Stagg-Tastic!

Ellen Stagg's work continues to get the blood flowing, her pictures of lusicious females are brimming with passion and sexuality. Her new blog, StaggStreet, has been showcasing some of her more racy work. We caught up with Ellen to find out more about her photography. Check out the interview after the jump.

Frank151: Who are you, and where are you from?
Ellen Stagg: I'm Ellen Stagg, born and raised in Connecticut.  Been in NYC for 11 years.

F151: How did you start taking pictures?
ES: I started in high school at the age of 16.  I was a junior in the senior class and I ended up winning the award for best photographer of the year. I knew then I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.  I love it, it's my passion.

F151: Who are your influences in photography?
ES: Helmut Newton, Mario Testino, Guy Bourdin, Bettina Rheims.

F151: Who are some of your favorite contemporary artists right now?
ES: When it comes to artists I'm moved by Dali and Frida Kahlo , but when it come to more contemporary, I really like Kukula and some of this darker female work coming from the west coast.

F151: Your pictures are consistently some of the sexiest we have ever seen. As a female taking erotic pictures how do you think your approach differs from that of your male counterparts?
ES: Women feel comfortable around me, so they are more likely to do things they wouldn't for male photographers.  I make friends with most of my models and they wanna work with me more and more, and I just keep getting better and better images from them.  I'm lucky, I do have the best job in world, women get naked for me all the time.

F151: What’s your take on pop culture today, and current portrayals of women in the media?
ES: Pop culture is something that fascinates me, but it has become quite trashy these days.  Me being a new school feminist, I believe that as long as a woman still respects herself  and doesn't hurt anyone, I respect and support them in their choices.  I think there are a lot of women doing things out there just for the attention, and not for the right reasons.  But you must be honest with yourself in what you do.  Justine Joli, being a friend of mine and my muse, is a porn star and an amazing woman.  She really enjoys her work and is honest about it.  She inspires me in many ways as a smart strong woman.

F151: Are you trying to convey a deeper message with your photography?
ES: I don't really like to think my work has any kind of deeper message.  I take photos of beautiful women and hot men, and some are a little racier than others.  I'm a bit of a pervert (in a good way) and love all things to do with sex.  My photos turn me on, and I hope they do to others too.  If anything I really like to move people, and if they are getting movement in their pants, I've done my job. 

F151: Aside from your erotic photos, what other type of photography do you like to take?
ES: Fashion, and portrait.  You can see my more commercial stuff at TheStaggParty.com. 

For more samples of Ellen Stagg's erotic photography check StaggStreet.blogspot.com