Australian Penthouse

Five of the world’s greatest nude photographers share their stories and their most memorable experiences about having the best job on Earth. By Tom Lee & Rob O’Brien

Ed Fox

Why nude photography?

I wanted to be an architect, but I couldn’t get into a school. I went to a newsagent and picked up a lingerie edition of Playboy, started flicking from the back, and by the time I got to the cover, I knew what I wanted to do.

What drives you to continue taking nude photographs of women?

I have had a fascination with women for a long time, so I try to put my admiration for them into my art. And I love controlling that. It’s not like a wedding or a concert; I start from nothing and I get ‘this girl’ and ‘a place’, and she becomes my marionette. I pose her and make her do things that I want her to so I can come up with a cool, erotic photo that really captures a moment.

What do you look for in a model?

Her face—well, her eyes, actually, since they are the nipples of the face and, of course, nice feet. I actually look at their feet first, then pan up to the eyes. I don’t know what it is with feet. It’s my thing. When a woman goes to reach for something in bare feet, that’s the sexiest pose. But I love everything about a woman. The dimples in the small of her back, the tiny blonde hairs on her thighs that light up when the sun hits them…I can go on and on.

How have you found working with the girls—their personalities—over the years?

I’ve been very fortunate; generally, the girls are fun to work with. I think I could count on one hand the number of girls who’ve given me a hard time. The only real stereotype concerns their lateness.

Where do you find beautiful nude models?

Finding the girls is easy. I get emails from agents daily. It’s the locations that I have a hard time finding. There’s a lot of scouting involved. I like [shooting] outside and in hotels—especially little crappy hotels. I don’t like studios.

www.edfox.com

Earl Miller

How did you get into the business?

I saw my first copy of Penthouse in 1972 and was blown away by its fresh approach to nude photography, as opposed to the Playboy look. I immediately hooked myself up with [Penthouse editor] Bob [Guccione] and we just connected.

What makes a good nude photographer?

The more unique and creative you allow a photographer to be, the better it is for the magazine. I was doing crazy, off-the-wall stuff. The crazier it got, the more Bob liked it. It was the sexual revolution and Penthouse was the mother ship of that era. I’m like a miner; every girl has some precious stuff in her, and I have to find it.

Do you have a particular speciality?

Bob always asked for me when he had a special ‘sex scandal’ girl to shoot. I shot Gennifer Flowers at the beginning of Clinton’s presidency [Flowers allegedly had an affair with Clinton when he was Governor of Arkansas]. Shooting Jennifer was like dealing with Mae West, she had a very earthy sense of humour and a classic face. She said Clinton had a little dick, he was a lazy fuck, but he gave great head. It was interesting getting this first-hand information about our President.

What are your thoughts on the Internet?

The great bonus of the Internet is that you’re constantly in touch with your audience. It’s rewarding to see guys who are receptive about your work—to know it isn’t just a bunch of yobbos out there wanking. A good photograph or video must be hot and it’s got to be sexy…but for him to look at it again and again, it has to have merit on another level. The guys who are coming up now are mainly shooting digital for the Internet. They don’t know anything about film and what it does, film has become a dinosaur. The stuff I do, in that sense, may be a dying art.

www.earlmiller.com

Suze Randall

Why nude photography?

I was a model in London and, after appearing in Vogue, my ego became quite inflated. I looked around at the photographers and decided that even I could be a photographer, so I bought a camera and started shooting my girlfriends.

Who did you work for in the early days?

I was shooting for the Sun newspaper, Men Only and Penthouse. Playboy spotted one of my models, Lillian Muller, and flew us both to the US. Needless to say, Playboy didn’t want me; they wanted Lillian. They told me that shooting nudes and food were the hardest things in the business. “Oh dear,” I told them, “in that case, I’ll be forced to sell my pics to Penthouse.”

What’s your best professional attribute?

My greatest attribute is my dancing! I dance with the girls, make them laugh, get them to relax, and then work them to death. Cropping and framing of shots is important, and lighting and make-up is what makes it all happen.

Have you any advice for people who are looking to get into the industry?

My advice to wannabe photographers is: find the girl! We’re only as good as the girl!

www.suze.net

See the rest of the list

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