Stagg’s Back
This photo of the lovely Shay Laren, was a Valentine’s Day gift to the Frank Family, from super talented photographer Ellen Stagg.
A few months back you may have noticed weekly posts highlighting the photography of Ellen Stagg. These photos got some of our readers really hot, so we had to let things cool down for a minute. The reaction was overwhelming positive, however some visitors called her images pornographic and exploitative. We wanted to explore these ideas further, so we caught up to Ellen to hear some of her thoughts on this situation.
Since we last featured her photos, Ellen has been on a steady photo blog grind, constantly featuring fresh new work on her site StaggStreet.com. We felt this was the perfect time to check in with Ellen and disucss her work further. Check out the full interview after the jump.
Frank151: How do you respond to people who say your work, or any work taking pictures of naked women is “exploitative”?
Ellen Stagg: Yes I might be objectifying women and men, but in a positive way. They wanna be objectified. We as a society objectify every day. We are interested in peoples outsides, and what they look like, what is aesthetically pleasing about them. When we see someone in a public place and wanna meet them, it is because of their physique, not their brains. Objectifying people is just expressing their beauty, showing off what “yo mama gave ya!!”
But I’m in no way exploiting anyone or anything. Everyone I shoot is totally willing and want to shoot with me again and again. I have shot Justine Joli over 8 times in under 2 years, and she wants to do it cause she loves the images, we have tons of fun and now we are friends. I have never taken advantage of any of my models.
F151: How does it make you feel when people are offended by your images?
ES: Sad for them, and happy that I’m making some kind of impression on them. Sad because it is the 21st century and I can’t believe people are still having problems with nudity. Nudity is natural and beautiful. Plus my blog has even gotten more people to get naked for me. It’s awesome.
But for the few who can’t handle the nudity, their negative attention is just bringing me more attention, which then more people will look at my images, the more fans the better.
F151: As a woman taking erotic photos of other women, do you feel there is as many opportunities as your male colleagues?
ES: Yes and no. Yes, because all my models feel comfortable around me, they are willing to push themselves further, because I’m not a “predator”. I make all my models feel sexy and happy in their own skin. And having these photos does get me a small invite into the boys club. My male peers seem to be very impressed with my images and the stories of me hanging with these lovely ladies, so it has opened doors. Plus all my male viewers think my work is hot, and wanna be on my shoots.
And no, because there might still be art directors or photo editors who think male photographers will get a mans point of view across and men want to look at that only. But every female model i have ever shot always say they feel more comfortable with me, and when your comfortable being naked, you look ten times hotter. So there can be a double standard.
F151: It seems to be women who have some of the strongest objections and reactions to your photography. Why do you think that is? What would you tell these women?
ES: I don’t wanna say it, but I think they are jealous. Women are constantly being caddy and jealous of one an other instead of being allies, in every day life. I don’t get it. I’m never jealous of the women around me, I wanna raise them up with me and hope they do the same. These women who don’t like my work are just jealous of me and my models. It stinks, I don’t know why society is built like that. We as women have to stop being haters and start being supporters
F151: We have been focusing on your photography of women, because that is what we like. But your site, StaggStreet, also features photographs of naked men and men masturbating. What’s your opinion of the double standard when it comes to the wider acceptance of naked pictures of women versus male nudity.
ES: Men will say that they only like looking at naked women and that women don’t like looking at naked men. “Mens bodies are gross” but the women i know love looking at naked men, and what about our fellow gay guys out there? I look at my work as a whole. My images are of free spirited people, beautiful in their own ways and sexy and fun, and help me to expand my art. I shoot for me and share with you, not the other way around. I’m not getting paid for these images, if i was there would be a different platform to them. I would be shooting “porn”, which by websters-dictionary-online.org, defines as “Creative activity (writing or pictures or films etc.) of no literary or artistic value other than to stimulate sexual desire”. My images totally have artistic value to me.
However, I really would like to shoot for more upscale porn mags like Penthouse. they have some great photographers, mostly men, and I think my aesthetic is perfect for them. Most of my fans of the blog say the same thing and don’t understand why I’m not working for Penthouse.
F151: What would you say to a corporation who expresses objections to Frank151 profiling your images?
ES: To stop trying to think for your consumers. Instead of tip toeing around these conservative people, embrace the arts and the artists. My friends Siege aka Clayton Cubitt told me about Overton window, which is a political way to sway the masses way of thinking. Why not use that for artists and open peoples minds. Plus, sex sells!!!!!
