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Philadelphia fetish, erotica and pin-up photographer Hunter Boyle spoke with us about his process, training and female inspirations.

Eros Zine: You were originally inspired by pin-up artwork. What about it do you think you were drawn to?

Hunter Boyle: Since my late teens, I've been drawn to the subject matter—women—and the numerous ways of interpreting and presenting their sensuality in images. Even before I started shooting, I was inspired by a broad mix of visual influences that included pin-up art by Frank Kozik, Coop and Olivia; classic fine-art and glamour photography by ManRay, Imogen Cunningham and Helmut Newton; to more risque imagery by Gunter Blum and Richard Kern's New York Girls stuff.

Actually, one of Kern's NY models was a good friend of mine, and when I found out she was in the book, it made me realize there was no reason I couldn't be doing this type of photography myself.

EZ: Are you self taught or trained?

HB: I took one B&W photography class in college in 1993. That's the only formal instruction I've had, but art runs in my family so I had plenty of experience with composition from drawing and painting while growing up, including 10 years of doing graffiti art.

That class showed me the darkroom stuff and the technical basics of my bare-bones Pentax K1000 SLR camera—which I still shoot with to this day—and the rest came through trial and error. I still like the challenge of using the most basic equipment, with film and natural light, to get the images I want and create a signature style.

But even though I produced my first good figure photo back in that class (thanks to a willing girlfriend), I didn't pursue the styles I shoot now until 2001 when I was living in San Francisco—because I didn't know how to find or approach women to model for me.

EZ: How did that change? Where do you begin to find your models?

HB: I've always found models online, through my web site or others. In the few years I've been shooting this work, I've only approached a small handful of women in person. I'm too shy for that, and I'm wary of looking like a creep. Word of mouth and referrals are also important.

There's sort of a fetish family centered in SF/LA—you might call it the "perv circuit" ;)—where a group of talented photogs and models seem to gravitate toward working together and vouch for each other. I met and got to know a lot of models that way, which is part of what makes this hobby interesting, because each person is different.

I've shot with some women who, after only a few hours, it felt like we'd been friends for years. Those are the collaborations I find most rewarding, but you can't really predict that going into a shoot from a couple emails and phone calls.

EZ: You capture a lot of different moods in your subjects. How much direction do you give them and how much of it is just their own style?

HB: This also varies with every shoot and depends largely on the model. In general, I'm pretty specific about what I'm looking for with posing and expressions. I also like to capture the spontaneous moments that occur between poses—they're usually the best ones. I use a lot of direction, especially with newer models, but I incorporate plenty of flexibility and encourage models to improvise after they've warmed up and we get in the zone where things start to click.

My goal is always to end up with images that combine my style of photography with a model's own style as an individual, whether that's symbolized by her clothing, expressions or something else. For example, the figure drawing Zipporah sketched while I was shooting her.

EZ: What's a typical shoot like for you, in terms of setting, lighting and outside assistance?

HB: A typical shoot for me is on location. The more unusual the better. I've shot in ghost towns and deserts in Nevada, a haunted, historic prison in Philly, Golden Gate Park and hotels from NYC to LA, Toronto to Texas.

I don't use studios or lighting equipment, just a location's natural light and no flash unless absolutely necessary. Shooting this way definitely has its limitations, but like using the simple camera, that's part of the challenge, and part of the fun. I try to keep it low-key and informal.

I think not being a professional, commercial photographer allows me to enjoy shooting more since there's less pressure involved. It's not just a job, so I can pay more attention to developing rapport with the person I'm shooting, which I believe is the heart and soul of my photography.

EZ: Where are you from originally and why did you move to Philadelphia?

HB: I'm originally from the Philly area. In 2002, I left San Francisco and moved back here to be closer to New York City and more opportunities in publishing. I've been an editor for several years, and at that time, I wasn't finding editorial jobs in the Bay Area that interested me.

EZ: You're currently recruiting models for your new book. Tell me about it.

HB: The concept for the book has changed a couple of times already, and it's likely to evolve again because I've been working with a few ideas and themes in mind for a long time. Regardless, the underlying thread will be women whose sensuality is so powerful and evocative it jumps off the page and plants itself deep in your psyche: Dream Girls.

EZ: What other stuff are you working on now?

HB: Besides the book, the other projects I'm jazzed about are: My first solo show at a gallery here in Philly this winter, a forthcoming e-zine, and a 2025 pin-up calendar with a twist unlike any others I've seen. To find out more, visit my newly revamped site.