Ben Bale Photography

As I said in my last post – it’s time we went back to torture garden, especially since it’s at a new venue this month. So with that in mind I thought I’d upload a few photos from randomnights out (and in) to get people in the party mood!

There’s a story behind every one of these, but that’s something for another time. So instead, here’s a photo of the worst haircut I’ve ever had.

Well as a few people have talked about coming with us to Torture Garden next weekend, I thought it might be time for an update on here that’s a fetish related.

Of course it helps that I’ve just finished a photoshoot like the one below…

If everyone turns up at torture garden that has said they want to come, it should be an interesting evening. I’ve never been one to shy away from mixing work and personal lives – I don’t see the point of pretending to be someone else at work. Having said that, this will be the first time a number of people from the office have come down to TG with us…

Anyway, here’s a quick set of some random photos I’ve taken in the past that don’t really fit in at all with this post

Oh, and there’s far more from Priscilla coming soon, I just need to get round to uploading them!

I’ve just watched Versace’s comedy take on Caligula – yes I know I’m 5 years behind most people, but I love who gorgeously tacky the whole thing is while being so ornate at the same time. It’s like watching a porn film designed by Jeff Coons (oh, no wait – this is).

Anyway, back to the photography. I’ve just finished a shoot with Adrian. Wax & Rope abound.

My favourite image from this shoot though, is this one…

Having just finished a bondage photoshoot with Adrian, the results of which will appear here later, I’ve been thinking. What are the best songs based on bondage? Since I have a few photos that seemed to fit, I thought I’d put together my own (since the world cup is almost here) first XI of bondage songs.

1. The Velvet Underground & Nico – Venus in Furs
   This song is out an out BDSM classic – I mean you can’t get more obvious than “Comes in bells, your servant, don’t forsake him
   Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart”. 5 minutes of amazing atmosphere creating soundscapes. Ok, it’s not specifically bondage themed, but damn it’s a good song.
2. Recoil – Breath Control
   Wow. I’m a sucker for narratives within songs, but this is fantastic. As the relationship in the song moves on “it’s been fine so far, but after a while I want more than a soft style” in to the practically orgasmic middle, this this bondage in audio form. As a side project of Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder, I should also give honourable mentions here to two Depeche Mode songs – “In Chains” and “Master and Servant”
3. Closer – Nine Inch Nails
   Ok, I’ll admit it, this song is only hear so I have an excuse to show you a photo of Marvin here. He’s made of nails and a pig’s heart – a bit like this song!
4. Under My Thumb – The Rolling Stones
   Who said bondage had to be about leather straps? This song is a celebration of breaking someone’s will. “It’s down to me, the way she does just what she’s told”. Unlike a lot of these songs, this seems quite one sided, there’s no ‘she asked me to’ here. The closest we get is in the opening lines of “The girl who once had me down”. Revenge is sweet?
5. I’m your man – Leonard Cohen
   More psychology here. This is the ultimate song of submission, if ‘Under my thumb’ is the celebration of domination, then this is surely the other side of the coin.
6. Head like a Hole – Nine Inch Nails
   Again, more BDSM than bondage, but a fantastic song. I couldn’t have made this list without including “bow down before the one you serve, you’re going to get what you deserve”.
7. Whip in my Valise – Adam and the Ants
   Tongue firmly in cheek, this is a great glammed up punky song with some great lyrics.
8. Passenger – Deftones
   Yes this has now got connotations of ‘Queen of the Damned’ but this wall of sound builds up into a brutally soft song – and that’s really not a paradox here.
9. SexyBack – Justin Timberlake
   Who says we can’t look at mainstream pop? You certainly can’t get any more mainstream than Justin Timberlake and with lyrics like “You see the shackles
   Baby I’m your slave
   I’ll let you whip me if I misbehave” this song needs to be here.
10. Leather – Tori Amos
    You couldn’t do a list like this without at least one religious reference and Tori Amos brings all the catholic guilt you could ever want to most of her songs, but this simple song and it’s blues piano solo are fantastic.
11. Oh Bondage, Up Yours! – X-Ray Spex
    Go check out Poly Styrene at wikipedia, that’s a pretty damn good description of this song!

Any more you could add to the list? If you want this lot on spotify, you can find them here

Oh and finally…

This was one of my favourite photoshoots ever. It was something different, something a bit dark and dirty and yet very sexy at the same time. It helps that Dannie is good fun to work with and a very professional model.

This was a university bathroom and we just turned up, started shooting and left – a couple of builders turned up half way through the nude photoshoot and were so embarrassed they ran straight out again.

I’ve never quite understood the whole toliet fetish thing, I mean I get the fact that it’s seeing something private – more private than sex for some people, but it’s not something I’m that faffed about personally!

Everyone loves polaroids. I used to keep a polaroid camera with me at all times just in case. I really should buy another one – I love how strict it makes you in regards to what you will and wont photograph. The polaroids below are a mixture of nights out, photoshoots and just random things around the flat.

More polaroids coming later!

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