Knotty Photos announces its second in a series of kink/fetish/BDSM photography workshops on Saturday, May 10. The theme of this workshop will be sexy clowns with a BDSM/fetish spin. Once again there will be 3 spectacular models, CraftyFoxCosplay, Kiddirrt and TheGreenRiverSiren.
Crafty is a hardcore cosplayer and gives of a vibe that is simultaneously wholesome and sexy as a clown. Kid (Fern) is an accomplished runway and fashion model and will debut a clown persona that takes advantage of her long, lean body.
Siren has a few clown personas that range from wholesome(ish) to cyberpunk to heavily goth. These are three of my favorite models of all time and never disappoint.
The workshop will include a studio tour and interactive conversation about this genre of photography with Dean Rodgers, owner of Knotty Photos. The discussion will be tailored to topics of interest and experience level of the attendees who register. Possible topics include securing talent, getting the most out of your models, equipment and technique.
The event will also in include three hours of shooting. The studio is large enough to allow three groups of two photographers to shoot simultaneously. One set will use a combination of natural lighting and strobes or constant lighting, one will feature stage lights with fresnel lenses for a vintage Hollywood look and the third will use standard LED lighting. A small lunch (pizza) and refreshments will be provided.
The Shoot
All three models are highly-experienced professionals. They will be wearing unique costumes. Each will have a variety of props and props available. Some (possibly all) models will be OK with artistic nudity. Implied bondage, spanking, etc. are also options.
Registration is limited to 6 photographers, ensuring a 2:1 photographer to model ratio. Lighting and radio triggers will be provided for use during the shoot. Shooting will be divided into three one hour segments with short breaks in between.
The studio tour will start at 12:30 on May 10. Photography will begin at 2:00.
Registration/Cost
Photographers of all skill levels are welcome, though all photographers must have their own gear and know how to use it. The cost for the workshop is $300, which includes refreshments, use of the studio and lighting and all model fees. A 50% deposit is required to secure your spot. Participants are also encouraged to provide 5-10 finished images to the models. To register, email shootknotty@gmail.com.
Knotty Photos announces its first in a series of kink/fetish/BDSM photography workshops on Sunday, March 30. The series will kick off with a classic fetish theme that offers a vintage feel (think a modern take on Bettie Page) and will feature Floofie, Jade Monet and Joey Darke, three of the region’s most sought after models. The location will be Knotty Normal Studios in downtown Portland.
The workshop will include a studio tour and interactive conversation about this genre of photography with Dean Rodgers, owner of Knotty Photos. The discussion will be tailored to topics of interest and experience level of the attendees who register. Possible topics include securing talent, getting the most out of your models, equipment and technique.
The workshop will also in include three hours of shooting. The studio is large enough to allow three groups of two photographers to shoot simultaneously. One set will use a combination of natural lighting and strobes, one will feature stage lights with fresnel lenses for a vintage Hollywood look and the third will use standard LED lighting. A small lunch (pizza) and refreshments will be provided.
The Models/The Shoot
All three models are highly-experienced and well-known professionals. They will be be wearing vintage(ish) hairstyles and makeup. Each will have a variety of clothing options and props available. All three are OK with artistic nudity. Implied bondage, spanking, etc. are also options.
Registration is limited to 6 photographers, ensuring a 2:1 photographer to model ratio. Lighting and radio triggers will be provided for use during the shoot. Shooting will be divided into three one hour segments with short breaks in between.
The studio tour will start at 11:30 on March 30. Photography will begin at 1:00.
Registration/Cost
Photographers of all skill levels are welcome, though all photographers must have their own gear and know how to use it. The cost for the workshop is $300, which includes refreshments, use of the studio and lighting and all model fees. A 50% deposit is required to secure your spot. To register, email shootknotty@gmail.com.
The event is likely to fill up quickly, so if you want to go, don’t delay. The second workshop will be a BDSM clown theme and the third will feature live BDSM play.
When I got my start as a BDSM/fetish photographer, I thought I would only want to use leather whips, rattan canes, riding crops and other “traditional” implements for props. For whatever reason, I thought a classic look was going to be important if I wanted to follow in the footsteps fetish photography greats. THANKFULLY all it took was a visit to the booth of Dragons Designs Impact Toys at a big kink event to realize what a dopey notion that was. I immediately saw you can still get a traditional look with paracord toys or other synthetics if you want BUT you can also make room for whimsical fun and savagery and that’s OK too. If you’ve ever seen a scene in a dungeon where there was as much laughter and mayhem as there was screaming, you know there is plenty of room for hijinx along the way to a desired destination.
Why Go Synthetic?
As I quickly learned once getting ahold of a selection of multi-colored paracord floggers, these things are awesome from a photography standpoint. There are a lot of cases where they are FAR more readable as floggers than dark leather in images, especially when shooting in monochrome, in black light or against all black outfits and backgrounds. And if you like shooting clowns in a BDSM context, which is something I have come to enjoy way too much, fuggetaboutit.
What’s more, due to the nature and flexibility of the medium, paracord toy makers have been able to take creativity and artistry – not to mention brutality – to soaring heights. They do things you just can’t do with leather in terms of knots and wraps. In addition, they can easily incorporate evil (or funny) elements into the design such as steel cables, BBs, barbs, steel shot, dice, golf balls, lacrosse balls, rubber chickens, plastic ice cream cones, wooden beads and neoprene. Some of these things look downright silly, others look wicked (because they very much are) and then there are those who look soft and cuddly but are anything but.
Clean-up for synthetics can also be another major benefit. Some makers suggest putting their gear inside a garment bag and sticking it in the dishwasher. Others suggest boiling water and alcohol. And, of course, there is good old soap and water. None of these things work too well with leather.
From a sensation perspective, since there a lot of variations in what makers do with synthetic toys, there are a lot of sensations that can be produced. While it is true that some things that can be done with leather that can’t be done with paracord, there are also some sensations you can produce with paracord that you can’t get with leather. But, in many cases, there is a lot of overlap.
In terms of cost, there are a lot of simple paracord floggers and toys that look great and function beautifully that can be had for relatively little money ($60-$100 and, in many cases, these are custom made to order with the colors of your choice). Other paracord toys are super elaborate and take a lot of time and effort to produce. These can cost as much or more than some of their leather counterparts, but those that do are works of art.
Favorite Paracord Toy Makers
Currently there are four paracord toy makers whose products I use frequently in the studio for both photos and play. Each of them seems to be constantly innovating and offering more and more great designs. I’m providing links to mainstream social media sites or websites for each, but if you really want to get a good idea of their complete product lines, the best place to check them out is on FetLife.
Black Knot Toys – Until recently, the primary focus of Black Knott Toys appears to have has heavily flogger-centric. Some are simple, some extremely intricate, some naughty, some nice. However, it appears as if the product line is rapidly being expanded well beyond floggers. My most recent acquisition is a modern take on a medieval flail using a monkey fist with a lacrosse ball inside instead of a spiked metal ball. I’ve yet to photograph it or put it through its paces, but I’m sure it hits like a wrecking ball without a whole lot of effort.
Dragons Designs Impact Toys – Dragons Designs probably hast the most diverse product line of the group. The catalog includes a wide variety of floggers as well as canes, whips, slappers, paddles and more. Not all toys are paracord-based but all are synthetic and vegan. Some toys lean pretty far to the brutal side of the spectrum while others are soft and fluffy.
Overall, the Dragons Designs toys aren’t as intricate and decorative as some other makers, but there is still a lot of beauty in the simplicity (and the savagery). They also deliver a lot of bang for the buck. This is the toy maker that made me realize how awesome synthetic toys can be for both photography and play and some of my all-time best photos include Dragons Designs toys. My favorite toy in their catalog is a paracord cane that kind of looks like a giant strand of DNA called the Helix. Inside the paracord is steel cable that adds a lot of heft. They also make a slapper that looks totally unassuming and fluffy, but it, too has steel cable inside. Both of these don’t look it, but they pack a serious punch.
The Fat Unicorn – Fat Unicorn has an extremely diverse product line as well and some serious artistry goes into pretty much everything they make. If you want to see how many types of toys can be made with paracord, take a deep dive through the Fat Unicorn archives. Like many paracord creations, beauty of some of these toys hides the serious punishment they can dish out. One of my favorite toys of all time is the Mini Mad Monkey. It’s a flogger consisting of 5 monkey fists with golf ball centers. While it is a little challenging to wield, it hits really hard and the bruises it creates cannot be mistaken for bruises made by any other toy.
Whipsical Crafts – This is a fairly new maker based in Cyprus who has gone from 0 to 100 MPH (not KMPH) in a matter of months. Many of the company’s first floggers were simple, straightforward and elegant. The product line includes small and medium-sized floggers as well, which have proven to be useful in tight spots or on delicate body parts. I added BBs to the falls of my Whipsical Crafts cat and it became the favorite impact toy of the night for one experienced bottom. Lately they have been coming out with a bunch of fun, crazy stuff including a flogger made out of Ethernet cables and finger floggers that converts into a tail held in place with a butt plug.
Even if you’re a total leather snob, the fact is no toy collection is complete with out paracord toys. When it’s time to deliver a beating, sometimes they just cannot be beat.
