quite right, send Martin a note using the Contact form.

For site visitors, the biggest addition is the gallery previews. Every gallery thumbnail page can be viewed, which means now you can see every single photo on the entire site. Just go to a model page and click on a gallery cover.  Or go to Galleries and click on a cover.

I must admit that, as a photographer,  I was not too excited about the idea of revealing every photo on the site, albeit in thumbnail form.  It’s just that seeing all the photos is the reward of membership.  But now that I see the previews online, it isn’t so bad. The thumbnail images are good size, but they are thumbnails, and there’s nothing like seeing these amazing women in hi-res.

The idea behind the gallery previews is to allow visitors the experience of being a member.  I think that anyone who joins adult sites will be disappointed now and then.  A few sample images in a tour can be very misleading as to what you will see when you actually join, as can a single sample gallery.  But a preview of every gallery?  That’s as close to the member’s experience as you can get!

So far, the feedback regarding the gallery previews has been very positive, so I guess they are here to stay, whether I like it or not. 

For members, the biggest addition to the new site design is the member’s home page. Now this was an idea that got me excited!  Every member, after logging in, is presented with their very own home page.  The page has a “My Favorites” area where the member can collect their favorite galleries.  The concept behind this genius idea is that many members, for various reasons, don’t want to download and store images on their computer.  One reason is that other people might find them.  Within the privacy of their own member’s home page, they can keep their favorite galleries in one location.  Kind of like a storage area on their computer, but it’s not on their computer!  How convenient is that?

Among many other changes to the site brought by the new design is the loss of Bryan Borra as a regular blogger.  In addition, the article section, where all the articles were written by Bryan, is no more.  Bryan has moved on to better things.

In some way, I always knew this day would come.  Bryan’s talents were just too big for our little website.  He will be missed, but all of us here at Torrid Art understand his move and wish him well, and only the best of luck, in his new digs.

- RAP