As a part of the ongoing super project, Project Educate 2008 (^projecteducate), I present to you:

Official Fetish Photography ABCs

The following A-Z breakdown outlines some of the basics of all things fetish in the photographic medium! Much of these are features of common fetishes, or explanations of elements of the style. I could go on forever though.


_{***this article is heavy on mature content***}

A is for Age

Since fetish centers on sexuality, the fetish gallery is age restricted. Anything submitted to the fetish gallery has the mature content filter set to its highest. All models in this gallery also need to be 18 or older.

B is for Bondage

Bondage is one of the most well-known fetishes in the mainstream, with roots that go deep into subcultures, being expressed in many different ways. Bondage refers to being bound or restrained, often with handcuffs, ropes, etc. It is usually one part of a domination-subversion relationship, if not just for pure fun.

C is for Corset

Corsets are restrictive lingerie-wear that cinch in the waist. Corsets were traditionally worn in the 19th Century--by men AND women. Today, it is more popularly seen among women, even breaking through the fetish world into high fashion and street fashion.

D is for dAmn

#thevaginamafia is the place to go for fetish photography chat on dAmn.

E is for Erotica

Erotica is a term used to describe art of any medium that aspires to portray human sexuality with high-art aspirations rather than commercial aspirations. Erotica is a definitely often used to separate fetish from pornography when it comes to photography (erotica being high-art, pornography being commercial "art").

F is for Fear

People fear what they don't understand, plain and simple. Many people who speak poorly of fetish, or flat-out bash it, often do so because they don't understand it, and therefore conclude that it is wrong or even amoral.

G is for Gas Mask

H is for Heels

I is for Ink

(see T for text on tattoos)

J is for ...

K is for Knee-Highs (and thigh highs...and other stockings and tights and socks)

L is for Legs and Lips and Latex

M is for Models

WIthout models, fetish portraits would be...well...portraits! Fetish portraiture is often a collaborative process between the model and photographer (like any portrait). Most of all, in order for something to fit in the Fetish portraits gallery here on dA, the subject must include a human. Fetish is contained within the People and Portraits gallery, so still life photographs of bondage gear, for example, don't go here despite the fetish-related content.

N is for Nudity

While nude portraits are a large part of sexual and fetish-oriented imagery, a fetish portrait by no means must be nude! Many fetish portrait styles in fact require the model to be fully covered or clothed, such as with latex and corsetry, or uniform-oriented fetish fashion.

O is for ^opioid

That'd be me! I'm your gallery director for fetish portrait photography. You can send me your suggestions for Daily Deviations as well as ideas for contests and events you'd like to see realized. Just send me a note or e-mail me at opioid@volunteers.deviantart.com

P is for Porn

Pornography is a major debate in fetish photography. Fetish as a genre implies sexuality as a main element, which leads many people to link it directly to pornography. There is a fine line between the two, and that line is often different from person to person. Only you can decide for yourself what is "vulgar" and what is "art," but we should always remember that we all have different ways of defining these categories for ourselves and it's important to be respectful of one another--even though we may be getting called "perverts" and other rude names in the process!

Q is for Quirky

Fetish photographs often have a quirkiness to them, because while they share many aesthetic elements with glamour, pin up, and fashion photography, that little hint of sexuality makes them a bit more bizarre than the other styles. Latex? Whips? Feet? Fetishes seem inherently quirky.

R is for Ropework

S is for Sex

Sexuality is central to fetish photography. Fetish has become a rather commercial style of portrait photography, that links pin-up and glamour with roots in Surrealism. Surrealism held exploration of sexuality as one of its central tenets during the heyday of the movement, and allowed for sexuality-centered expressive styles of art to evolve over the years. In this sense, fetish photographers owe quite a bit to the Surrealists!

T is for Tattoos

A very popular (and unisex!) fetish revolves around tattoos. One quick glance at the fetish portraits gallery will show the extent of this fetish, as it overlaps with many other popular ones (such as bondage, latex, corsetry, and other similar BDSM-based fetishes). I'm "guilty" of this one myself

U is for Ulorinvex

popular fetish, artistic nude, pin up, and glamour model interviewed here

V is for Vixen

Vixens, tramps, dominatrixes, sassy mistresses, naughty nurses, derby divas...anything powerful, bitchy, and female finds a home in fetish portraits.

W is for Wax and Whips

X is for X-Rated

Something that shouldn't be descriptive of erotica on deviantART R-rated is kosher.

Y is for Yes Master

Dominant partners demand to hear this from their slaves and submissive partners.

Z is for zoophilia

alright, I'm not going to touch on this in detail or in a realistic sense. Let's just not go there. It often breaks the boundaries of erotica and pornography But putting it as Z gives me an excuse to pose fetish portraits that involve snakes and other animals in addition to whips, corsets, and tattoos!