D. Brian Nelson wrote:
Saw this today on a blog and I like it:

"Porn," for the purposes of this study, was defined as "any picture or video you suddenly lose interest in after masturbating."

Hey.  I know.  Why don't we discuss the defintion of "porn?"

-Don

Erotic is not always Porn... But it can become it... Porn is what comes out when no skill is put into shooting erotica??... hmm   its a start I hope...

-Marek

Marek Mezyk wrote:

Erotic is not always Porn... But it can become it... Porn is what comes out when no skill is put into shooting erotica??... hmm   its a start I hope...

-Marek

An old thread of mine:  but I guess, it will always re-appear on some level.
It's a misconception,
that there is no skill in shooting porn.
Get off your high horse,
and appreciate the subtleties, and variations of porn.

D. Brian Nelson wrote:
Hey.  I know.  Why don't we discuss the defintion of "porn?"

-Don

Oh, Don. You ARE the troublemaker...

  I believe that porn is in the eye of the beholder, same as beauty. One man's porn is another man's Playboy.
  My mom is 82, and her definition of porn is, "Anything with that Paris Hilton in it."
  She may be on to something...

Michael Barian wrote:

An old thread of mine:  but I guess, it will always re-appear on some level.
It's a misconception,
that there is no skill in shooting porn.
Get off your high horse,
and appreciate the subtleties, and variations of porn.

As a post below states its in the eye of the beholder... appricate I will .. if I like it... but don't give me the crap of 'subtleties' becuase that's all over done by too many people who don't give a damn about anyhting else then $$$.

-Marek

Marek Mezyk wrote:

As a post below states its in the eye of the beholder... appricate I will .. if I like it... but don't give me the crap of 'subtleties' becuase that's all over done by too many people who don't give a damn about anyhting else then $$$.

-Marek

To me,
Guys like Dave Naz, Terry Richardson etc.....and some of my shots...teeter on that line of porn, erotica or whatever you want to call it.
So,
I'll say it again for your plugged up ears....there are "levels" of porn and subtleties within the genre.

Michael Barian wrote:

To me,
Guys like Dave Naz, Terry Richardson etc.....and some of my shots...teeter on that line of porn, erotica or whatever you want to call it.
So,
I'll say it again for your plugged up ears....there are "levels" of porn and subtleties within the genre.

My EYES see porn.. not ears and Erotica is COMPLETLY different then Porn... Erotica is a vauge term... which might need a post of its own for that definition... But don't give this cultured crap of defining levels of 'Porn'... erotica Yes!!.. that has many levels... from Fetish to extreme... but its Erotica.. Porn is what you have when you start varying you 'levels' that you claim require so much skill!

Marek Mezyk wrote:

My EYES see porn.. not ears and Erotica is COMPLETLY different then Porn... Erotica is a vauge term... which might need a post of its own for that definition... But don't give this cultured crap of defining levels of 'Porn'... erotica Yes!!.. that has many levels... from Fetish to extreme... but its Erotica.. Porn is what you have when you start varying you 'levels' that you claim require so much skill!

Erotica and PORN can toggle back and forth....and AGAIN,
it's very difficult to define.
your version of erotica....may be seen as porn to some,
and vice versa.
That's why this is a meaningless thread....and we MUST end it now,
PLEEEEAAAASE.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

afterdarc studios wrote:
Some people say that there is no skill in shooting porn.  Then again, some people have no skill in shooting PERIOD!

Not sure if it's skill to shoot periods... I think it's more the "yuck-factor" that has to be overcome...

UdoR wrote:
Not sure if it's skill to shoot periods... I think it's more the "yuck-factor" that has to be overcome...

What's the yuck factor?

JessieB wrote:
It's interesting that when I was in southwest Missouri, starting to do art nudes... my friends said I was on a "slippery slope" towards doing "porn"... Ack- I shot some bad images then... I wonder if I've acheived their definition of "doing porn" yet?

I recently saw "Devon Decadence" (by Digital Playground) - which is technically a porn, because it shows insertion and m/f sex acts... but I found it more tasteful and arousing than MANY images/videos that show far less.

Maybe "Porn" is a definition and an adjective/category in itsself. Like "sex". Technically sex is genital copulation... but if someone gives fellatio, then they've also "had sex".

Jessie,
your doorway shot RULES!
one of my favs on this site.
Your port is a good example of toggling the line.
Some people would say,
some of your shots ARE pornographic---yet,
when viewing the images as a whole,
it's more towards erotica for sure.

afterdarc studios wrote:

What's the yuck factor?

The blood... the pieces... oozing out... the not so fresh smell...

UdoR wrote:
The blood... the pieces... oozing out... the not so fresh smell...

Blood in porn?  Not so fresh smell?  Um, I'm not even gonna ask.  lolz

afterdarc studios wrote:

Blood in porn?  Not so fresh smell?  Um, I'm not even gonna ask.  lolz

Well... if you are shooting "periods"... or did you talk about "." or what?

D. Brian Nelson wrote:
"Porn," for the purposes of this study, was defined as "any picture or video you suddenly lose interest in after masturbating."

This is pretty close to my definition--which is why we don't believe Melvin and his claims to be a pornographer.

Brian Diaz wrote:

This is pretty close to my definition--which is why we don't believe Melvin and his claims to be a pornographer.

por·nog·ra·phy   (pôr-nogr-fi)

n.

1.  Sexually explicit pictures, writing, or other material whose primary purpose is to cause sexual arousal.


2.  The presentation or production of this material.


3.  Lurid or sensational material: “Recent novels about the Holocaust have kept Hitler well offstage [so as] to avoid the... pornography of the eraâ€? (Morris Dickstein).


por·nogra·pher n.
porno·graphic (pôrno-grfk) adj.
porno·graphi·cal·ly adv.


As you can see, I don't operate from  my definition of pornography, it's the definition of pornography.  The fact that so many have such trouble accepting the dictionary's definition of the word has more to do with their own issues and needs to "feel okay" about things they like.  I'm beginning to think that what people really don't believe about me is the fact that I may have gotten past the need to "feel oaky" about what I like or what I do.  Like it or not "my" definition comes straight from academia...all the other definitions here are coming from...well...someplace else.

D. Brian Nelson wrote:
Saw this today on a blog and I like it:

"Porn," for the purposes of this study, was defined as "any picture or video you suddenly lose interest in after masturbating."

Hey.  I know.  Why don't we discuss the defintion of "porn?"

-Don

If you insist on anything other than the dictionary's [perfectly good] definition, try this one:

If I like it, it's probably porn.  If I shot it, it's definitely porn.

Melvin Moten Jr wrote:
1.  Sexually explicit pictures, writing, or other material whose primary purpose is to cause sexual arousal.

I think the problem then becomes 1) defining sexual arousal and 2) defining explicit.

Melvin Moten Jr wrote:
Like it or not "my" definition comes straight from academia...all the other definitions here are coming from...well...someplace else.

Academia is regularly wrong, especially about that which is subjective (yeah...I know what I just said...).

There's a pretty lousy dictionary definition of "art" completely useless to those who have to look at something and decide whether it is art.

RED Photographic wrote:
What is porn in one country might not be in another.  And what is porn today might not be tomorrow.

No help, I know.

No, Red, that IS of help.  In fact, it's the whole point.  Most Americans would have called Playboy porn, in nineteen-fifty-whatever.  Today, Playboy is part of mainstream American culture.  I think most models today who say they don't do porn would do Playboy (if only Playboy would ask).  See?  Porn is in the eye of the culture.  So, the definition is slippery.  It varies with time and place, as it should.

theda wrote:

I think the problem then becomes 1) defining sexual arousal and 2) defining explicit.

...oh i got that too...a good scout [which i was] is always prepared.


ex•plic•it  ( k-spl s  t) adj.

1. a.  Fully and clearly expressed; leaving nothing implied.

    b.  Fully and clearly defined or formulated: “generalizations that are powerful, precise, and explicitâ€? (Frederick Turner).

2.  Forthright and unreserved in expression:They were explicit in their criticism.

3.  a.  Readily observable: an explicit sign of trouble.

4.   b.  Describing or portraying nudity or sexual activity in graphic detail.




ex•plic it•ly adv.
ex•plic it•ness n.

Synonyms: explicit, categorical, definite, express, specific
These adjectives mean entirely clear and unambiguous: explicit statements; a categorical refusal; a definite answer; my express wishes; a specific purpose.

Antonyms: ambiguous




arous•al  ( -rouz -el)

n 

1: the act of arousing; "the purpose of art is the arousal of emotions" [syn: rousing]


2: a state of heightened physiological activity

3: awakening from sleep 4: mutual sexual stimulation prior to sexual intercourse [syn: foreplay, stimulation]

Brian Diaz wrote:

Academia is regularly wrong, especially about that which is subjective (yeah...I know what I just said...).

There's a pretty lousy dictionary definition of "art" completely useless to those who have to look at something and decide whether it is art.

It's rather flattering that people insist my work is something other than what it is.  It took Hugh Hefner decades to manage what I've acheived without even trying.

UdoR wrote:
Not sure if it's skill to shoot periods... I think it's more the "yuck-factor" that has to be overcome...

*beats Udo with the PunHammer*