Summer Flowers And Shibari

“… The thing that sat with me the most was being out of control artistically. Since I’m generally the decision-maker in my life, per the stereotype, I like to make less decisions in the bedroom, so with this experience being a similar vulnerable state, I had an inkling that I’d enjoy it for that reason, and I did.

However, I was super shocked at how much tension I hold in my distrust for others’ artistic visions, and trusting you to create something beautiful instead of me trying to manage the outcome, was incredibly freeing. So I was able to relax and enjoy the experience fully.”

I recently worked with a friend who was curious to try shibari and was happy to let me try out some new ideas.

Recently I’ve been getting back into making work with color, and I’ve been exploring ways to make my shibari/rope bondage work more beautiful, in a way that contrasts it with the typical interpretation of such a thing. In my boudoir and erotic photography I often try to incorporate mixed feelings, such as beauty and sadness or intimacy and loneliness. Shibari is normally seen as being rather sadistic, and for good reason, but there is something else for those who can look deeper.

Like any art, shibari is a way to express one’s self with another, and for me it is a gentle art that is primarily about communion. It demands deep trust and a high degree of communication from both the one casting rope and the one being bound, and it can reward a powerful experience. This work is an exploration of that and an attempt to convey what that bond feels like in that moment.

So, that being said, I’d like to present to you what happens when you bring together two people with soft rope, fresh flowers, a camera, and some of that beautiful Los Angeles sunshine.