Gizmo is back. We already presented this handsome and shiny rubberguy in a “My Fetish Life”-Interview, but this time, we are talking about viewpoints and reasoning behind self and general fetish photography. And he makes some interesting argumentations, so start scrolling down and read 😉
How do you experience your fetish?
Gizmo: I find fetish most interesting if it’s a shared experience, which is a definition that can take many forms. For a start, self-bondage and self-pleasing does not excite me nearly as much as knowing that someone else is enjoying the experience too. I prefer to be submissive, but have been topping a lot as of late. Playing mildly with the minds of those who I chain up. I like to take some time for that as well, allowing a scene to set up and to create the right appearance and mindset.
Do you value the experience highly?
For the most part, yes. That’s largely because I need a proper mindset myself to really enjoy a submissive role. As of late, I’ve had difficulty finding someone with whom I can let go in that way. That being said, I’ve found that (at least for me) it’s not purely the first-hand experience which captures my interest, but the story as well. I like to think it’s what some feel with roleplay, just defined a little differently. It can be experienced, but that’s not the only way to tell a story.
Why are stories so interesting for you?
Everyone has fantasies and dreams, and fetishists and kinksters are definitely not an exception. Some are common, some are specific, some are being lived by others. To hear about them or to talk about them is a first step. To roleplay them in a scene is what most want. But not everything is achievable for everyone.
Take for example the idea of being a 24/7 rubber gimp, locked in a suit and forced to be subservient forever. It’s easy to talk about, and I can’t count on my hands the amount of times I’ve heard or read it. But something like that is nearly impossible to live by. And a temporary roleplay can only go so far. I like to bring those kinds of stories a little bit more to life.
And photography in the fetish scene was a creative eye-opener to me for that. People make pictures of their bondages and play, exciting others in turn. It started with taking pictures of the bondages I created or was in, along with a portrait picture or two. Over time, as poses developed, I grew more and more towards a style where the pictures I show don’t just show pure play, but infer something about those in the picture. A stance, callous or catious or caring, can raise an image from mere porn to storytelling. It shows a world in which those experiences are true.
How do you value your photography in contrast with just kinky play?
Kinky play for me requires a specific mindset, which currently is difficult for me. But through a photo where, for the camera, I project a certain attitude or message, I can share the intended mindset with others. I can imply strongly exactly what I’m supposed to think and say and do, and in the world of that picture that’s the entire story.
However, that doesn’t mean that all my pictures are staged. In many of my pictures, especially the ones where I’m out and about, my attitude is an accurate reflection of how I feel and how I am. Even if a mindset created by that route does not directly result in a deeper mindset when playing properly.
Can you give us an example of your process?
Some time ago Master4SM took me out to The Web in Amsterdam. Bar’s aren’t as much my thing, but I do like gearing up for such an outing. I was (as expected) dressed quite uniquely there. I sat timidly next to him as he talked with his friends, just being some present eye-candy getting some stares, which is fun. But then we agreed to take a quick step outside for a picture or two. After all, I was fully rubbered up, and it’s the centre of Amsterdam.
A few pictures came out like portraits with little interesting features. Until I took on a specific pose, leaning against a wall and mentally moving into a specific thought. The resulting picture tells a story not of the outwardly timid nature as I sat and stood in the bar, but of the feeling I get when I’m comfortable, geared up, and free. To this day, it is one of my favourite pictures.
That was an ad-hoc circumstance, but there’s often some planning involved too. I like the combination of the rubber gimp creatures and abandoned architecture, for reasons I’ll leave to your imagination. By chance, our group of rubber gimps caught word of an abandoned structure, accessible enough for pictures. We quickly scouted the location, arranged a date and photographer (nsl17 makes fantastic pictures), and headed there. Because of this preparation, we had a few ideas ready to take pictures. For my idea, I only slightly directed the poses and attitudes of my friends, and that was enough to create the image I wanted. The resulting picture implies a story of the gimps who have made the place theirs. And in which the viewer is an interloper, at best.
Both of these pictures share a slight theme; the shadowworld of rubber creatures intermingled with our own. Or at least, that’s my interpretation. After the picture is shared, whether it’s my story people find or their own interpretation, that is up to them. And also very much part of the process.
In the end, how do you think has photography affected you?
In more ways than one, gladly. Most obviously, it has allowed me to keep exploring my fetishism, even in times where playing is scarce. But it has also helped me feel closer to others in the kink community. I always feel an extra bit of pride when an uploaded picture garners a unique or personal response, and I thank people profusely when they tell me how a picture affects them or makes them feel.
I also love being part of the process when others want or need pictures. My limited knowledge is often sufficient to make a simple picture just that little bit more playful, or interesting, or artsy.
But lastly, and for me personally also most importantly: fetish photography has become my creative outlet which I had been missing for many years. A way to express myself or the abstract stories and thoughts in my mind, in an interesting and productive way for others.Though I thrive on the positive feedback from others, in the end I create the pictures to express myself. And because my expressions are welcomed and appreciated, I feel all the more comfortable in our shared fetish culture and community.
