#1 January 28th, 2005 01:05 PM

theda

Member

what makes a folio good?

Just curious as to what people's standards are in terms of what makes a folio really good. They are all great of course, but we all have own own favourites and ideas about what makes one different or special from the other. So I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on the subject.

philos

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

Just curious as to what people's standards are in terms of what makes a folio really good...

If the artist looks as though one might meet her in real life, and she would be fun to know, that for me adds a certain spice to the sexual attraction of any naked woman.  Today's artist, "Foxie" is a prime example.

sweston

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

Just curious as to what people's standards are in terms of what makes a folio really good. They are all great of course, but we all have own own favourites and ideas about what makes one different or special from the other. So I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on the subject.

I have always been facinated by the vagina.  So a folio that explores the vagina makes it a good one to me. 
By explore I dont mean pulling it appart or other typical porn shots, but rather clever and quality photography of a person's body.

Gimme_Danger

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

Lighting is extremely important. The contrast between highlights and shadows, colours of skintones etc. Often the colours in the set are what make it.

For me also, the 'natural' way the subject interacts with the camera and the surroundings is everything....a smile and an air of familiarity or confidence counts for a lot in photography as in other areas of life.

As I said in another thread, the sexual element is near zero but I am always open to it and a couple of folios came close to exciting me.

The other side of the coin...smoking turns me off

zimbonies

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

Just curious as to what people's standards are in terms of what makes a folio really good. They are all great of course, but we all have own own favourites and ideas about what makes one different or special from the other. So I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on the subject.

Theda:
It's so hard to pinpoint what makes a great folio for me.  I guess the bottom line is that it has to be natural.
Sometimes I log in and a model has posed differently than I've ever seen before and I think "wow!".  Other times, it's the same pose I've seen dozens of times, but the body is amazing and I say "wow!".  Each artist is different.
What makes me take note of a folio?

small breasts
flat stomach
protruding hip bones
pierced belly button
large labia
slightly hairy pubic area (not shaved)

For me, all photos have to be done in a natural way.  No spreading of lips etc (swetson's quote), but they must be all natural poses.

I also want to make clear that, yes, this site does excite me, but not to the point of typing with one hand! 

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"Look at da Chort?!  He's gone mad wit power!"

capiango

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

Just curious as to what people's standards are in terms of what makes a folio really good. They are all great of course, but we all have own own favourites and ideas about what makes one different or special from the other. So I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on the subject.

   For me just knowing that every person who posts a folio is doing it out of their own desire to show their creativity,  courage, defiance etc. is highly commendable. After that it's  mostly subjective and comes down to personal preference of what is art and what is erotic to the individual. With the huge spectrum that ISM covers I would think that many peoples typical stereotypes of what they like have also broadened maybe even to the point of epiphany. I know it has for me in some ways and I'm very open minded so that says something!
Honestly what makes a good folio for me is one that is most intact. My only real qualm with ISM is that I feel the folios are a tad over edited (same goes with the videos too!). Unless a photo is completely unusable, leave it in! The artists have the ability to delete any shots they dont like right? Nothing against the editors by the way, it's a tough job but someone has to do it.

theda

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

personally speaking i love folios that have a lot of colour, that always looked fantatic. Also characters, or in unconventional settings, and I love photos that are taken in an old style kind of theme, I think recently there were some fabulous black and white ones with a girl and a parasol, it was fantastic. I love a folio that demonstrates the artist's personality, where you can see that they've come up with an idea or concept and how they've demonstrated it through their photos. I think there are unlimited possibilities for creativity and total art through ISM and it inspires me when I see that here. So I like things that are colourful, different, and interesting.

lucille

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

i like folios that display intelligence.

for instance today’s, by millielou is a prime example because she has obviously put a great deal of thought into the images.

In terms of color its brilliant, she obviously has a clear aesthetic goal, has considered the poses and displays a certain attitude which is obviously a reflection of her personality.

I am sick of and am bored by all the here is me lying naked on my bed, at the beach, in the park in the same old porn style poses, with one finger in my mouth………….in an attempt to look seductive. Or trying to catch flies, a pose which originates according to a previous post, in a Dutch porn film.  Regardless, I find it highly tiresome.

Overall, anyone who looks like they have some personality, charisma that elusive quality which always draws me to a particular set

theda

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

i like folios that display intelligence.

for instance today’s, by millielou is a prime example because she has obviously put a great deal of thought into the images.

In terms of color its brilliant, she obviously has a clear aesthetic goal, has considered the poses and displays a certain attitude which is obviously a reflection of her personality.

I am sick of and am bored by all the here is me lying naked on my bed, at the beach, in the park in the same old porn style poses, with one finger in my mouth………….in an attempt to look seductive. Or trying to catch flies, a pose which originates according to a previous post, in a Dutch porn film.  Regardless, I find it highly tiresome.

Overall, anyone who looks like they have some personality, charisma that elusive quality which always draws me to a particular set

You said everything I meant to say in a much more eloquent form of expression!

theda

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

I am sick of and am bored by all the here is me lying naked on my bed, at the beach, in the park in the same old porn style poses, with one finger in my mouth………….in an attempt to look seductive. Or trying to catch flies, a pose which originates according to a previous post, in a Dutch porn film.

forgive my ignorance...but trying to catch flies? dutch porn film? please explain!

lucille

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

trying to catch flies- pertains to the pose that many girls think is the height of sexiness!

lookin up, eyes wide, mouth open..............

in some other thread someone said that this shot was first seen in a Dutch porn film where the nurse is giving a patient oral pleasure and you can only see her face........

i have never seen it, the film that is, but have noticed that many girls give this pose a good work over!

sweston

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

[QUOTE=lucille]trying to catch flies- pertains to the pose that many girls think is the height of sexiness!

lookin up, eyes wide, mouth open..............

And here I thought you meant legs spread wide.

ruby

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

ha!

i could have easily meant legs spread wide!  Trying to catch flies. Australian summer, gets you everytime.......can't go outdoors and avoid the pesky buggers!

but i love that pose, its like saying 'look at the most beautiful part of my body, it is here for the world to see and i am proud of it'

it is not gory, it is not disgusting! 

the fact that we as young girls and women are made to feel that it is a shameful part of our body is all about control and submission.

i reckon the quicker that we get out and proud bout our bits the betta!

you don't see many men saying, 'oh my don't look, its disgusting, pls don't take a photo of it! Oh my' (gross exaggeration of course).  Usually they are so excited they are waving it around all over the place (puppy dog parallel can be drawn here- tag wagging, panting, salivation

Most men are proud of their manhood and particularly so when it is aroused- good on them.

We women could learn from men…. (can’t believe I said that, is my feminist reputation in tatters??)

anouchka

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

I think a folio is good if you can tell the subject put some thought into what they were creating...
Or on the other end of the spectrum the ones that are seemingly really spontaneous and fun and in the moment, such as spanky jo's tramcar ride, they are great also.

anouchka

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

ha!

i could have easily meant legs spread wide!  Trying to catch flies. Australian summer, gets you everytime.......can't go outdoors and avoid the pesky buggers!

but i love that pose, its like saying 'look at the most beautiful part of my body, it is here for the world to see and i am proud of it'

it is not gory, it is not disgusting! 

the fact that we as young girls and women are made to feel that it is a shameful part of our body is all about control and submission.

i reckon the quicker that we get out and proud bout our bits the betta!

you don't see many men saying, 'oh my don't look, its disgusting, pls don't take a photo of it! Oh my' (gross exaggeration of course).  Usually they are so excited they are waving it around all over the place (puppy dog parallel can be drawn here- tag wagging, panting, salivation

Most men are proud of their manhood and particularly so when it is aroused- good on them.

We women could learn from men…. (can’t believe I said that, is my feminist reputation in tatters??)

the only men I've known have been ashamed of their cocks..really insecure about them. maybe i'm dating the wrong guys. but then i dont know if i'd want something that hideous waved at me.

theda

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

the only men I've known have been ashamed of their cocks..really insecure about them. maybe i'm dating the wrong guys. but then i dont know if i'd want something that hideous waved at me.

oh c'mon now, they aren't ALL hideous are they?

Arrkka

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

Another speciality for ISM-folios is that the camera can't be moved more than an arm length from the model. When this handicap stimulates (not hinders) the artists work, then the folio wins alot of quality! I like the folios where I can puts together the complete body of the model in my mind, with help of the collection of many various closeupps from different angles.

But the most important is of course like allways in artworks: to have fun! And show it, just how you like it! Then the folio will be grate!

jimmioz

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

Just curious as to what people's standards are in terms of what makes a folio really good. They are all great of course, but we all have own own favourites and ideas about what makes one different or special from the other. So I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on the subject.

hello all i'm new here and usually don't post to forums but thought i'd offer my view on this...

in one word my answer is individuality. everyone is different and the variety of styles and shoots appeals to me.

someone mentioned a preference for girls that pose naturally without 'spreading' which is fine as everyone has their likes/dislikes. the 'spread' shots may more likely be viewed as porn but again it shows certain natural features of a body in a different way just like there are various ways of photographing someones legs, back etc.

obviously guys are more likely to get off on the more explicit shots but that doesn't necessarily make those photos porn and not art. i'm off topic here but i guess i'm saying at the end of the day the type of shoot and how far they go (in terms of explicitness) is up to the individual taking the photos...

wantingscott

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

here's my take, i like alot of face shots. also, i like shoulders and backs/behinds. i guess self-portrait shots from behind are hard to accomplish, tho...

but what i really want to see are some guys shoot themselves... and get posted.

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that's the way it goes. but don't forget, it goes the other way too.

centrevom

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

I like the folios which sort of tell a story - we can see the artist's journey from the first shot to the last, whether that journey is undressing, getting herself off, rambling naked through the park or whatever.  I'm less impressed with folios that jump around.

My pet hate is "nostril shots", that is where the composition of the shot is such that the viewer's eye is drawn straight up the artist's nostrils.  There are rather a lot of these on ISM.  I can understand how they get taken, it's what can happen when you're trying to get an upward angle, but I'm kind of surprised that they don't get edited out of the published folio.

hallux

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

Just curious as to what people's standards are in terms of what makes a folio really good. They are all great of course, but we all have own own favourites and ideas about what makes one different or special from the other. So I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on the subject.

For me it's pink nipples, un-mutilated by piercing, unshaven pubes and arm pits, and nice feet, in particular, toes!! ( foot fetish?!)

Nice feet and toes are not easy to find. Alas!

GusTheMynahBird

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

Just curious as to what people's standards are in terms of what makes a folio really good. They are all great of course, but we all have own own favourites and ideas about what makes one different or special from the other. So I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on the subject.

Here's my 5c:

If there's one thing I've learned from IShotMyself is that beauty comes in all forms. As such, there isn't any one type I'd favour over others.  Brunettes, redheads and blondes, small breasts and full ones, 19-year-olds and thirtysomethings, skinny and curvy, shaved, hairy and fuzzy, beauty can be found in any form.

Of course, some sets and artists are naturally more compelling than others. Artful composition and use of light (I'm into photography as well) are also important. Sharply focussed close-up shots on some interesting part of the body are good, especially with short depth-of-field blurring the background. An artful shot of the labia, focussing sharply on the crinkles and grooves, can be a very beautiful thing; as can a well-framed shot of an earlobe or belly button. Light (especially sunlight) illuminating hair (head hair, pubic hair, or the fine hairs on the arms or tummy) can be sublime, and I've seen a few like that here.

On a more personal level, a warm, radiant smile can work wonders. If the model looks friendly, approachable and plausibly "real" (i.e., like the kind of girl you can imagine yourself meeting), that makes her more compelling.  Conversely, bad poses can ruin things; the fly-catching pose mentioned previously makes the model look empty, like a discarded dummy, or someone who, mentally, is somewhere else; that's not sexy. Aggressive, sullen or stiff poses also are a turn-off (which, incidentally, is why I didn't like Suicide Girls much).

voyeur2

Member

Re: what makes a folio good?

Just curious as to what people's standards are in terms of what makes a folio really good. They are all great of course, but we all have own own favourites and ideas about what makes one different or special from the other. So I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on the subject.

As art what makes it really good includes use of background, set dressing, costume, location, and time of day.  Some that stand out were a totally nude set done in an alley off a busy street in broad daylight.  A delicious sense of the daredevil is included in every shot.  The use of safer venues is not as exciting.  The use of colour is inportant, a recent one was outstanding in the use of colour - missedmeanor - along with set, costume and lighting and storytelling.  Use of light and shadow, its patterns, unusual closeups.

The mechanics of framing, focus, exposure. are important.

subject:  young healthy natural looking people.  No false eroticism.  You note no mention of breast size, height, weight, smoothies or hairy.  Nothing really to do with the art process, this is the raw material to coin a pun.

If breast size were erotic per se, then why not a bag ful of 44DDD's?

It is presentation, presentation presentation that makes someone beautiful, sexy.

Oh, and tattoos?  Most seem like clip art to me.  A medium that is not the right thing for a supposedly permanent statement to wear on the body.  The art would have to be very clever indeed to make it worth a lifetime installation.

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Have I ever lied to you before?