https://forbiddentickets.com/events/chicago-rope-collective/6c5cf83543
What to expect:
(101/201 level — beginner to intermediate riggers with any level of photo experience)
This workshop covers the fundamentals of using photography as part of a rope scene - from lighting basics to camera settings to managing the dynamics of shooting while you tie. Whether you're brand new to cameras or already shooting regularly, you'll walk away with practical tools you can use right away, phone camera or otherwise.
Schedule
Lighting & Camera Fundamentals (30 min)
We'll start with lighting basics - building from a single light up to three-point lighting, and how to make smart choices with whatever gear you actually have on hand. From there, a quick rundown of gear and the exposure triangle; this leans more toward camera users, but I'll also share tips for getting better shots on a smartphone.
Exercise: (30 min) Attendees pair up and play with a single light, seeing how it changes the way their partner looks and reads on camera.
We'll close this section with a few minutes on photographic theory — some of the guiding principles I use when deciding how to frame and capture a scene.
Live Demo (45–60 min)
I'll walk through my process while demonstrating a simple suspension and shooting it live. Photography is part of the play for me, and managing the dynamics of a scene while also taking pictures is its own skill — I'll do my best to weave in the techniques from the first section as I go.
Hands-On Practice (60 min)
Participants tie — either the suspension I demonstrated or whatever feels most sustainable for their partner — while practicing the lighting techniques from earlier. I'm aiming to have enough lights on hand for everyone to have at least one to work with.
Optional: Photo Review
If time and interest allow, and we're able to get the CRC projector working, we'll close with a group review of photos taken during class.
Class Prerequisites:
Suspension experience recommended but these principles can be applied to floor play
Students should bring:
rope,
a camera of your choice (can be your phone),
a partner to tie
Instructor Bios:
trauma-ties (he/him) (ig: @errant.knots, fl: trauma-ties) Chicago based rigger and photographer, has been messing around with cameras for over a decade. With an early background in film and video production, he found still photography as an art form around the same time he discovered BDSM and kink, and has been exploring the intersection of objectification, documentation, and erotic image making ever since.