The following is a long overdue interview from the series of interviews launched for Fetish Portraiture photography week in Project Educate 2008.

*DavidSamson is an innovative fetish and nude photographer who always seems to draw a sense of familiarity from his models, as if his photographs were stills from movies. From binding and ropework to piercing and domination, his portraits cover all the major milestones of the fetish genre with an air of humor and positivity.

Basics and Background

Name and location?
David Samson. Reut, Israel.

How long have you been practicing photography?
20 years, even longer.

Do you have any formal training in the arts?
Few short courses, but apart from that I have no formal training.

What cameras are your personal must-haves on a shoot?
I currently use Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

How did you come to embrace the genres you prefer to work in?

It was a growing and gradual process; I feel that now I am where I belong.

Art and sexuality

What initially drew you to fetish-related subject in art?
Fetish photography allows me to bring together my love of photography and that of DBSM. I believe my photos reflect a way of life that is close to my heart and is completely a part of me.

How do you personally define fetish fine art versus pornographic imagery? How do you feel about the controversy overlaid on this style of photography?
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and so are, in my mind, art and pornography. Anyone looking at a photo needs to ask themselves what they see in it, what they get from it, what it does to them. The line between fetish fine art and pornography can pass at different places for different people, and this is understandable. My hope is that occasionally I manage to redefine this fine line for some people and make them find out that they are actually touched by my photos, and that they learn something new they did not know about themselves before.

Do you find influence from other mediums?
I am inspired by life, by everything that I am exposed to, be it other mediums of art or anything else. I carry this little notebook with me to make sure that ideas don’t disappear as fast as they come.

What kind of in-camera manipulations do you perform to glam up your portraits?
I employ different lens and manipulate shutter speed and aperture.
Sometimes I modify the colors through photoshop to reach the atmosphere or ‘feeling’ that I had in mind for a specific photo. I also correct blemishes in the models in a way that makes them look still true to themselves, but only better

What suggestions would you give other photographers about harnessing light to create a desired mood in their imagery?
I have always been influenced by Rembrandt’s paintings. His use of light on the subject against the relatively dark background is very powerful. I find that a brownish or greenish shade creates the correct atmosphere for many of my photos.

Words of wisdom

What advice do you have for beginning photographers?
Continue!
But most of all don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid to try anything, to follow your heart, to open up to other photographers work. And master the use of lighting, sometimes the most banal photo becomes magical with the right lighting.

What advice would you give to professional photographers in a rut?
Take a pause, relax. For a while do something that is completely outside of your typical genre of photography, it will help you find a new point of view and gain a new perspective.

What advice would you, at present, give yourself 5 years ago if you could reach back in time?
5 years ago was an important time in my life, but I suppose the question was about photography
Not to be afraid to think outside the box. To learn the technique better so that I could concentrate completely on the subject of the photo. I learnt a lot by trial and error. But mainly, dare.

What do you hope people find in your art? Or, what do you hope they definitely don't find in it?
I hope my work makes people stop, look, then look again. I want them to be intrigued by what went on there, to imagine the moments before the photo was taken, after it was taken, to find in the photo a moment in time that is part of a story. And to wonder… was it real or staged?

What inspires you most? How do you translate that to your fetish (or nude, or expressive, or other types of glamorous portrait) photography?
I am moved by my passion and desire to erotica and bondage, in photographing a model I create these fantasies. I am inspired by the dreams that I dream, the books I read, the pictures I see, the people that are dear to me, I draw inspiration from it all, from life. Then I ‘soften’ life a little, and shoot.

Ego

Who is your favorite deviantART photographer and why?
There is so much talent on DA! Almost every day I make a new discovery and fall in love with some photo. I always think that I should favour and comment more, so this is a wonderful opportunity to mention some names. (I am sure that as soon as I send this I will remember others that I would have liked to mention too)
*photoport – Amazing works!!! and an unbelievable collection of beautiful models
~mweiler – Great light, sensuality, composition, everything (and those models again!)
=DavidLawrence - Very beautiful b/w photos, somewhat photojournalistic in style and a dear person.
*hakanphotography – endless diversity and color, can never tell what’s next
`foureyes - wondrous! Sometimes I ask myself on which planet where these images taken?!
*KaterinaBelkina – photo manipulations and photos that are breathtaking.
~YuriBonder - who sadly passed away recently and will be remembered forever in his wonderful work

What is your favorite image of your own, so far? Why?
It’s so hard to point at a photo and label it favorite. I love all the photos that I publish, they all mean something to me, remind me of the moment when they were created, of the connection I had with the specific model who helped creating the image. There are so many factors involved and there is a ‘favorite’ in everyone.

Is fetish a lifestyle for you or an expressive art form? Why?
Fetish for me is only a single aspect of a much wider and whole lifestyle. I am fortunate to be able to express this in the form of art.

Favorite ice cream flavor?
Vanilla , but of course a lot depends on the container

If you could be any other person, who would it be and why?
It is going to sound strange (especially given my physique ) but I would have liked to be, for a while, a woman. To feel, even for the shortest time, what it is like to be the most perfect creature on earth …

Do you have your own fetish or infatuation, and if so does it influence your concept brainstorming?
I am bursting with them: ropes, beautiful women and their beautiful feet and their beautiful tiny breasts, just to name a few. How does it influence my concept brainstorming? I try not to let it all cloud my mind too much

Anything else you'd like to say?
Anyone is still here? Thank you!

Seriously, a HUGE thank you to everyone who takes the time to visit, look, comment, or favour. It just wouldn’t be the same without your interaction. I am not very diligent at thanking and replying personally, not enough hours in the day, so I take this opportunity – THANKS!!!





#thevaginamafia is the dAmn headquarters for fetish portraiture. Be sure to drop to meet the artists interviewed in this series, myself, and many other photographers of varied types here on deviantART!