Accidentally Walking Into A Porn Set: My Unique Story

Walking Into A Porn Set

When I set out as a novice photographer, I never expected to find myself walking into a porn set. Driven by ambition and a passion for photography, I accepted an invitation that seemed like a routine group shoot. Little did I know, this day would offer more than just a lesson in lighting and angles.

Fruit​ ​salad

or​ ​rather

 how​ ​I​ ​accidentally​ ​walked​ ​in​ ​on​ ​a​ ​porn​ ​set.

Unknowingly Accepting The Invitation

I​ ​had​ ​been​ ​shooting​ ​for​ ​about​ ​a​ ​year, I​ ​was​ ​very​ ​close​ ​to​ ​hitting​ ​a​ ​few​ ​huge​ ​milestones and​ ​start​ ​getting​ ​paid​ ​work​ ​as​ ​a​ ​fashion​ ​and​ ​commercial​ ​photographer.​ ​Before​ ​any money​ ​had​ ​ever​ ​changed​ ​hands,​ ​I​ ​was​ ​invited​ ​by​ ​a​ ​photographer​ ​I​ ​knew​ ​to​ ​come​ ​and take​ ​part​ ​in​ ​a​ ​group​ ​photo​ ​shoot​ ​event.​ ​There​ ​would​ ​be​ ​about​ ​12​ ​photographers​ ​and​ ​as many​ ​models​ ​including​ ​food​ ​and​ ​drink.​ ​There​ ​was​ ​normally​ ​a​ ​participation​ ​fee​ ​but​ ​I​ ​had been​ ​requested​ ​by​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​models​ ​to​ ​be​ ​in​ ​attendance.

At​ ​this​ ​point,​ ​I​ ​was​ ​just​ ​a​ ​nice​ ​kid​ ​with​ ​a​ ​camera​ ​and​ ​had​ ​no​ ​idea​ ​what​ ​to​ ​do​ ​with​ ​it.

It​ ​was​ ​about​ ​a 2.5​ ​hours​ ​drive​ ​north​ ​to​ ​a​ ​lovely​ ​beach​ ​house​ ​that​ ​looked​ ​like​ ​a​ ​weekend escape​ ​destination.​ ​Beautifully​ ​manicured​ ​frontage​ ​with​ ​a​ ​tropical​ ​vibe.​ ​There​ ​was​ ​a sign​ ​on​ ​the​ ​door​ ​suggesting​ ​photographers​ ​make​ ​their​ ​way​ ​around​ ​the​ ​back​ ​via​ ​the​ ​side gate.

An Amazing House And View

I​ ​swear,​ ​the​ ​large​ ​pool​ ​was​ ​surrounded​ ​by​ ​about​ ​an​ ​acre​ ​of​ ​timber​ ​decking​ ​with​ ​a barbeque​ ​large​ ​enough​ ​to​ ​cook​ ​for​ ​an​ ​army.​ ​I​ ​was​ ​quickly​ ​met​ ​by​ ​the​ ​model​ ​I​ ​had worked​ ​with​ ​once​ ​before​ ​and​ ​she​ ​introduced​ ​me​ ​to​ ​one​ ​or​ ​two​ ​of​ ​the​ ​other​ ​models​ ​and photographers​ ​there​ ​that​ ​she​ ​knew.

One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​models​ ​was​ ​cutting​ ​up​ ​lots​ ​of​ ​fruit​ ​off​ ​to​ ​one​ ​side.​ ​I​ ​was​ ​approached​ ​by another​ ​model​ ​I​ ​hadn’t​ ​yet​ ​met​ ​to​ ​photograph​ ​her​ ​in​ ​the​ ​pool. We went​ ​through​ ​a​ ​few​ ​simple​ ​poses,​​ ​through​ ​the​ ​session​ ​her​ ​bikini​ ​top​ ​came loose​ ​and​ ​fell​ ​to​ ​one​ ​side.​ ​I​ ​awkwardly​ ​pointed​ ​out​ ​that​ ​she​ ​was​ ​exposed​ ​ and she​ ​laughed​ ​at​ ​me.​ ​She​ ​knew,​ ​IT​ ​WAS​ ​ON​ ​PURPOSE!

I Was So Naïve

I​ ​can​ ​laugh​ ​at​ ​his​ ​happening​ ​now,​ ​I​ ​am​ ​now​ ​a​ ​very​ ​open​ ​minded​ ​and​ ​very​ ​difficult​ ​to shock​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​person​ ​but​ ​it​ ​begs​ ​the​ ​question​ ​that​ ​no​ ​caution​ ​was​ ​taken​ ​here​ ​to​ ​ensure that​ ​I​ ​was​ ​ok​ ​with​ ​this.​ ​If​ ​the​ ​roles​ ​were​ ​reversed​ ​it​ ​could​ ​be​ ​perceived​ ​as​ ​very unsettling.​ ​With​ ​all​ ​the​ ​latest​ ​allegations​ ​rocking​ ​the​ ​Hollywood​ ​Press,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​actually comforting​ ​to​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​see​ ​and​ ​experience​ ​tangible​ ​progress​ ​in​ ​these​ ​areas.

Anyway…

One​ ​of​ ​her​ ​friends​ ​arrived​ ​and​ ​she​ ​thanked​ ​me​ ​and​ ​skitted​ ​away.​ ​I​ ​sat​ ​down​ ​to​ ​chat​ ​to the​ ​photographer​ ​I​ ​knew​ ​who​ ​had​ ​also​ ​just​ ​arrived​ ​at​ ​the​ ​event.​ ​A​ ​very​ ​sheltered​ ​man with​ ​broken​ ​English.​ ​He​ ​wasn’t​ ​sure​ ​what​ ​he​ ​had​ ​walked​ ​into​ ​either.

Asked To Do Some Extra Shots

The​ ​model​ ​I​ ​knew​ ​came​ ​back​ ​over​ ​and​ ​said​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​models​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​do​ ​some​ ​shots with​ ​the​ ​Fetish​ ​props​ ​in​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​rooms!​ ​Very​ ​light​ ​bondage​ ​stuff.​ ​Some​ ​silk​ ​ties connected​ ​to​ ​a​ ​large​ ​rack.​ ​Nothing​ ​to​ ​extreme​ ​here.​ ​A​ ​few​ ​well​ ​placed​ ​lights​ ​made​ ​it quite​ ​dark​ ​and​ ​created​ ​a​ ​nice​ ​sensual​ ​mood​ ​coupled​ ​with​ ​lace​ ​corsetry​ ​and​ ​whatnot.​

​I was​ ​comfortable​ ​here.​ ​I​ ​was​ ​in​ ​my​ ​element.​ ​A​ ​few​ ​other​ ​photographers​ ​jumped​ ​in​ ​to grab​ ​some​ ​shots​ ​as​ ​they​ ​really​ ​liked​ ​my​ ​lighting​ ​setup.​ ​This​ ​actually​ ​gave​ ​me​ ​a​ ​major buzz.​ ​They​ ​all​ ​had​ ​much​ ​better​ ​cameras​ ​than​ ​me​ ​and​ ​so​ ​it​ ​was​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​first​ ​times​ ​I felt​ ​like​ ​I​ ​might​ ​not​ ​be​ ​pretending.​ ​The​ ​photography​ ​industry​ ​is​ ​a​ ​very​ ​self-loathing​ ​place. Most​ ​peoples​ ​are​ ​assholes​ ​to​ ​each​ ​other.

A Special Lunch

As​ ​we​ ​were​ ​finishing​ ​up,​ ​someone​ ​let​ ​us​ ​know​ ​that​ ​lunch​ ​was​ ​ready.

Lunch​ ​was​ ​the​ ​fruit​ ​salad.

A​ ​fruit​ ​salad​ ​laid​ ​out​ ​on​ ​top​ ​of​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​models.​ ​Sans​ ​clothing.

I​ ​didn’t​ ​have​ ​any​ ​lunch​ ​that​ ​day.

Clear Communication Is Essential

At​ ​this​ ​point​ ​I​ ​decided​ ​I​ ​was​ ​probably​ ​going​ ​to​ ​call​ ​it​ ​a​ ​day.​ ​I​ ​didn’t​ ​have​ ​any​ ​problems with​ ​nudity​ ​or​ ​working​ ​with​ ​and​ ​around​ ​it.​ ​I​ ​wasn’t​ ​extremely​ ​happy​ ​with​ ​how​ ​the​ ​event had​ ​been​ ​organised​ ​with​ ​only​ ​some​ ​of​ ​the​ ​models​ ​and​ ​photographers​ ​being​ ​aware​ ​that there​ ​would​ ​be​ ​more​ ​going​ ​on​ ​than​ ​just​ ​for​ ​the​ ​creation​ ​of​ ​art and portfolio​ ​building exercises.

My​ ​bag​ ​was​ ​back​ ​inside​ ​the​ ​house,​ ​I​ ​was​ ​giving​ ​the​ ​people​ ​I​ ​knew​ ​a​ ​lift​ ​to​ ​the​ ​station. We​ ​all​ ​agreed​ ​to​ ​leave​ ​and​ ​so​ ​we​ ​went​ ​in​ ​to​ ​grab​ ​my​ ​gear.​ ​As​ ​we​ ​went​ ​inside,​ ​we​ ​were greeted​ ​by​ ​a​ ​sight​ ​I​ ​will​ ​never​ ​forget.

This​ ​was​ ​around​ ​2009.​ ​Super​ ​high​ ​speed​ ​internet​ ​was​ ​still​ ​not​ ​entirely​ ​common.​ ​I​ ​had seen​ ​plenty​ ​of​ ​porn​ ​but​ ​it​ ​was​ ​not​ ​as​ ​much​ ​a​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​tapestry​ ​that​ ​makes​ ​up​ ​the internet​ ​as​ ​it​ ​is​ ​today.

A Shocking Sight

Legs​ ​spread​ ​eagle,​ ​strapped​ ​in​ ​and​ ​or​ ​onto​ ​a​ ​shoddy,​ ​homemade​ ​bench​ ​was​ ​one​ ​of the​ ​models​ ​I​ ​hadn’t​ ​met.​ ​It​ ​was​ ​surrounded​ ​by​ ​about​ ​5​ ​photographers​ ​who happily documented​ ​the​ ​experience.​ ​The​ ​machine​ ​that​ ​was​ ​doing​ ​all​ ​the​ ​work​ ​was​ ​sluggish. Accompanied​ ​by​ ​a​ ​dull​ ​whirr​ ​and​ ​clunk.​ ​It​ ​was​ ​not​ ​pretty.​ ​It​ ​was​ ​not​ ​flattering.​ ​Again​ ​it was​ ​not​ ​announced​ ​or​ ​agreed​ ​upon​ ​for​ ​some​ ​of​ ​us.

I​ ​learned​ ​a​ ​host​ ​of​ valuable​ ​lessons​ ​on​ ​this​ ​day​ ​about​ ​communication​ ​and​ ​consent within the BDSM scene.​ ​The fact​ ​was,​ ​I​ ​hadn’t​ ​thought​ ​much​ ​about​ ​these​ ​things​ ​but​ ​if​ ​I​ ​could​ ​feel​ ​uneasy,​ ​as​ ​a​ ​male, with​ ​a​ ​camera​ ​in​ ​these​ ​situations​ ​then​ ​it​ ​should​ ​be​ ​at​ ​the​ ​forefront​ ​of​ ​everyone’s​ ​minds at​ ​all​ ​times.

I​ ​have​ ​never​ ​allowed​ ​control​ ​of​ ​a​ ​creative​ ​get​ ​together​ ​to​ ​be​ ​out​ ​of​ ​my​ ​hands​ ​again.​ ​Any work​ ​I​ ​have​ ​done​ ​since​ ​in​ ​the​ ​BDSM, Kink and Fetish​ ​categories​ ​have​ ​always​ ​been​ ​one​ ​on one in​ ​private​ ​sessions​ ​between​ ​myself​ ​and​ ​the​ ​model, couple, rigger and/or client.

Why You Need To Be Careful In These Situations

​Something​ ​like​ ​this​ ​can​ ​so​ ​easily​ ​tarnish​ ​reputations​ ​or​ ​cause​ ​serious​ ​trouble​ ​for​ ​groups or​ ​individuals​ ​with​ ​poor​ ​organisation.​ ​I​ ​stopped​ ​going​ ​to​ ​these​ ​kinds​ ​events​ ​unless​ ​I knew​ ​the​ ​organisers​ ​personally​ ​and​ ​even​ ​then​ ​it​ ​was​ ​to​ ​only​ ​ever​ ​be​ ​introduced​ ​to someone​ ​who​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​work​ ​with​ ​me.​ ​It​ ​was​ ​a​ ​very​ ​steep​ ​learning​ ​curve​ ​from​ ​this​ ​day forward​ ​to​ ​navigate​ ​becoming​ ​a​ ​successful​ ​photographer​ ​both​ ​in​ ​and​ ​out​ ​of​ ​the​ ​kink world.

JJ Maher

Explore JJ Maher’s captivating world through his lens! A pro photographer specializing in adult erotica and unconventional portraits.

www.jjmaher.com.au/