The Library of Spanking Fiction: Wellred Weekly


Wellred Weekly
Volume 1, Number 7 : April 27, 2012
 
Articles
Items of interest regarding all things spanking

Cliff James: Spanking Photographer
Wellred Weekly interviews spanking photography, Cliff James


Are you a spanko yourself? If so - do you mix business with pleasure?
Indeed I am. It's difficult to mix business with pleasure at photo and video shoots as I tend to concentrate on the work side of things such as making sure that there isn't anything lying around the set such as girl's handbags, packets of ciggies and booze. The times that business and pleasure meet well are at spanking parties and that can be much fun.

When and how did you first get involved in spanking photography?
Getting into spanking photography happened quite by chance. When the publisher of Kane Magazine, George Harrison Marks, passed away, his daughter Josie wanted to carry on publishing the magazine. Soon, however, the cost of paying for a professional photographer became too much so I suggested that I do them myself. The first shoot was, if I remember correctly, with a girl called Brandi. Josie and I were going to do an interview with her and take a few snapshots. When the interview was done Josie realised she had to get to the bank so I ended up spanking Brandi and taking pictures of her bum. The quality of the pictures was awful.

Do you remember your first spanking photography sale? What was it?
This is a difficult one as it really depends on what you mean by sale! I guess the first real sale was when we sold our videos to Jennifer Brooks and had to provide large size 35 MM prints.

Cliff James photography

Was photography your full time occupation or merely a means of supplementing income?
It was neither really and as I said it just kind of happened, it was unplanned. I would like to think that I could make a living from photography but it's hard enough for a real professional let alone me.

Where has your spanking photography been featured?
Apart from Kane, I did do some with a girl I knew for our own website and I have done some for a couple of Mistresses but that was more domination photography rather than just spanking.

Are you involved in other areas of photography?
I did want to go freelance and covered the London Olympia Erotica exhibition on many occasions and the London Fashion Week. Those pictures were sold worldwide, although I only got paid a few hundred. My images have also been used by Nexus and tiedNteased as book and magazine covers.

How did you come to get involved with Kane magazine?
I wanted to make some money and initially tried my hand at writing short spanking stories to make some extra cash. At the time I had time on my hands and many ideas, most of which drew on my own experience and desires. I sent my work to many spanking magazines, including Kane, but Harrison Marks was the only one that got back to me. I then went to Wellington Ave, the home of GHM and Kane where George asked me if I could type out material he received hand written and I said I could. I also said I could do layout etc and that's what he asked me to do. Looking back, my writing skills were far from adequate though as they say practice makes perfect and I have since vastly improved. The editor of Privilege Plus / Privilege Club, Robb Squire, also helped me a great deal and gave me pointers.

Cliff James Kane covers

What was it like working on Kane?
In the beginning it was real fun, I was like a child let loose in a sweet shop and I thought I was the bee's knees. I know I upset quite a few people in my early days and that I regret. It wasn't all down to me but my attitude didn't help. It was fun putting Kane together and receiving reader's letters and pictures. However, after putting together fifteen issues the monotony began to creep in and my enthusiasm began to wane. I eventually began to dread starting the next issue. If you look at the issues of Kane 70 to 95 I think you will be able to see when I began to lose interest.

What would be involved in a typical photo shoot?
Stress! Girls wanted to chat and drink and it was difficult to get them going.

Is there a particular photo shoot you'd consider a favourite and why?
Working with Sam Johnson was always a pleasure and quite easy. If I had to choose it would be the shot I did of Sam as a schoolgirl which accompanied the story Protheroe's Choice. Sam always looked so cute and is a really nice person. Another photo shoot I'd choose as a favourite is one I did for Privilege Plus with a girl called Lorraine who played the part of a maid, except I was on the other side of the lens for that.

Were the spankings depicted in the photo shoots for real?
Oh definitely yes! I'd like to think that the stills of the videos show that they were real. Even the photos that accompany the interviews are real. Having said that, there is one shoot that isn't real but I'm not saying which one.

Are there any particular photo shoots which didn't go smoothly?
None of the shoots went smoothly as they were all manic although I can't recall any one of them being extraordinary difficult.

Cliff James photography

What do you look for in a spanking model? What makes you want, or not want, to work with someone?
It has to be looks. I know that's awfully shallow but by looks I don't mean the girl has to be stunning and the more mature women can also be attractive. I only ever regretted booking one girl and the night I met her I had downed a few.

Did you ever digitally enhance the photos you took of spanking models?
The only time I have enhanced or airbrushed a photo was to remove an unsightly facial feature. I have never enhanced marks on bums. Nowadays there are so many websites where girls have ridiculously red and striped bottoms and it is so obvious that the marks are fake. My pet hate!

Were there any downsides or negative aspects to doing photo shoots?
Photo shoots are tiring and boring. I spent my time worrying about the pictures and the set... and whether the media card would fail which has happened not only to myself but also to other photographers I know.

Are you still engaged in doing photo shoots? Any particular plans for the future?
These days I no longer do spanking photography as I have many other projects that I am occupied with. Some of these are spanking orientated such as my website: http://vintagespankingmagazines.com/







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