An Interview with Commercial and Erotica Photographer Ellen Stagg

Ellen Stagg first came to our attention through her short films that were shot with the LomoKino. Find out more about our featured photographer and her work in this exclusive in-depth interview!

Ellen Stagg is a photographer who has been ardently practicing her craft for most of her life. She’s a successful commercial photographer, and since meeting her muse and good friend, adult film star Justine Joli, almost 10 years ago, she has been juggling this with her other lifelong passion for all things erotica through the same medium. The opportunity to interview someone of her caliber doesn’t come often, and so just in time for this month where passion takes center stage we’ve decided to get in touch with her for an e-mail interview about her own passion. Here, Ellen herself sheds light on her background in photography, her process, her work in erotica and why she’s decided to pursue it. This interview is timely, too, as Ellen also shares with us a few tips on how to shoot tasteful nudes, plus a few wise words about analogue photography. Read on!

Hello, Ellen! In your own words, kindly introduce yourself and your craft to the members of the Lomography community.

I started shooting women in the adult industry back in 2005. After a year of meeting all these amazing women to use as my subjects and switching to digital, I still wanted to make something more fine art with film. I dusted off my Holga and started experimenting with 120 multiple exposures. After compiling a bunch of shots I loved, I submitted to have my first solo art show at Fuse Gallery in NYC in 2010 called Melting Flesh. I got so addicted to shooting film and Polaroid with my Holga and looking for other plastic film cameras to play with.

I found the LomoKino two years ago and started to make mini movies with my naked models with it. I had an art show last year at Mighty Tanaka and Parlor Gallery with these videos and stills that I printed on canvas.

You’ve been a photographer since you were 16 years old and have since dabbled professionally in both commercial and erotic photography. Can you still remember what first got you into photography?

I got into photography because it was a class offered at my high school. This was back in the mid-’90s, and I learned to shoot, develop, and print black & white 35mm. I fell in love with it and knew I wanted to go to an art college for photography. I haven’t done anything else since.

We understand that erotic photography is the one you are most passionate about. Among all the types of art out there, what is it about erotica in particular that caught your interest? How did you get into erotic photography?

I have been into erotic art, movie, and music forever. When I started taking photos in high school, I tried to dabble in erotica back then but since I was underage there was only so much I could do. But entering art school at SVA opened that up even more. I took at class called “Sex & Photography.”

But it wasn’t until 2005 when I met Justine Joli, “the lesbian queen of porn,” that I realized shooting with the pros made it much easier. But the reason I love any art with naked ladies or sexual themes is the reaction from others – from happy, horny, mad, sad, to anything. It’s the one art that you will go through at least one emotion while looking at it. I like that I can start a conversation with my work or even just have someone open their minds over sexuality with it. I’m a sex positive person.

On your Twitter bio you wrote, “I take pictures of women with and without clothes on.” Why women as subjects, in particular? Would you say being a female photographer works to your advantage when shooting them? Why/how? Aside from women, who or what are the other types of subject that you like taking photos of?

I have taken product shots and pictures of men before, but I’m the most known for photographing women in a sexy way with their clothes on or without. I like shooting with women because I’m a feminist who likes celebrating women. I love collaborating with them and showing their beauty and strength. Plus I’m straight so naked men cross too much into business and pleasure.

I can’t say what else I like to shoot as women with and without clothes is pretty broad. I, however, will not photograph cigarettes or women who are unhealthy or unhappy.

The line of work you’re in is usually associated with males, is that right? What is the usual reaction of people when you tell them what you do, and how do you deal with it?

At first people would ask if I had sex with my models, but I don’t get that question anymore. Now people just ask about the stories I have heard from women in the adult industry. People will always be curious about sex. But they see my work and most are impressed. Once in while I’ll hear that I’m exploiting my models, in which I try to educate them to knowing I’m not. Plus there has been plenty of famous female erotic photographers from Ellen von Unwerth, Bunny Yeager, Suze Randall, Holly Randall, and Bettina Rheims.

We’ve seen a highlight reel for your web series “The Stagg Party,” and have thus gotten a picture of what usually happens during your photo shoots. It’s refreshing to see that it really seems like you and your models are genuinely having fun, talking just like old friends while working. How do you keep them at ease, given that they’re basically baring themselves for the camera? How do you prepare for your shoots?

I shoot pretty spontaneously. I pick a day, location, and we go from there. I don’t have any expectations and I try to keep the shoot very easy going. We should have fun on these shoots, makes everyone more comfortable.

You have named adult film star Justine Joli not only as your friend but also your favorite muse. Aside from her, who are the other models/artists that you frequently collaborate with? How is your work experience with them?

I have shot a lot with Jelena Jensen and Charlotte Stokely, plus in NYC I figured out that the naked ladies here all work in burlesque or some kind live performance. I have been working with a lot of the ladies that preform with Wasabassco.com and even shot a cosplay calendar with them for 2014. I have mostly had wonderful experiences with all my models, just a couple of divas, but I just don’t work or talk to them ever again.

How different for you is artful and tasteful erotic art as opposed to full-on pornography? How do you draw the line between them?

I believe porn is made to entertain a specific audience and there is sex involved. Erotic art is made to express what that artist wants to and doesn’t answer to an audience. I make my art because I want to. I’m just lucky that others like it, but I don’t let the people who view it dictate what I do with it.

As someone who has been into erotic photography for a very long time, what helpful tips (both technical and otherwise) can you give those who have also been wanting to take tasteful nudes on their own?

I think it’s about trust and communication. When you find a model, let them bring something to the table that interests them and shoot them how they feel sexy. Once you have worked with them once or twice and feel out what kind of person they are, then you can suggest other projects with them. And technically you just have to understand that naked bodies have their flaws. Embrace them or retouch them.

We’ve seen your short films that you shot with the LomoKino. We’re curious, what are these videos about? Do tell us about your experience with the LomoKino. Why did you pick this camera to shoot your films with?

I saw the LomoKino in a store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and had to have it. I wasn’t really sure what I would do with it besides try to shoot my models with it and see what came out of it. They take me so long to finish, about 5 hours in total after I have shot them, but I love how they came out. I keep saying that they have been my gateway drug to more videos/filming live action.

I have been experimenting with video since then and even incorporating my LomoKino in there. And I think I love it so much because they remind me of Super 8 films and I had all this 35mm film in my fridge to work with. Just fun to make sexy little teasers, not really thinking too much about the story, just letting my models have fun in them.

Aside from the LomoKino, were you also able to shoot with any of the other Lomography cameras in the past? What are the cameras in your current arsenal? Your favorite/s and why?

As I said before, I shoot a lot with my Holga and I have a Polaroid back for it. But I do shoot with my Canon 5D Mark II a lot because the turnover is quicker for clients and such. But I do have a 35mm Holga, a Sprocket Rocket, and Diana which I bring out once in a while. But on all my shoots and sometimes in my vacations I bring my Holga, which I scan in all the film on my Imacon scanner.

As a photographer, nowadays do you shoot exclusively in digital or in analogue, or both? When do you to shoot in analogue, and when in digital?

I shoot all my fine art with my analogue and I really like vacation photos with my analogue too. But those take a long time to scan and show people.

On your website thestaggparty.com one can see a long list of your clients. There’s quite a lot! Please tell us about your experience with commercial photography. How would you compare it with erotic photography, work-wise? Say, is any of the two more difficult, or which of the two allows you more creative freedom, etc.?

Well of course the erotic art has more freedom it’s usually just me and the model. With commercial work, there are a lot more people involved and there are things that must get done on the job to make it successful. Commercial days are also longer, 9am-6pm, whereas my art shoots can be just 2-5 hours long. I like them both, but it’s nice to be completely creative on my own for the art shoots.

Among the many works that you have done, both in erotica and in commercial photography, what would you say is/are your most memorable project/s?

I have been shooting professionally for 15 years and studied photography before that. There are way too many moments to even think of. But I do really love showing my art work in galleries framed and not just on the computer. I have enjoyed my solo shows to my group shows. It’s nice to talk about art and be around other people.

Given the chance, who would you like to collaborate with in the future and in what kind of project?

For erotic work I would love to work with Belladonna, but I think she is retired. I would love to make art with her as she is such a unicorn. Otherwise I’m down for anything creative and/or helps pay the bills.

What inspires you? How do you come up with your concepts?

So many things inspire me from music, movies and art. But more recently I have been thinking about the elements and making multiple exposures about them with naked ladies. So, four shots with fire, water, earth, and air. We’ll see how that goes, but I do really love the fire shot I have done so far.

Aside from photography and erotica, what other things are you passionate about?

I love the beach, riding my bike, karaoke, TV and movies, good food and cooking food, but every day I think about art and how to make more of it.

What keeps you busy these days? Any current and upcoming projects that you would like to promote?

I’m going to be showing with Parlor Gallery in Asbury Park, NJ sometime this summer, but I haven’t gotten the date yet. And I’m working on more videos with and without the use of the LomoKino, so keep checking my Vimeo page for those.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Just to check out all my sites: EllenStaggart.com (art), TheStaggParty.com (commercial), and my videos on Vimeo.

To wrap things up, please say a few final words to the members of the Lomography community.

Shooting analogue is not that easy. It can be expensive, hard to get developed and scan in and remove all that dust, takes a long time. But nothing looks as good or is as much fun to play with then real film. Instant gratification is nice in a digital world, but waiting to see what happens with negative film is just plain magical.

All photos in this article were provided to Lomography by Ellen Stagg.

written by chooolss on 2014-02-19 #lifestyle #interview #photography #erotica #ellen-stagg