I have to admit, I didn't know much about RazorCandi when I first interviewed her. All I knew going in was that she was gorgeous, has amazing tattoos, and that her lovely corset collection could make any girl jealous. RazorCandi has an undeniable edge to her, but underneath all the bondage and body mod, she's a talented artist with an eye for the more creative things in life.

Where are you from and how did you grow up?

I was born in Baltimore, Maryland and from there moved around a lot due to growing up with a father who is a lieutenant commander in the Coast Guard. I spent a good portion of my early adolescent years in Pennsylvania and then my teen years to young adult in Tampa, Florida. Moving around must have grown on me as I now live across seas in Romania!

What was your experience of High School and how do you think it has affected who you are today?

High School wasn’t as dreadful as most in my shoes might have experienced. Surprisingly enough I did not get picked on for being one of the very few alternative chicks, people actually let me do my thing in peace and recognized my unique style which stood out even among the other goths. I guess since I had been dressing different since middle school people were over it by the time I reached High School, on that note I did get picked on a lot in Middle School, even by the principal who always made sure to intrude upon my outfits and make up by demanding that I remove or change things, she even went as far as suspending me a few times for “masquerading on my face!” or “showing too much skin!”     

How did you get into modeling?

I discovered my interest in modelling around year 2001. It began simply as a hobby and leisure pursuit. I find that modelling is a great way to express art and emotion. I’ve always been especially interested in painting but I feel that modelling is a more instant result. Modelling only became significant when I noticed I was inspiring people and that I was making an impact. It’s an elevating feeling to encourage people to learn and be part of the alternative community. I never actually started modelling with the intent to become a model, I continually look at my modelling in more of a stylist’s point of view. I prefer to have my photos taken to display my changeable looks and ideas. A model is generally a person that serves as a subject for an artist, in my case I model my own artistic ideas, though I have collaborated with many exceptional clothing designers as well. Only until last year did I delve into adult modeling which is new and exciting angle for me. It has opened many new doors and has helped me excel even further with my ideas, in addition it has become an exceptional way for me to express my sexual side which was very repressed during the more fashion modeling period of my life as most of my followers were young teen girls.

Did you model or do photography before you joined the site? Where? How is Zivity different?

I did model extensively before Zivity, but I have suspended all my other websites in which I was posting material and I plan to keep my sets exclusive on Zivity at least for the time being as right now it suits my output perfectly and I love that it’s so organized not to mention all the members so far have all turned out to be awesome, interesting, interactive people. I also enjoy Zivity because it is very different in the way that it’s challenging, the prizes are a great motivation to create themed photo sets, the people are all around very friendly and the voting system is something I’ve never seen on other sites.

You have a very dark and edgy appeal - what drew you into fetish/bondage modeling? How does it reflect your personality? 

I found myself being drawn to the lifestyle at a pretty young age mainly out of interest in the fashion. As I’ve gotten older and more experienced I’ve developed a greater taste for the lifestyle. As a girl with a dominant personality and a kink for bondage it was natural for me to find an affinity to the fetish scene. I feel it reflects my personality greatly because of my strong individuality, though I also have a weakness for being dominated, tied up, gagged and spanked despite my self-assured qualities *wink*. Being called a model (fetish or not) unfortunately does not reflect to the full extent my artistic skills, since I do my own styling and make up and I am also a painter I feel that simply being labeled as a model makes me out to be more of a prop than a creator.

Describe your biggest fantasy!

I don’t really hold a big fantasy as I usually get to live out anything I set my mind too, but if I were to say something off the top of my head it would involve a night out in the town, good food, a fun show, lots of booze, and lots of beautiful, sexy punk boys and girls to share my bed with. The rest is too explicit to share ;)

What are you trying to communicate through photography?

My main focus on modeling and what I am trying to communicate through photography is to inspire art while expressing myself. I love to support and expose people to the alternative lifestyle and modeling makes this possible. As far as adult modeling goes I find the raw sexuality to be both exhilarating and empowering! Clearly I’m a bit of an exhibitionist and I find it very arousing to know that my photos get to be viewed by countless people.

How did you learn about Zivity? What sold you on joining?

Kassandra Love contacted me on FetLife and told me about the site. She thought I’d like it and she was right! I had been hearing about Zivity over the years and thought maybe it was time I try it out!

How would you describe Zivity to someone who has never heard of it?

I would describe Zivity as a site where models and photographers can finally post full sets which are slightly more sexual but still very artistic and make money while doing it, which can never be a bad thing! I’ve always run into problems with my work being a little too racy and extreme, but Zivity gives me the chance to demonstrate the full potential of my sets without having them be rejected. Zivity supports art of every kind while also allowing a voting system for the artists to make money off their hard work and allowing fans and admirers to enjoy it. This combination on Zivity has lead to the members being all very supportive of one another and I have felt very welcome since I’ve joined so I would definitely recommend it to other fellow models.

You have a lot of tattoos - which one is your favorite and what does it mean? 

My favorite tattoo is the bats around my bellybutton. I chose to do it when I got out of an abusive five year relationship in which I was very controlled so when I left the relationship I decided to get my first tattoo as a sign of freedom. I got the bats because I’ve always been a bit of a goth at heart, I thought the bats flying around the bellybutton were a cute representation of bats around a batcave which was a good icon for me as I am very into old school goth/deathrock music and last, yet most important, the bats are flying which symbolizes freedom and independence.

What was your first body modification? What was that experience like?

I think my first body mod was my septum or my tongue, I don’t remember which came first. I was only fifteen and I got them done at this place called Ink Man Dan’s in Tampa. The tongue piercing turned out fine but the septum was crooked, pierced through the cartilage, and done incorrectly, as a result it was very painful, the tongue wasn’t too bad,  I think the healing process was the worst part as it swelled so large I was reduced to eating soup broth and stuck with a speech impediment for about a week. My twin and I later Christened the shop “Stink Man Dan’s”. I don’t regret the experience what so ever!

What are some of the things you enjoy when you're not online? 

Watching movies (just finished re-watching the extended uncut LOTR trilogy!) while cuddling with persons unknown, painting, video games (D&D or AD&D based RPG’s), visiting the tea haus to try different teas, sewing as in modifying clothing, cooking and trying new recipes ….and last but not least, while not very geeky I love partying of course! Nothing like a crazy night out to get my blood flowing, along with other things *wink*

Are you passionate about anything else? What is it? Why?

I am extremely passionate about painting and almost every form of art, I love getting lost for hours in my paintings. I am also very ardent about environment and animal rights issues. I live by a vegan diet and I can make anyone’s taste buds orgasm with my cooking.

Why are you a vegan? How long have you been one?

It’s a very controversial subject so I won’t go into it too much. I chose to become vegan for animal rights. I’ve been vegan for a little over a year after I became exposed to a lot of information about animal cruelty and environmental activism, today I could never dream going back to meat or dairy products. I do plan to go completely vegan with my lifestyle once I retire from modeling but choosing a career path like modeling is not very lenient with a vegan lifestyle though I try my very hardest to avoid animal products or items tested on animals and have turned down many modeling offers due to this. 

When did you know that art was something that you wanted to pursue?

I knew I had a niche in art when I took it as an elective in high school and I picked up painting quite effortlessly. I wouldn’t truly call it a career, I’ve drifted away from painting a lot since I started modeling so it’s a hobby that has taken a seat on the back burner, though my techniques have evolved over time, just as any would with enough practice, unfortunately as long as the hobby remains on the back burner my techniques will remain untrained.

Art by RazorCandi:

(For more of her art, check out her DeviantArt here)

 What themes would you like to explore more of with your art?

I would like to explore using different mediums. I only recently moved onto oil which was not taught to me in school, I was mainly trained to use tempera paint and acrylics so oil is certainly something I’d like to study more. As far as themes go I would like to branch off to more fantasy and ethereal styles like Boris Vallejo and also darker stuff likeHieronymus Bosch style.

Do you think that your art has pushed you forward as an individual?

Since I started out with art at an early age I would definitely say that art has pushed me into being creative and more of an individual. Art has helped me develop a very keen eye for details and has exposed my mind to imaginative and very inventive thoughts. It is hard for me not to observe the world outside of an artistic point of view.

 Do you feel that art has shaped your identity over the years? In what ways?

Absolutely. I feel art has pressed me to expand my mind and creativity thus forming my identity into a very visional persona. Painting is a very emotional process for me, just as modeling and preparing for a shoot is, these steps all construct strong artistic qualities in my personality. I feel art has allowed me to psychologically and physically express myself.

I love talking with photographers who have been in the field for years and it's always exciting to gain some insight into what it's really like. I got the awesome opportunity to chat with Photogofer about his journey through photography and pick his brain to learn about how he's adapting to new technology, girls, and motorcycles. This guy is awesome...seriously.

Where are you from and how do you think it has affected the way you are and the type of work that you do?

I'm pretty much an Oregon native except for being born in Seattle.  My Father grew up in Silverton, Oregon and when I was a year old, my parents move back to Silverton. I'm not sure if being a native of the Northwest had any real affect on my photography unless it is the relaxed laid back life style of the Northwest. I'm pretty mellow and I think it helps in working with models.  Except for my 6 years in the Navy, I've always lived in Oregon or Washington.

My father probably got me started by setting up a small simple home darkroom when I was a kid. We had no real training and just a simple box camera. We had lots of fun though and it sparked enough interest for me to pursue Photography when I joined the Navy out of High School in 1962.  I guess I've always been artistic, my dad was a pretty good artist, but I didn't really know I was until I started working in Photography in the Navy.

After 6 years active duty and an honorable discharge, I wandered into the Skagit Valley Herald in Mt Vernon, Washington to hopefully chat with their photographer about possible work in the area. Much to my luck, their photographer gave notice the same morning and I started working the next day. I worked there for 8 years and 20 years at the Bellingham Herald after that. Followed by 11 years at the Statesman Journal in Salem. My work at the Statesman was not as a photographer but as an imaging tech. (mostly Photoshop for the photo staff)

You mention that you were a photojournalist for 40+ years, what was that experience like?

Being a Photojournalist (news photographer) was a great way to make a living. Not the best pay but quite rewarding.  I liked the fast pace and daily deadlines. Sometimes hourly deadlines. Also the variety. As I always said, "fashion to football and everything in between". A great way to stick your nose into everyones business and get paid for it too. 

A photojournalist has the honor of doing things most people never have an opportunity to experience.

Everything from covering the visit of Queen Elizabeth in Victoria, BC to following the Seahawks up and down the sidelines to riding in an open cockpit biplane during aerobatics.  Too many experiences to cover here, and many good times. I'm still talking on Facebook with a man who remembers me photographing him in High School in the early '70s.  Many long time friends.

I don't really know if photojournalism is the reason but being patient and open minded are big lessons. It also makes you think about how to get things accomplished outside the normal way of thinking.  Your job is to get coverage of an event that some times is not easy to get to or get access to.  You can't just go back and say "I couldn't get there or get in".  Probably the best life lesson is learning to work with and get along with all kinds of people.

I started photographing women very early in my photographic career. When I was still in the Navy I started experimenting with photographing women. Mostly just portraits, I was much to shy to go beyond that.  The idea of photographing a woman nude was way beyond my self confidence at the time.  But, even my early portraits were often very soft and sensual.  I must have had a natural eye for beauty. My first nudes were much later while working in Mt Vernon for the Newspaper there. I had been working with models quite a lot and one of my models became a close friend and suggested it herself (much to my relief).

Once I lost my photographic virginity it became much easier to find models and as I gained confidence and skill, the models were much more willing to work with me.  I remember early on having a neighbor who was asking me about my "taking pictures of naked girls" I told him when I was ready I would show him the results.  I was very pleased when his comment when finally seeing my prints was "Wow, you are serious about this"  Certainly not what he was expecting.  I should add that my beginning text book for posing and lighting was Playboy. I would study my favorite shots and diagram them on paper for lighting then find one of my willing models and experiment until I felt I had the same effects.

One of the best things about my relationship with my wife is the fact that she is an artist whose favorite subject is the nude. When processing my photo shoots she will often look over the results and pick a few for herself to work from. She is also one of my best model recruiters. She has brought me many of my best models with the hope of having subjects for her art.

(see more of her art here)

When ever possible, I like to create a story line. It's probably the photojournalist in me, I like telling stories.  I like my sets to try to have a beginning and an end. Why would she take off her clothes? Well, here is the story, here is why.  Also, I like to have fun with my sets and I want the models to have fun and want to come back for more. When I'm really lucky, the models will have a story line in mind because after over 170 sets, I'm running out of ideas.  But, some how, I seem to come up with more ideas.

There have been lots of funny/interesting things but the most unusual are usually when shooting outdoors.  Like when were were on a remote country road and the model had just dropped her dress when a School bus came over the hill.  Or another shoot in the same area and wondering about the noise getting louder but nothing in sight. Then a huge Tractor Spray rig crests another hill coming down the field at us fairly fast (for a tractor).  And one I should probably not admit to, after driving about 15 miles to a shoot location with an out of state Zivity model and setting up my lights and props, NO CAMERA!!!!!!  I'm sure that has to be the most embarrassing moment in my entire photographic career.  We went back for the camera, went to a closer location and got something better than what I originally planned but still.

I'm not sure but I think I originally read something about Zivity in a magazine article just over 2 years ago. I don't remember which magazine but for some reason I'm thinking it might have been Playboy.

When not doing photos, I'm a bit of a collector. I'm a treasure hunter I guess. Garage sales, estate sales, thrift shops, Antique Malls, Antique Shows. I love them all.  I've been collecting vintage writing instruments for over 30 years and we have had two of our pens featured on the Antiques Road Show. I'm also a bit of a vintage camera collector (go figure). I look for items at estate sales and thrift stores to re-sell on Ebay or Craigslist.  I recently bought an old Kodak Retina camera for $8 and re-sold it on Ebay for $50 in less than an hour after listing it.  Vintage watches interest me also but I'm not as knowledgeable about them.  Still learning.

Ah yes, Motorcycles. My other non photographic passion.  I've been riding for around 50 years now. My current rides are a 1996 Honda Pacific Coast and a 1969 Montesa Cota trials bike.  The Honda is an 800cc sport touring bike and a bit on the rare side I think. Not many of them around.

The Montesa is the most recent addition to my addiction of vintage Spanish dirt bikes. I've had three Bultacos over the years and now two different Montesas.  I'm a member of a Motorcycle group called SMOG. "Spanish Motorcycle Owners Group"  I've also had a few different BMWs. When I was still employed, I rode my motorcycle to work every day so long that it didn't snow or have ice on the road.

The most obvious change to photography of course is Digital. For me, it's a good thing.  It took me a long time to be convinced that Digital could replace film but It's getting so good, it's hard to tell the difference sometimes.  

I still miss the pleasure of making a fine print in a darkroom but making a fine print from Digital is almost as rewarding and doesn't smell as much.  I think it is a bit of a loss for new photographers to not have the experience of working with film and a darkroom. Having that background makes you a better photographer in my opinion. It gives you a better understanding of the process of photography.  

Another advance in technology is the accuracy of auto exposure. Another good thing but again, students of photography should not rely on automation. You have to know the basics to achieve the effects you desire. Auto exposure can not read your mind, you need to control exposure, the balance of shutter speed and lens opening.

How are you adapting to all of these new changes in camera technology and the internet?

The new technology and the internet have given us all wide world exposure of our work. Everyone! Not just photographers. Another reason to do your best, everyone will see it. It's not just your photo album anymore, it's the world's and I'm sure it has made me a better photographer.

I love the challenge of producing a quality set of work.  Not just one or two nice photos but an entire set of 20 to 40+ images that you can be proud of.  Zivity give me that challenge every week.  It works my imagination and keeps me alert. Of course, getting recognition for your work is very rewarding. Be it votes or comments, it's nice to have the feedback. I think we all appreciate a pat on the back and Zivity gives us the opportunity to get those pats.  I think one of the most rewarding comments I've gotten from a few young photographers has been, "How do you get them to look at you like that?"

Probably my biggest challenge is my budget. I don't have a nice studio to work in, just my home and I can't go buy the newest and best lens or camera. But I like challenges, I like making it work with what I have.

That's a hard question, I'm always trying to answer that too.  Zivity is a little like a cross between Playboy and a good photography magazine on the internet. Yes, it celebrates the beauty of women but it also celebrates photography of women. It's a showcase for all of us want-to-be Playboy photographers and photo artists to exhibit our work and get a little feedback while doing it.