'Porn Living'

Pornographers got together to sell their wares to each other AND to

their many fans (it's a $60 billion -- yes 'billion' -- a year

business), earlier this year in Las Vegas. Here a weary attendee at

this year's porn extravaganza relaxes in a lounge chair in front of

some over amply-endowed 'natural shaped' mannequins. Your ratings

and critiques are invited and most welcome. If you rate harshly or

very critically, please submit a helpful and constructive comment;

please share your superior photographic knowledge to help improve my

photography. Thanks! Enjoy! John

I don't know about highly superior photographic knowledge, but I gave you high ratings for your comprehensive and as always "intuitive" imagery I'm just sorry I did it anonymously before I realized who had seen and created such a wonderful image?

I used to cover the COMDEX Show which began sending the adult segment of the industry off to another hotel as not to embarass themselves or their vendors while they sell the latest in adult home entertainment hardware to their buyers. Now the main draw to Las Vegas is the adult industry manufacturers and producers. I ended up with a very interesting collection of industry stars pulling out all the plugs (literally) to entertain some of the larger clients and buyers of adult industry entertainment products from the old days (eighties). I've always been a little in awe of this industry, at least in the way they do so well in terms of dollars and sales and they really have become a major market industry. Although the major players (manufacturer's) within the regular consumer products industry, seem to act as if they're not even there, yet all the while catering to the industry's enhanced presentation! Nice image!

This was an unusual moment in the Adult Porn Extravaganza (my name) sponsored by the AVN (Adult Video News) Magazine, and which once was a booth at the COMDEX show.

 

COMDEX, for those who do not know, is the main showplace in the world for new electronics inventions/marketing, and is held annually in Las Vegas.

 

Now, Philip, the tail, as you noted, is nearly wagging the dog.

 

Rather than being exiled to another hotel, the two shows -- COMDEX and the Adult Convention, both are held side by side in the mammoth Sands Convention Center in the heart of Las Vegas's Strip Casino area.

 

When the men tell their wives they have to (just have to) go to COMDEX, few wives know these same guys are gonna visit the porn extravaganza, just next door -- literally next door -- even in the same building and even with internal doorways connecting the two, but no entry without a very expensive ticket.

 

In a way, the two extravaganzas are like Siamese twins.

 

A 'porn' convention, in one sense, and for one day, is something that caters within the industry (B to B), but for one day only. Then the upper level of the Sands Convention Center opens and there are booths for all sorts of various porn producers, and boy they must spend the money (and they certainly make plenty of it too.)

 

Free DVDs from one 'reality' porn producer were given to all, with 'vignettes' or 'scenes' from various things, special lanyards for holding entry passes bearing a porn producer's name, and 'porn stars' everywhere.

 

But NO PORN!

 

It's forbidden in Las Vegas.

 

My earlier photo of a video showing lesbian contact (or no contact, as one views it) seems to have been an anomaly. Bare breasts were forbidden; G strings were OK and pasties but nothing less -- and in Sin City, no less.

 

There are many stage shows in Las Vegas which are far more risque and indeed more 'nude'.

 

This was 'all hat no cattle' from a sexuality point of view, I'm afraid, but for a photographer, it was great grist for the photographic mill.

 

I found it both wearing and the opposite of sexual; but maybe I'm in a minority.

 

And I'm no prude.

 

Thanks for the history and the observations (and the accolade).

 

John (Crosley)

Good and funny shot John, don't know if I would want to fall asleep there though.

As a first class photographer, you would never have fallen asleep -- the place abounded with ironies if you (in the impersonal sense, as in 'one') weren't into just taking celebrity or 'pretty' girl photos (pretty in quotes, as not all were so lovely).

 

But as an event to cover from a sexual arousal point of view, it was a real 'snoozer'.

 

Take it from me, and I'm red-blooded.

 

I just don't idolize 'porn stars', and that's why these guys were there -- there certainly was no real 'porn' in existence anywhere -- just suggestions -- kind of like some sort of fan dancing -- heavy intimations of 'sex' but nothing there, really.

 

No naked girls running about or doing nasty things on stage.

 

Lots of skimpy costumes and a few pasties, and some more hardenened looking woman, together with a few who were very sweet looking (and genuinely sweet.)

 

And that's the way it was, at this year's porn extravaganza.

 

I skipped a day just to sleep in, and was glad I did -- walking around all day with two heavy cameras and lenses was 'hard' work.

 

John (Crosley)

This is really, really droll!

I'm back from vacations with some hundred of photos to be developed.

See you!

 

Luca

 

Very interesting. Compositional it's really great. I like the b&w treatment and the light here. Best regards

Good to have you back; your insightful comments have been missed.

 

Yes indeed, this is 'droll' as you say.

 

In fact, I'm awfully droll, if people give me a chance.

 

It's sort of humor for serious people -- for the right person, with a similar sense of the macabre, the serious or just the 'droll' I can turn from a dour-looking sort into a genuinely fun and funny guy. It all depends on the audience.

 

'Porn Living'

 

I guess those aren't the 72 virgins in the distance, are they; in fact, the ultimate in irony is the distant mannequins were about the most sexy bodies at the porn extravaganza, and they were made of plastic . . . .

 

Hummmm . . . .

 

Welcome back, again.

 

John (Crosley)

The composition here was dictated by the structure of the parties involved and trying to bring them into meaningful juxtaposition and still make it viewable.

 

This is just another example of putting into play my compositional rule: put all the interesting things within the frame and keep all the uninteresting things out.

 

That's it in a nutshell.

 

This required using a wide angle lens and getting so close to this guy that I had to bend over.

 

In bending over, and not having had a shower for most of that day and being a little gamey, involved sticking my rear end into the face of a guy in another lounge chair -- for which I was apologizing even as I took this. I was saying to the guy, I'm sorry I'm sticking my butt into your face, and I think I smell more than a little, but I'm taking what I think may be a great photo, so please bear with me.

 

And he did and with good humors. I showed him this photo and he was most appreciative . . . I told him I wouldn't forget him when I put this photo on display (and now I have not . . . .)

 

Hasan, your points about composition, framing and lighting (black/white choice) were well taken - thanks for lighting up your brain cells on my behalf.

 

John (Crosley)