World Class Topless Girls (No Nudity)

I had posted this once and removed it a couple of hours later as I

was going to make some adjustments. Didn't care for my changes so

it's back up. I took several shots from the same location with

different people, some facing the camera, and some not. I like the

light here although I've been nitpicking this photo to death. I

welcome constructive comments.

I like it. Good light and reflection. Did he go in? Are they reallt 'world class'? This photo poses so many questions...(!) DB

I think he did go in. However I did not so I can't really verify if they were World Class or not! I actually think an interesting series could be done inside one of these clubs. I would be more interested in photographing the men's reactions to the women instead of the dancers themselves but I highly doubt anyone would allow me inside with a camera.

 

Thanks for your input.

Jenna, I like the feel and the attitude and also the quality of the shot. I would like to be able to see the guy a little more clearly to see his attitude a bit better.

 

As for shooting inside the place, maybe a male strip club, i.e. the strippers are male, would be better as the girls are far more excitable so you would get better 'action' shots. Also they may be more willing to let you in to shoot.

 

-P

About the photo itself:

 

good idea! I'm not sure about the position of the man, probably would have been better a little bit more downwards, between the first and second line on the pavement. But this is the problem of "street", as we both know!

 

Another possibility would have been taking someone coming out of the club... satisfied? Pleased? But this poses other problems, since I guess people are not happy to be portrayed coming out of a strip club.

 

About your plans of going inside... I suggest you to go a first time without camera to talk with the owners. It might be easier for a woman... maybe fake you're from some magazine... and be sure that they cannot discover you're lying...

Bruno:

 

I would have loved for him to have been a couple steps further (in the brightest part of the light) or entering the club. I had shots with several people in them (some close to me) but I liked the isolation of a single person.

 

I was also going to take shots in front of the club and only got one off when the doorperson (female) got upset, walked out to me, and asked me to stop. This is Vegas and they should be used to cameras but I just moved on.

 

As for going inside? Just an idea, but I doubt I will do it! I think it would be fascinating though.

 

Paul:

 

I don't think they have any male strip clubs where I live but I think that would be interesting as well. I wonder if I would approach one differently than the other?

 

 

I think this image says it all about strip joints. The loneliness and emptiness is palpable. Good work!!

Jenna, I like it. It's a nice tease. In fact, that sign teases everyone to look intently at the far, far right side of the pic. So you might consider backing up a bit and letting the corridor share more like a third of the image. Just a thought. Have fun there.

Hmm, I can't decide whether the line "World class topless girls" should be considered a tautology, a contradiction, or some other obscure classification... what I can say is that I think this is great work indeed!!

PS. He looks as if he's about to pee right there!!

I agree that the photo 'might possibly' be improved if you backed off a little, but it might have destroyed the composition by introducing unwanted side elements or causing you to destroy the aspect ration by causing an aesthetically unpleasing crop.

 

What I do agree with is that the man appears to be doing something with his genitalia, however it isn't 'peeing' as Neil above suggests, and that only leaves one other thing. Think Pee Wee Herman.

 

This photo certainly does illustrate the lonelines and emptiness of such places -- particularly for a man dressed and with a bearing such as this guy -- who cannot hope to attract the young, possibly beautiful and certainly well-figured young women to be found inside such a 'club'.

 

This is a photo about a little bit of despair -- a moment of sadness in what may be an otherwise happy life . . . where a man has to lower himself just to be teased . . . if he is single . . . as opposed to European and other nations where prostitution is legal (in Las Vegas it is NOT legal, though it is legal in surrounding counties).

 

And what about the 'free topless party?' Is he perhaps going to that?

 

Maybe he's considering removing his jacket and shirt so he can attend?

 

Food for thought.

 

Best wishes.

 

John (Crosley)

I'm really late to this thread, but I noticed this in your portfolio and I thought it was an excellent portrait of the oppressiveness of sexual obsession -- not heavy handed at all, but wonderfully suggestive. The poor guy looks not too old, yet bend over and disshevled. Because the guy is turned away, he becomes all men in this situation. I'm not a prude, but I think most people will agree that this kind of venue is at least a wee bit unhealthy. Years ago I went to a few topless clubs when a few of my carnivorous friends held their birthdays there. I can tell you that there is a dullness and a boredom that prevades these places as the senses shut down and meat bodies fax each other across the dark, beer-stenched space.