Behind the lens: An interview with photographer Ellen Stagg

Ellen Stagg has been a prominent force in photography since her teenage years. Based in New York City, she has built an impressive career across advertising, fashion, and portraiture, working with magazines, celebrities, and galleries worldwide. Alongside her acclaimed photography, Ellen has also ventured into directing and film production. Discover more about her creative journey in our latest interview.

Who is Ellen Stagg? Could you share some details about yourself and your career journey?

I’m a photographer, director and artist and including studying photography in the Fall I have been doing it 30 years. I got into adult at the end of 2005 when I met Justine Joli and Masuimi Max. Since then I have shot for Playboy tv and Playboy.com, Penthouse, Playgirl, and most recently Hustler, Barely Legal and Taboo. I have 3 award winning books, 3rd one came out this past Fall and won best book at Alt Star Awards in June. I also directed, produced and edited redumbrellatalk.com. Plus I have showed my films at festivals around the world and my fine art have showed in galleries internationally.

Have you ever been interested in being in front of the camera, or has your passion for photography always kept you behind it?

I model a bit in my 20’s & 30’s, for other photographers and did self portraits, but now being a middle aged woman I just love celebrating my gorgeous models.

There’s a mix of professional and casual content. What common mistakes do you see in casual content, and what advice would you give?

Lighting and composition are the most important part to my job. So I would just say invest in fun, beautiful or creative lighting and set your scene. But otherwise have fun and do what you love. Audiences respond to authenticity.

What is your process for planning a photo shoot?

First booking the model and communicating with them on what they are comfortable with shooting, I try to be extra transparent, everything is in writing in an email. Then after finding out what works for us both and depending on if its glamour, porn, fetish, I look for a location and figure out what props I might need. I ask the model to bring wardrobe, and have their hair, nails and toes done. Also depending on the project, I hire a MUA or they do their own makeup. Then shoot!

Happy World Photo Day! Today, we celebrate the art of photography and its power to capture moments, tell stories, and inspire. What better way to honor this day than with an inspiring talk from Ellen Staag? Join us as we delve into her insights and experiences, and discover the magic behind the lens. Let’s make this World Photo Day truly memorable!

Stay tuned for our new posts and… Have a tempting day!
Eve