"Back in the 1980s I bought a book, The Dark Summer by Bob Carlos Clarke, and that changed pretty much immediately what I wanted to shoot. His monochrome prints of models in latex were such a stunning visual treat. The thin rubber fits like a second skin, enhancing natural physical attributes: a corset and Wonderbra all in one!
Many models find it liberating too, in terms of posing for the camera. Turning the everyday into a nightmare/fantasy/hero/villain. It can be very stylized, but the various outfits can be as revealing as you dare, or completely covered if you wish. For example, in a catsuit zipped up to the neck, you can be extreme and extravagant in your posing, safe in the knowledge there is not going to be an accidental flash of flesh.
I am looking to try and do something a little different each time. I think that’s important in order to satisfy my own creative needs. Doing the same thing over and over would get a little boring, and I felt I had got to that point with high-key shots of black latex a while back. I aim to create something provocative, but that doesn’t mean it has to be overt. There is far more intrigue in what you don’t see over what is actually revealed. The viewer has an imagination and has the potential to project that onto the image too.
There is a fair amount of prep work in getting outfits ready for shooting. Cleaning, polishing, more polishing… it takes time. Then there’s dressing the model, with catsuits being the most challenging to get into. But over the years I have become a dab hand with gloves and stockings and I sure know how to lace up a corset!
During the shoot itself, you have to keep an eye out for bits of fluff, or stray hairs sticking to the latex clothing. The polished rubber also clearly creates a reflective surface, and lighting set-ups can often be seen in the darker-pigment garments. Modifiers are certainly identifiable and occasionally even the photographer – camera in hand – can be glimpsed.
I prefer the studio environment. Setting a background, adding props and the flexibility of controllable lighting, as well as an adjustable room temperature, makes for a very productive session. External location shoots not only rely on our very changeable weather cooperating, but also an element of ‘crowd control’ as a latex-clad dominatrix in eight-inch heels is certain to draw attention!
The first Nikons I ever had in my hands were FM and F3 film cameras. These days, I stick with a D3 and D3x DSLRs, with a set of primes: 50mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.4 and a 105mm f/2.8. There is also the Holy Trinity of zooms: 14-24mm, 24-70mm and the 70-200mm – all f/2.8, of course. It would be reasonable to say that the 24-70mm sees the most action, but the 14-24mm can create wonderful exaggerated frames, shot either from on high looking down, or right at ground level aiming up a heel and leg".
About Andrew Macdonald
Andrew Macdonald runs Killer Heels Photography and won the Best Photographer category at the UK Fetish awards for the third time in 2023. See more of his work on Facebook, Instagram and X.
