With their distinctive côterie of very French-looking models, Captive Culture and Latex Culture have established Paris photographer Jerome Gouvrion as one of Europe’s top purveyors of fetish and bondage glamour. But, he tells Lucy Boots, fame has a price.

Jerome Gouvrion, aka ‘jG’, is probably most highly regarded for his bondage website CaptiveCulture.com, although his LatexCulture.com site is also a fetish force to be reckoned with. He now operates a companion site to these two called LadyFemdom.com, and has Gouvrion.com to showcase his photography and act as a portal to his other sites.

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the man behind the camera

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Lucy: In your own words, what makes your site, CaptiveCulture.com, different than other bondage sites?

jG: I don’t think my website is different but I know there is a difference which is important to me: women love my pictures! They appreciate the atmosphere in my productions, probably because I propose something different than just showing pussies of bound girls.

Bondage should always be fun and aesthetic. A lot of websites only show the “hard way” where women are sexually abused and belittled. I don’t like it and this is probably a limit I don’t want to cross even if it’s a survival question for my website.

L: At what age did you discover that you had a bondage fetish and How did it come about?

jG: I know a lot of bondage lovers who are obsessed with this question. They talk a lot about it. To be honest, I don’t know when it started with me.

I just remember several things in my childhood which could reveal my brain was already perverted. I was more interested by restraint and captivity at this time.

Later, when I was 24, Internet started in France and I was able to discover what bondage really means through some websites who inspired me a lot when I started my own photography.

L: What was your profession before being a webmaster for bondage sites?

jG: I love to speak about it because it’s very unusual. All of this adventure is an accident.

I was a manager in the Desktop Publishing industry. It was a serious job and I was pretty good at it, working for the French Government and some companies were internationally known.

One day, I decided to shoot my own pictures and then started the Captive Culture adventure. One year later, I decided to quit my “serious” job because it didn’t challenge me anymore (it was always the same thing and I was a bit bored working on all these books).

That’s how I became a full time “adult” webmaster and producer… instead of just working on evenings or week-ends.

L: From what I can tell, you mostly take erotically “softcore” pictures and videos. Why have you decided to focus on softcore pictures? Do you ever plan on doing any hardcore material?

jG: A lot of people think bondage websites are similar to the porn industry. But some people forget that we start these Internet adventures as true bondage lovers. Nowadays, we are nothing more than small and independent producers fighting to go on sharing their passion worldwide. That’s why bondage websites have changed a lot in last two years and became more explicit. The truth is, you can’t survive proposing only soft bondage like we did few years ago. I personally regret this evolution because bondage is a serious passion and too many people think negatively when they hear words like “bondage” or “sado-masochism”.

But there are there are two reasons why I continue to focus on softcore productions.

First, I am not a sex addict. I mean, I’ve never been interested by the basic sexual art. Sex must be love and/or perverted :) That’s probably why I am not interested in porn movies (except when I was 12 or 13 years old, LOL). Porn is often basic and boring to me. So, in the opposite of a lot of men, I am not a “pussy” maniac so I have more ideas to shoot than just “pussy” with my photography.

Second, I was a pioneer in France. When I started, there were no real membership websites and bondage was considered something weird here so I didn’t have a lot of models available for shooting except amateurs models or girls working in the porn industry.

Like I explained before, I was a serious man working in a serious job then. I didn’t want to work with girls doing porn (probably because I was more comfortable with less extroverted women).

So I started shooting amateur models interested in my softcore vision and they totally against doing or showing more.

Things have changed a little bit since this time but we have stayed on the same basis: no professional models. Only a few photographers able to pay professional modeling fees and there are three types of them: The “saint” girls shooting no nudity, the “sexy” girls doing more and the “bad” girls making porn. I imagine things are the same around the world Also, It is not easy for a model to decide leaving the “no nudity” category, especially when you’re a “Captive” girl and all the “saints” girls gossip about you.

L: The bindings for your models are some of the most elaborate I’ve seen. How did you learn to tie knots like that? What is your creative inspiration for new bindings?

jG: Like a lot of people… I started by making horrible ropeworks!

That’s true, my bondage became interesting after two years of practice. I learned it by myself, fighting with ropes on my models or my friends.

I was able to try more creative bindings when I was good enough to manage my stress (fighting with ropes causes a lot of stress specially when you know the girl is waiting for you or when you see the result is not what you want).

I don’t have special inspiration. Sometimes I have some ideas before to start my ropework, sometimes not. My inspiration and creativity will also depend on my partner. The more I know her, the more I can do something complicated. You have to know her better than she knows herself. You have to anticipate what she feels and you have to know when to stop before she needs to ask.

But experience taught me something: it’s better just to improvise because your partner’s comfort is the most important thing. You have to manage her fatigue and change your plans if needed, so I prefer to not have plans.

Bondage is a lot like love - you know the theory but you need to live each minute either calculating or cheating!

L: Are you married? What do your family and friends think about your bondage sites?

jG: I am single and satisfied about it. Love is a far-off memory for me. Some people are made to be alone and I think I’m on that team!

I think it’s better because I can’t give happiness to the woman I love… and it would be more difficult having a serious relationship with this job. My girlfriend would have some problems to manage (envy or a complex) except if she was to be a model but I don’t mix my job and pleasure.

My family and especially my friends know my work… their feeling? Well they say “oh that’s so cool”, but really they think “it’s evil, he’s mad”. I’ve lost a lot of friends since I started the Captive Culture adventure and it’s difficult to be sure about the cause. Maybe it’s because I work 7 days a week, maybe it’s me (I changed, I admit… mainly because this work is a social-life killer) or maybe just because they hate what I do. In reality, I think it’s a mix of these 3 reasons !

L: If you have a daughter, how would you feel if she wanted to participate in a bondage site like this?

jG: This is really interesting and pervert question… I love it !

I don’t have a daughter but I would like to speak about this. If having child wouldn’t change me, I think I wouldn’t have any problem if she wanted to model for bondage website as long as it’s for CaptiveCulture.com. That’s a pervert answer, I know! But she would be safe with us :) More seriously, she would take less risk working with a serious bondage website than taking a train or walking in the street.

Bondage is not risky when you’re tied by people who know what to do and who are able to differentiate between “I tie a girl” and “I fuck a girl because she’s tied”.

But because I think having kids would change me, I could disagree with her desire to be bound. I am too anxious for that !

L: Your models ooze sex appeal and temptation must be everywhere! How do you stay professional in your environment?

jG: As I said, I’m not a kind of guy who is obsessed by the two words “pussy” and “fuck”… or “fuck” and “pussy” for that matter! This favours me.

It’s also a question of respect towards the girls (and not only my models). Even if I am sometimes a bit rude, there is a line I would never cross: their intimacy.

I know to how control myself and to manage my emotions when we speak about serious things like this. I’ve always had a harsh opinion about men who rape girls, I think this is because I don’t understand why they can loose control and be so horrible. That’s probably why I can never be tempted to take unfair advantage of a situation.

L: How do you make a new model gain your trust and feel comfortable with you taking pictures of her?

jG: Several models have already told me I inspire confidence. Maybe because they feel I am not a sexual predator. Also because I always consider their feeling and their comfort. I know when you I have to smile, joke or stop speaking to avoid the girl thinking the “tight” situation is real.

Every shooting is acting, even the girls give a lot from themselves. Thinking too much is easy when you’re tied, naked and waiting for the photographer. It can make you more anxious or uncomfortable about the situation. As the producer and as a respectful man, I have to protect the model against these bad thoughts.The most difficult part of the job is managing the fragile balance between “what you need” and “what she wants”.

Things are more easy these days. Now I am known in France and I have a good reputation. The girls know I am hard to please but I don’t touch them… except when I need to tie them and, even at this time, I don’t have wandering hands like some other photographers I know.

Also, I have a female assistant who is also a model. This helps avoid any misunderstandings. So I don’t need to earn their trust, they give it to me because they know my studio is a safe place to work.

L: Do you ever date and/or party with your models? Have you ever fallen in love with one of them?

jG: I’ve always tried to separate my job and my private life.

It’s not easy because I work with girls who accept to reveal their physical intimacy. I have to return some kind of warmth to build a relationship with them. I’ve always had the opinion that the best winning move is to be distant in my profession… but it’s not my nature in life. I listen and I talk to them but I avoid all things the model could misunderstand. I rarely go to restaurants and I never go parties except for business purposes.

Of course, there are some exceptions and I share more things with my assistant who works with me every weekend, but it’s always sporadic and friendly. I think this is the best thing for my models and myself. I know my nature and being too close to someone is sometimes risky.

Like of lot of young men, I had a strong feeling for my best friend when I was 20 and I never forgot that experience. It doesn’t mean I am immunized, I actually had one ambiguous relationship with one of my first models.

She was 18 and full of life when I was going on 30 and had a boring life full of work. She was searching somebody able to love her honestly. But she started taking more and more of my time from day to day and then I started to question myself.

Finally, we went different ways but we got together two years after just like good friends. So, technically, you can say I already loved one of my models but, in fact, I was more interested by the young tormented student than by the model dressed in latex. That’s is the only case… and that was 6 years ago !

L: Do you have any deep, dark fantasies you have yet to photograph?

jG: This job is a dream for a lot of people… just because you can explore a lot of things including your own fantasies. I’ve already shot a lot of things, more than I could expect when I started.

However, if one of my models would let me, maybe I would like to shoot an extreme punishment scene. I don’t like the “negative pain” even though I know S&M involves pain but I’ve always thought fun and pleasure must prevail. So when I do spanking videos, I have to stop when the girl begins to feel really uncomfortable.

To explore my dark side would mean bringing the girl to tears… but the woman would have to really want to explore this dark fantasy as well.

L: What can a woman do to you that turns you on more than anything?

jG: She must be brilliant, pervert, funny and creative, then I would definitely be interested. If she’s just pervert, there is no chance to turn me on, even if she’s a truly sexy bitch !

L: What can a woman let you do to her that turns you on more than anything?

jG: If she lets me be pervert, funny, creative and protective, then we are in the danger zone !

L: In bed, are you always dominant towards women or have you ever switched roles?

jG: Life is a domination game, sometimes you want to be the boss, sometimes you don’t.

The bed is nothing more than an arena of life and I can switch roles. We can both live in a fun, intense game, but it’s only a game and it shouldn’t change the equality of power the day after.

Of course, this is just the theory. Some S&M games can modify your opinion or feeling about your partner and that’s why I always recommend to avoid extreme games.

L: If you could have any celebrity to bind and photograph for a day, who would it be?

jG: Andrea Parker aka Miss Parker in “The pretender” TV show would be a delicious victim as long as her “bitch” mode is ON. Strong minds are the most interesting to make captive.

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the models in front of the camera

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L: What makes a good bondage model? What physical and personality traits do you look for when you select them?

jG: The most important feature of a bondage model is her face and her ability to express something intense or sexy with her eyes and mouth.

Because all bondage games are based on fun, pain or pleasure, it’s really important to work with girls who are able to create and share these three emotions. You can do basic bondage, but if the girl’s face makes you think of something sexy or perverted, it is so much better!

Physically, a good bondage model is a woman who is flexible and resistant. She knows her body and her limit and the best way to manage the restraint. Basically, the more flexible the girl is, less restricting the binds will be. I’ve noticed dancers are generally really good in bondage modeling because they’ve learned discipline, suppleness, tenacity and pain.

Lastly, if the girl loves to be bound and truely loves the bondage aestheticism, you will definitely do better shoots with her!

L: What makes French women so sexy and beautiful?

jG: I think there are beautiful women around the world and some features are more specific for different regions or countries. In France, girls are obsessed with their weight and their skin - that’s the reason why french girls are so thin and they probably look so nice.

In my opinion, French girls could be the best models if they could work regularly with pro photographers (but they can’t actually) and if they would be more concerned about their career (a lot of them don’t make the right choices). That is a pity because I’ve worked with several non-local models and I can assure you French models are the most interesting to work with!

There is another reason why French models are so sexy - they are more reserved than others. They are sexy without being nasty or obscene.

L: Who is your most popular model currently? What makes her so in demand?

jG: I can’t answer this question just because everyone has different reasons to love each model. One thing I know is you can bring one model to the top if she’s motivated and ready to listen to my advice. One sure thing is members love the girls who don’t cheat the photos - they need to feel passion, pleasure or fun in the model’s eyes.

L: In general, what do some of the models do when they are not posing for you bondage sites?

jG: When I first started, almost all my models were modeling and working as secretaries or hostesses. In the past few years, my models have been mainly students. French girls love to be shot just after their 18th birthday and stop before their 22nd. This happens mainly because they can’t live on modeling alone or just because they get burned out.

L: Do the girls generally get along? Do they ever form relationships with each other outside of work?

jG: Some of my models are used to socializing or going to parties together. Generally, there is a good feeling between the girls even though some tensions can exist. This job is an accelerated life - you meet, you love, you hate… the more you love one day, the more you can hate the day after !

L: Do you have a favorite model that you work with?

jG: I actually have had four models I’ve really appreciated working with over the years. Four models, four period cycles and four different and similar reasons to prefer these women!

I know people who would compare them to my muses. One sure thing is these four girls have inspired me a lot. I’ve loved their faces, eyes, body, style and what they gave to me. It’s not easy to be a “Captive Girl” and these 4 models trusted me and worked more than others. They will forever personify my vision of feminity and symbolize what my photographic path was at different ages.

All of them were good people and I have a lot of tenderness for them… even if I have some regrets too.

L: Ever have a model try to seduce you? Was it because she was really attracted to you or was it for more devious reasons?

jG: It happened one time. One model played the seduction game but I was totally unreceptive just because I knew it was for devious reasons. But, this is one exception… I am not the kind of man a girl tries to seduce. I am too ugly and impressive for that!

L: Many beautiful women who work in the “adult” industry often come from abused or broken families. How do you manage their fragile egos and emotions?

jG: I never worked with a model who went through a devastating tragedy when she was younger but adolescence was complicated for several of these girls. That’s the reason why this job is so intense and interesting! A human being is a wonderful but difficult case.

I always think about my models and I try to protect them. But as I said at the beginning of this interview, I have a job to do and you can’t shoot sexy pictures without any risk. I was probably more understanding few years ago, I’ve learned a lot about dealing with models and I am more directive than before.

Every model has her own limits. You can deal with some of these limits or you can’t. I rarely accept to shoot a girl if her limits are not compatible with my productions. Generally, the more you work with one model, the more she tries to satisfy you. It’s dangerous because, sometimes, the girl decides to pass her limits to please you. In my bad days, I often think about some models I’ve shot and I can’t deny some decisions were better for me than for them. I don’t think I’ve ever pushed a model too far (they are the only one able to judge) but I am not undisturbed about this possibility. I just hope models I’ve worked with don’t consider me as a bad man… but I am not sure about it.

A little story: One day, I spoke about a spanking video with one of my models. She said to me, “my father was used to spank me when I was a child, I don’t like it but I think I can manage the pain”. I didn’t accept playing this game because I was almost sure she would be very uncomfortable about the spanking situation.

L: Have you ever had a model freak out while she was in her bindings (like if one suddenly became claustrophobic in her latex)?

jG: Never. We go slowly and I am used to test the model before. Some of them are anxious sometimes but their final smiles are a victory for me.

L: I have to imagine some of the girls must get turned on during a shoot, especially with those tight ropes rubbing in all the right places. Do you ever capture orgasms on film?

jG: I don’t think a man can answer this question. Guys are unable to guess when a girl is cheating or not!

Seriously, I think some girls have lived intense experiences here, I’ve already shot “physical” orgasms (just because one girl can’t be stimulated by a vibrator for several minutes without any muscular reaction) but this is not what I call “real” orgasm. I have too much respect for my models to guess this answer.What the girls really think and live during our sessions is not my business. I just hope they enjoy their shootings!

L: Who is your bravest model? Is there one that will let you try anything on her without limits?

jG: I wouldn’t accept this… we need limits to be happy !

Dana was probably the bravest, like Rachel Paine (one famous US bondage model) once told me when we worked together, “she took a lot for you’. I’ve always loved this, especially because Dana’s deep nature is not being a submissive!

I would like to mention another model, Anaïs who was the first to break the “sex” taboo on CaptiveCulture.com. She brought real sexual eroticism to my productions and I really appreciated it. Like Dana did few years before with bondage, she sent a message to the others models, like “you can do it, that’s not gonna hurt you”!

They played for the team and they did their job even if it wasn’t easy. Thank you, girls!

L: How much creativity do the models bring to the shoots?

jG: Basically, if I work well with one model and if she inspires me, I am able to shoot what she wants. On another hand, if I feel the model is not involved in my productions or if I am not satisfied with her, I make all decisions and there is no synergy.

In other words, my favorite models are able to combine what they want and what I need, then it’s a pleasure to get fresh ideas ! Our continuing mission is to explore this strange universes and seek out new fantasie.

L: Do the models ever tell you their own fantasies?

jG: It happens… and when the girls share it, we do it. This information is precious and there are not enough girls who dare to express themselves.

L: Finally, if I wanted to become a model for you, how would I go about it?

jG: You want to be a Captive Girl? Email me and we’ll speak about it :) Every lovely woman shoud visit Paris one day !

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this interview has been made by Lucy Boots for her blog KINKY SEX SLUT and has been used by Tony Mitchell (ex-Skin Two editor) for his magazine THE FETISHISTAS