Wendy Williamson Interview

by Greg

I went to High School with New York Photographer Wendy Williamson; we didn’t really know each other back then that well. I am glad I’ve gotten to know her a little better since then via the internet. The first time I viewed her photographs I was very taken with her eye and subjects; I love how Wendy finds beauty in everyone around her. I would like to introduce you to Photographer Wendy Williamson.

Photos

How do you describe your work to people who haven’t seen it yet?

I create erotic images and documentary work. There are many different subjects that I photograph for different purposes. First of all, my daily life is something I’m always taking snaps of for the purpose of record keeping and remembrance. Its important for all of us to remember where we come from and where we have been. As a visual person, I see so much beauty and strangeness in the world that I feel compelled to document. As for the other photographs that I create, my subjects are women that are often thought of as out-of-the-ordinary fetish or erotic models, as well as more mainstream models. Basically, I love to photograph women!  Its an eternally fascinating subject that artists never tire of. The two most notable women that I have photographed recently I met on model-photographer networking websites. Lola Batling is a nude and fetish internet model who also does phone sex, is a writer, a perfumist, and a spoken word artist. The other model I work with is Akynos, and she is a beautiful black woman with an incredible ass. We have made some great work together.

Do you find it easier to get female models to open up to you more because your a woman?

Yes, however, I’ve never been a male and have thought that sometimes the chemistry between a male photographer and female model might create sparks. That’s not to say that I don’t have chemistry with my models…

Have you ever thought about shooting men; which might create those sparks of chemistry?

No, I’m not too interested in shooting men at this point. However, as I said before, there is definitely good chemistry between me and most of the females I have photographed. It is necessary for a good result, in my opinion.

What initially drew you to shooting more erotic & fetish photographs?

Ever since I became serious about photography as a teenager, I have photographed sexy women. Some people say that every portrait is a self portrait and I have always been a very sensual woman and an attention whore.  I’m expressing my fantasies and creating them for other people when I take these photos. The more obvious answer as to what inspires me is my experience as an exotic dancer, something that I have been doing on and off since I was 19 years old. I’m inspired by and in awe of the women that I have met and I want to tell their stories. I come from a very sheltered Christian family and something that I’ve realized is that just because a person chooses to do sex work, be it stripping, nude modeling, porn, or one the myriad other things in the sex industry, it doesn’t make them any less of a person or mean that they are unintelligent or amoral. I feel that I have these two seemingly opposing forces in my life- the need to be an exhibitionist and to perform for other people, and the intelligent, spiritual, and artistically driven side. So do the women that I photograph and that I have known in the industry.  I’m not sure if this comes through in my work yet, but its an idea that is hugely inspirational for me. 

How much processing goes into your photographs after they are taken?

Not much really. I retouch the model’s skin. I shoot most everything digital now, which is a bit unfortunate because I love large format. 

What’s your favorite part of a shooting portraits?

I don’t really think of my work as portraits, but I suppose my favorite part of shooting is channeling the intense anxiety and uncertainty that I always experience before shooting into the act of creating.

Where do you draw the line between erotic art work and porn?

I think everyone has a different definition. I’ve posed nude and solo for a photographer, and nude with another woman. Some people consider that porn and got angry with me for “doing porn” and it made me wonder. At what point does “erotica” turn into porn? Most people would say that the point is when one is photographed in the act of having sex with another person. If people are photographed tastefully in the act, to me that is not porn. But who really cares about labels? I think its up to the individual and what they are comfortable doing with their image and body.

Coming from the sheltered Christian family; how did they react to your photographs?

They know of my work but have never seen it. Its better that way! My family is awesome, though. They are very Southern and live in Northern Florida and Southern Alabama, many of them on a big cattle farm. I also have a long-term documentary project about them. Modern day farm life is fascinating!

Where would you like your artwork to end up in magazines, personal walls, art galleries or all of the above and why?

My goal within the coming year is to shoot for magazines. My dream spread would be in a magazine called “Smooth,” a men’s magazine which features women with large rear ends. I love the element of generic trashiness in men’s magazines and porn, and I strive for that trashiness in my work.  Currently I’m shooting models to rebuild my portfolio so that I can start shopping it around to these magazines. I also want to shoot more models for their websites… so if there are any interested models in the NY area, email me!

Another thing I’m working on are a series of mini books, photo zines if you will, of my work. Each book or issue will showcase a different genre that I photograph. I honestly don’t know why I want to make these, I’m just compelled to do so.

What is one impression you hope the viewer takes away from your work?

I want to excite and intrigue viewers. I want to give them a glimpse of the underbelly of society and show them parts of peoples private lives that they many normally never have seen…

Linkage

• WendyLeeWilliamson.com ( Portfolio & Contact )
• Wendenglow ( Flickr Photostream )

Thank you Wendy for sharing with us; I hope reach your dream of being featured in Smooth Magazine.