Hot Chicks are Here, you know that's what you came for!!

About the Photos

A few people have asked if I'm really the person who takes the "Pics of the week" photos. yes I am, I've been doing this type of "glamour" photography for about 7 years now. It's my primary hobby outside of the band. I've tried to get into other types of photography, but once you've taken photos of some really beautiful women, nothing else comes close. At this point, I've photographed upwards of 40 different women. This is all the more bizarre when you consider that I've always been sort of shy around women, especially really pretty ones. As for how I find them and get them to pose? Well, I started taking pictures of a close friend of mine who asked me to do some "lingerie" pictures. She loved the result and showed them to some friends and it just sort of snowballed by word of mouth. Every girl I photograph shows her pictures to friends and I get one or two more asking to do a shoot.
I have male friends who ask me if they can be an "assistant" or "help with the lights" a lot, but the truth is, it's not what people think. Taking pictures of a barely dressed or even nude woman is a great privilege but it's also a lot of work. I take it very seriously, and the women I work with appreciate the professionalism of the process.

Equipment used

Right now I'm using a Nikon D70 digital SLR with a Tokina 28-70 f2.8 Pro or Nikon 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens. For lighting I'm using a single Alien Bees B800 flash, usually through a Photoflex Large Softbox and recenty have started using a Nikon SB800 as a hair light and secondary flash.
I use a Sekonic L-358 Flash Meter to measure lighting.
I've had that camera for less than a year though, so a lot of the older pictures I post here were taken with an Olympus E-10 (which I'm selling, if you're interested, write me) using a Photoflex Starlight 2000 watt constant lighting system.
My very earliest pictures (which may make an appearance here someday) were shot with an Olympus D-600L digital camera and believe it or not, I was using about 8 Quartz Halogen work lights for lighting.

Angel
Week of 7-1-2006 © 2006Joe Miglionico

April
Week of 6-26-2006 © 2006Joe Miglionico

Medusa
Week of 6-2-2006 © 2006Joe Miglionico

Coral
Week of 3-7-2006 © 2006Joe Miglionico

Marissa
Week of 2-28-2006 © 2006Joe Miglionico

Arianna
Week of 1-30-2006 © 2006Joe Miglionico

Coral
Week of 1-15-2006 © 2006Joe Miglionico

Arcadia
Week of 1-4-2006 © 2006Joe Miglionico

Nina
Week of 11-18--2005 © 2005 Joe Miglionico

Nikki
Week of 10-25--2005 © 2005 Joe Miglionico

Jaime
Week of 10-10--2005 © 2005 Joe Miglionico

Medusa
Week of 8-22-2005 © 2005 Joe Miglionico

I'm reproducing my guide to strippers on this page as well, since many of my models do this for a living. I've asked many of them to read it and comment on it, and so far the response has been positive. I just hope some of the people who go to these clubs and spend time with these amazing women will read it and take it to heart. I do care about these women and I want to do my small part to give them whatever help I can.
Joe's Guide to Strippers
It's no secret that a lot of the girls I photograph make a living as exotic dancers. Over the years, I've gotten to be quite close to a lot of dancers, and I see what they go through every week, so I thought I'd put together a little guide to the right way to approach and deal with strippers.
1. Always remember that these women are human beings. They have feelings and they can be hurt, same as you. It takes a lot of guts to do what they do, and the fact that they're on a stage in front of you does not give you the right to insult them or discuss them like they don't exist. Yes, they can hear you. If you think a girl is not attractive, no one is forcing you to sit at her stage (and if you are sitting at the stage, put some money up. It's not a free show. I've seen guys actually get pissed if a girl walks past him when has no money on the stage, for the life of me, I can't figure out the level of stupidity involved to sit there and not expect to tip). Clubs hire all types, and your type will be along soon enough, in the meantime, saying you think a girl is too fat, or flat or old, or has stretch marks or whatever isn't going to make you any friends. Everyone has flaws. Let's strip you naked and see what the assholes will say about you!
2. Stripping is a job. They are there to make money, not to listen to you drone on for an hour about how much your job / wife / girlfriend / truck / motorcycle / etc sucks. Most girls will be happy to spend time with you, and get to know you, but make no mistake, they are expecting to get paid for their time. If you have no money, be honest about it, but don't lead a girl on for an hour and then just leave. Their time is valuable. Dancers are not paid by the hour, in fact they are paying the club to work there, and every minute spent sitting with you is time they could be making money with someone else. It's not a personal insult to you if she gets up and leaves, she needs to make money. She is also not looking for a boyfriend. If she seems interested, always remember that that's part of their job. They are a fantasy, they are there so that you can spend some time with a beautiful woman and enjoy yourself, but don't ever make the mistake of thinking it's more than that. Sure, occasionally a dancer may end up dating a customer, but it's rare and in any case, it's not going to happen the first time she meets you.
3. They are not doing anything wrong. One of the more misunderstood aspects of a dancer's life (believed in large part due to the media, which always seems to portray them as victims) is that most people assume that they all hate what they do. This is not true. Sure some do, there are always people in any job who hate it, but the vast majority of dancers are there because they enjoy it. They like the exercise, the music, the attention and of course, the money. It's actually a pretty good job if you can handle it. They set their own hours, get paid in cash and on a good day can earn a hell of a lot of money. The reason I bring this up is to deter what some girls call "White Knights". These are guys who will come in and start saying things like "You're too good for this place" and "You don't have to do this" or worse, and will try to get them to leave the club for some other job (Some will try the "you're degrading yourself" route too, as if sitting in an office, typing numbers into a computer for 8 hours for 6 bucks an hour isn't degrading in it's own way). These kinds of remarks are usually taken as an insult. The implication is that dancers are too stupid to understand what an "awful" situation they are in and need some help to get out. I know dancers who are making over 50K a year at 19, 20, and 21 years old. They work when they want, leaving time to be with their children (yes, many of them are mothers) or go to school or just live a life while the rest of us are trapped in the 40 hour grind. They do not want or need you to be telling them that they are so beautiful that they should be sitting in a cubicle someplace. Think about it...
4. Don't Touch! At least not without an explicit OK. Some clubs allow contact, some don't, but even if they do, it is up to the dancer to decide what her boundaries are. Every girl is different, some will allow more than others, but it is up to them to make the choice. You'll figure it out pretty quickly, but in the meantime, don't just go sticking your fingers all over the place, and for God's sake, keep your pants zipped! If she pushes your hands away, keep them away. Inappropriate contact is one of the quickest way to get a girl to blacklist you. At the very least, it will piss her off and she'll back out of reach, at worst, it will get you thrown out of the club.
5. Don't be a stinky slob. Dancers by the nature of their job have to get closer to other people than what would generally be considered normal. As a result, most dancers (ok, not all, but MOST) are almost preternaturally clean. While they don't expect you to be "Just Got Out of the Shower Springtime Fresh", it wouldn't hurt you to take the time to wash up before you go there. If you've just finished doing that valve job on the Jeep, don't show up at a club covered in grime, wearing grease and oil covered pants and a sweaty T-shirt expecting all the girls to give you a big hug and hop in your lap. Keeping a supply of something to help your breath isn't a bad idea either. One last thing about appearance and clothing. This may sound stupid to you but if you're going to a club that allows lap dances, try to wear soft pants. No corduroys or rough jeans. Sweat pants work well for this. You'll get a better dance out of it, and she'll be a lot happier to not be sitting naked on something a step above sandpaper.

I've met literally hundreds of dancers since I started my photography 7 years ago, and what I've come to learn is that they are like everyone else. They come in all sizes, flavors and colors, but they are normal, down to earth people with lives doing a job for which they get little respect and a great deal of grief. To become a dancer takes a lot of courage. and many of the biggest detractors are people who would never have the guts, much less the ability, charisma or appearance to do what they do. They also take a toll outside of work in dealing with the stigma society puts on exotic dancing in general. How sex and nudity came to be considered such an evil thing in this society is something I will never understand, especially when violence is fetishized into a high art. It's my opinion that they actually perform a public service, there are a lot of very lonely people in the world, and sex is one of the strongest drives humans have. If the rabid moralists of this country had their way and eliminated all the strip clubs and porn the way they wish, I believe there would be an increase in violence that would boggle the mind. All you need to do is look at countries where it is banned, and you will see misogyny and repression on a level that women here couldn't even comprehend.
Bottom line: Be good to them and they will return your kindness. Treat them with respect, they deserve it, but don't kid yourself into believing that you are the center of their universe. Play along with the fantasy, help them out financially and you'll both have a great time.