Life As I See It

 

 

This is my Interview/Portrait with the King of Bondage, Jim Martin.

Jim's site, "Bondage by Request," is among the most successful of all fetish websites in the world. Jim says what he feels like saying at all times. His ideas are actually ideals, and those ideals have driven him to the position he's living today. I've read his writings previously. Jim's thoughts have impressed me so much that I've added some side quotes of his for the readers thoughts and entertainment. I hope you enjoy the "Babes" too, he'd like that. Jim loves he women he works with.....

Interviewing Jim Martin.

Randy: Tell me Jim, how quickly did it take you to put all your ideas together and begin to live your dream?

Jim Matrin: I think that is something that I still do everyday. My ideas come to me day in day out. I often will see a girl and have no ideas of what I want to do until the moment the rope is in my hands. Other times, I think how great it would be to do such and such a tie, of course more often than not, I don't have a model at that time. As far as living a dream, its sort of funny. Often I think living a dream would be living in a nice little white house with a picket fence-with a wife and a kid or two. One man's dream is another's reality...

Randy: Do you think of yourself as unusually gifted, or do you think anyone who sticks to it could achieve what you have for yourself?

Jim Martin: I really never thought of myself as gifted. I really love what I do, and think that if anyone truly loves what they do, they will succeed. Art is a a funny thing, sort of lie love... It really can't be done wrong. It is a creative feeling, a passion that comes from within. I think that passion shines through. If people consider me gifted, that's very nice, but it really won't change the way I do what I do.

Randy: When Bondage by Request first showed signs of becoming the huge hit that it's become, exactly what did that do for you as a person-inside and out? Had you been a success before? Was success a new thing to you?

Jim Martin: I have achieved, so called, success in other aspects of my life. Funny thing to me is, I really never think of BBR as such a huge success, as others do. That's why it surprises me when someone tells me how many people enjoy my work and how well known I am in other countries as well as here in the US. It's like this--I started the site out basically from scratch, I shot the girls I wanted to shoot and I fulfilled the members requests. My success came from the members satisfaction. Each time I got a positive feedback from someone I used to save it and post it on the site. I had to take that section down, cause it got too big. The one thing I never forget is that the members put me where I am now, I owe it to them. I think if I ever lose sight of that I would rather just close shop.

Randy: You are around beautiful women constantly-you have chosen to be. Are you completely comfortable being, or playing the part of their mentor? Or is it not like that at all?

Jim Martin: That is a funny question, especially since you say mentor. I think whenever we meet someone who looks up to us in any way, we should give them a little morsel of wisdom that can help their lives. I try to do that with each of the models. I tell them not to lose sight of reality and to live their lives in a fashion that they can look back on later and be satisfied. I think that models do have a short life-span, unlike photographers and riggers, so they need to make the most of it. If they become stuck up and play that game, they'll move from guy to guy and job to job and never achieve an inner balance. I can sometimes get very personal with the girls, I should correct that, I mean I take a strong personal interest in their well being. So I guess I am sort of a mentor. I've been through so much in my life. If I can save only one person a heartache or the pain of crashing, I feel like I've succeeded.

Randy: Why do you suppose romance in some men never dies? Can you easily separate love from 'play,' or are they both the same?

Jim Martin: Romance,ahhh that magical word. I think there are certain men that never lose their quest for romance, then there are others that mistake romance with conquests. I have many friends who move from conquest to conquest and mistake it for love. For me, LOVE RULES. I can't be intimate with a girl if there's not something there. Besides I have so many quirks and fetishes that most girls don't even fit into the ball-game. Now, I need to clarify, although I've dated some pretty beautiful women, each and every one of them has had that "Something special" that separated them from the others. From feet, to lips, to the shape of a girls mouth to her hands and ohh so much more. As far as play goes, it's not play to me, it's real. If I'm connected with a girl "play" is as much a part of our life as eating breakfast and brushing teeth.

Randy: What goes through your head while you are actually doing a shoot with someone that is close to you? Does the activity of the shoot own more of your thoughts than the woman you are shooting?

Jim Martin: NEVER! I's all about the girl. The activity of the shoot is a result of the chemistry that I have with the girl. Now when I shoot a girl that I am seeing, which has only been two (private), its a bit more interesting. Cause its not unlikely that I'll have to stop the shoot for a while just to ..... well, you know. If the model is one I'm very fond of or find very attractive, then its a chemistry between me and her that goes from flirt to photo. NOTHING ever happens when I'm shooting a model... it is very professional. In fact I would feel comfortable if my wife (which I don't have) would be on the set the whole time.

Randy: Do you find it a little bit harder to shoot someone you have a deep feeling for, or does that only make it better for you? Has knowing your model well ever caused you trouble during a shoot? If so, how did that happen? How did you react?

Jim Martin: Deep feelings are what drives the shoot. I am generally detached from the idea of a romantic involvement with the model while I shoot them. The romantic chemistry is between the model, the rope and my camera. If I step into it, that would take that chemistry away form the pictures. However, like I said previously, if I am involved with the model it's a different ball-game. I remember showing my friend Ernest Greene some pics of a model I was dating and he knew right away we were involved. I asked him how he knew, and he said by the electricity in the pictures.

The model that I shoot the most now, that I know the best, is Ashley Renee. We have a blast shooting. We may bicker a bit back and forth, but it's all in fun. We are both perfectionists and I am a bit obsessive, which she pokes fun at. But after all, she is my second best friend in the whole world.

Randy: You did say that sometimes you dream about a nice little white house out in the country somewhere, with a white picket fence. Isn't that exactly what you have yourself chosen to stray from, to search, to live your dream with the passion you define so eloquently?

Jim Martin: Well, actually it's the "grass is always greener theory." Now that I have what I have I sort of think that the little picket fence would be nice. At least it is probably better that it happened in this order. If I get the picket fence now I'll know what I had and have gotten it out of my system.

Randy: I know you've spent some time working in the Movie Industry, could you tell us a little about the inner workings surrounding that part of your life? Why did you not continue in the Movie Industry?

Jim Martin: I'd rather keep that private. The only thing I would say is that I still do know a few people in the mainstream movie business and it is a business that I would not want to be involved in. Anyone who thinks that our business is strange should spend a little time in the mainstream film business where girls and young guys are chewed up and spit out alive.

Randy: What is your general philosophy and perception of a woman's position in todays society? Do you think that women who want to be treated fairly-work hard to be treated fairly, most often will succeed with the goal they have in mind? Make this both in the Fetish Industry and Industry itself.

Jim Martin: Yes, I think women have accomplished a lot in society. Many have made great names for themselves in business including fetish and other websites, such as Ashley Renee and Danni Ashe. I think that anyone who works hard can get ahead regardless of sex, age, color or anything else. It's the people who play the victims who are looking for an excuse. Now, do I agree with the philosophy of women working and such... Of course my ideal is the old fashioned way, where the man works and the woman is the princess and stays home. Maybe I'm cynical, but I think that marriages and relationships worked out so much better in years past, when our roles were more strongely defined.

Randy: With your website Bongage by Request, by doing the choosing of the models as well as the actual photography of them, do you think this has given you an insight into women's feelings that perhaps few men have? I would expect so. What has working with Fetish Models taught you about women in general?

Jim Martin: As you can see by the models on my site, I have a general look that I am attracted to. And working personally I do think I have an insight into women's feelings, of course that doesn't mean I have them all figured out--- not by far. The insights that I have gained are so interesting and I think they make me a better person, cause most men never have the opportunity to really get close to a woman unless it is their girlfriend or wife. I'm almost like the hairdresser, they tell me everything. As far as working with fetish models, I've learned that they are truly wonderful people, most of them. They come from a place of passion and caring and are generally very open about their feelings. I can clearly see the difference between a girl who does exclusive fetish as to the ones who do mainstream. The mainstream models tend to be much more complicated.

I must add here--that the first time I visited Jim Martin's Bondage by Request, I was completely taken by the set-up and the how easy his site was to navigate. I was so impressed that I had to write and tell him. Jim's site is how fetish websites should be presented. Plenty to see for free, so you can only imagine how much there must be after you join!

Randy: Jim, appealing now to your Magnanimity, would you give a few hints and tips to newcomers that wish to be successful with their new fetish sites? I know that you'd mentioned to me before that you would be more than happy to help them with a few pointers and words of advice. There are so many brand new website owners out there with nothing but a website and a fist full of fetishs. How should they begin their quest for success properly? May as well take full advantage of you while you're here with us.

Jim Martin: Being overly anal in most aspects of my life, this carried over when I designed BBR. I wanted the visitor to the site to be able to see what they would get when they joined (ergo the free peek section) and a good taste of what the site is about. inside I believe its all about the content. I think people like seeing things organized in a clean efficient matter. Not too much fluff, just good pics and videos. We all know why we are here... don't we?!

Randy: Thanks, and I'm sure they'll be many people thanking you at some point down the road. What advice might you give to aspiring fetish models breaking into the business today?

Jim Martin: First off a warning, BE SURE THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. Don't just do it if you're short on rent. This business will be with you the rest of your life. Yes, it is cool, but if you think that at some point you might regret it, you probably will. Then of course another important aspect is: who are you going to work with. There are many producers who produce such crap that no matter how cute the girl, they look bad. Better that you work with someone who will make you look good. Fetish can be very tastefully done, but some do it badly. For my colleagues who do it well, I salute them, and there are a few. However, its those disgusting pics that will never go away!

Randy: Jim, this will be the last one, but a perfect Jim Martin question. It may be the most important one of them all. Do you see in the future anything to watch out for, anyhing that might rob us of our our Freedoms and our right to view Fetish material on the web?

Jim Martin: Yeah, well this has always been my biggest issue. Its OK to give kids games where they can shoot people and blow up things, but if a kid is caught on a sex related site people lose their heads. I CAN NOT understand why people are so naive about life. I wouldn't want my kids to stumble on a bondage site either, but if I was given a choice,
I'd rather have them jerk off than shoot someone. We need to support our first amendment right of free speech so that we won't get robbed of it. Also, it is the responsibility of parents to watch over their kids, not the government.

Randy: Jim, I thank you very much for your candor and openess, your help for the newcomers entering the business, and for the values you have retained as a person that have done nothing to hinder your success. It was a pleasure.

My suggestion to everyone that loves bondage, or is just beginning to think about opening their own Fetish site--go directly to Jim Martin's "Bondage by Request" to see how it's really done.

www.BondagebyRequest.com

Until next time, goodnight lovers. Randy Burns.