Checking In With Erotic Photographer Ellen Stagg

Meet Ellen Stagg at The Museum of Sex in NYC Next Week!

Amazingly talented erotic photographer Ellen Stagg Has a super new book out that will definitely be of interest to every porn fan out there. "Dirty Girl Collection" features Justine Joli, AVN Hall of Famer Joanna Angel, Kendra James, Skin Diamond, Nikki Benz, Charlotte Stokely and a bunch of other beautiful women known for getting naked on camera for the world. Stagg will be signing her book at an event at The Museum of Sex on Thursday, February 9th from six to nine PM and if you can be there, you totally should. Stagg is brilliant and has shot a ton of brilliant and beautiful stars, not only in the adult world but also people like Scarlett Johansson, Tony Hawk and Moby. She is a living treasure.

What made you decide that now was the time to put together "Dirty Girl Collection"?
"I have been wanting to do a book for a while now, I have so many images on Staggstreet.com. I guess I was just waiting for the right publisher to take the leap with me, and Goliath was the one."

How did you meet Justine Joli? She was the one who brought you into the porn world, I understand.
"We met through a fellow photographer back in 2005. He hadn't even met her yet, but got an email from a friend that Justine was in NYC and wanted to work with a photographer. He was booked and passed her off to me. I thought she was amazing--the first model who had no inhibitions. We probably shot at least fifty times in eight years. I could do a book just on her and it would be just as big as "Dirty Girl Collection", three hundred and twenty pages easy and then she introduced me to so many other lovely ladies. I didn't even realize how well known she was until months after we shot. I just thought she was so magical."

What do you enjoy most about shooting porn performers?
"They prefer being naked. I tried shooting with women outside of the adult business and they were always a bit shy. Porn performers are the pros of exhibitionism."

Porn is more mainstream than ever. Has your work with porn stars gone more that way along with what is going on with the rest of the culture?
"My style has only changed in the past ten plus years to be a bit more fine art with shooting more film and Polaroids. I still shoot digital, but I really love doing stuff with real film. I wouldn't call that mainstream, but more of a mainstream audience seems to be looking at my work. I love that the mainstream is not so hung up on porn and porn performers."

What are the differences between shooting a Hollywood mega star like Scarlett Johansson and shooting a porn mega star like Joanna Angel?
"The only difference is a magazine paid me to shoot with Hollywood stars and Joanna and I just use the content on our sites. Oh, and I guess Scarlett kept her clothes on. Joanna got very naked for me."

What have you found universally makes a woman feel sexy in front of your lens?
"When I'm shooting models with or without clothes on or even doing a private boudoir shoot, I'm very complementary and show them when we really have something amazing. It usually takes a minute for someone to get comfortable, but once they know that I'm there to just make them look their best, they really come out of their shell. Also, that I'm a woman. I think woman love being supported by other strong women."

What did you learn most being the focus of the IFC internet documentary series "The Stagg Party"?
That I thought I wanted more attention. When it was done and out there for people to see I got very nervous about my anonymity. I guess I'm not as mush of a narcissist as I thought I was. But getting my work out there means I have to get myself out there too.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to be a better photographer?
"Shoot all the time, minimum once a week. Malcolm Gladwell's ten thousand hour rule is just a drop in the bucket. I have been a pro for eighteen years, studying photography for twenty-two years, and I'm still working on my craft. I think the best way to better your skills is work all the time and make yourself better. No excuses."

What is coming up for you, other than this signing at the Museum of Sex?
"Just shooting, retouching and posting my images everywhere. I'm redoing my fine art site and want to shop around to other galleries and show more. Making beautiful photos till I die."

Is there anything you'd like to say to your fans here at Fleshbot?
"I'm lucky that people like my work. Thanks for checking it all out."

All of the images here appear courtesy of Stagg Street. Click right here to pick up your very own copy of "Dirty Girl Collection"!