In order for subcultures to thrive from one generation to the next, participants need to become passionate innovators willing to shape its future. Fortunately, a new breed of fetish models have emerged bringing a fresh perspective to the culture. One such model to take notice of is the beautiful Mosh who has quickly found herself in front of the lens of many of the best fetish photographers. Discovering the works of Bob Carlos Clarke, Helmut Newton, Steve Diet Goedde, Lithium Picnic, and Michael Helms at the early age of 13, Mosh has since carved herself a path to becoming one of the most sought after names in the genre. Allow yourself to be mesmerized by the world of Mosh.

You were born in the Soviet Union and moved to the States as a young child. Did you find the transition to our Western ways strange and jarring?

I moved to the US at such a young age, even before I had a chance to go to school, that there really was no transition for me to go through. Quite the opposite, when I came back to visit Russia (the Soviet Union had already been dismantled), their Eastern ways were odd to me. I was still brought up with Russian traditions. I am just well accustomed to our Western ways here.

At what age did you find yourself fascinated with fetish culture and how did you discover it?

Around the age of 13, I discovered fetish accidentally through a search I did online. I ran across images done by Bob Carlos Clarke, Helmut Newton, Steve Diet Goedde, Lithium Picnic, Michael Helms, and others. I even discovered illustrations done by John Willie. I was in absolute awe of everybody’s work and found something incredibly exotic and even more complex in their shots than with any other images that I’ve seen. It drew me in instantly and I have had a great interest in it ever since.

And where and when did the modeling start?

I started modeling on the East Coast at 17. At first, I posed for a high school student for their photography projects. I started thinking about how much I loved those fetish images I encountered a while before and decided to join modelmayhem.com to work on my portfolio. From there, I started to model and the rest is history.

Was your first nude experience in front of the camera a good one?

It was a great experience. Vance, a DC-based fetish photographer, shot the first nudes. I specifically picked him to work with, as I knew he would make it a pleasant experience no matter if I loved it or if I decided it wasn’t for me. I ended up loving it of course!

Take us back to when you first saw yourself in a major publication. How did you react?

It was an incredible feeling. One of my first publications was actually in a salon/hair magazine. Even though that wasn’t exactly what I loved shooting it felt like such an accomplishment to see my work in print. Later came a small spread in Marquis, and a cover on Photoshop magazine. To be in one of my favorite fetish magazines and on the cover of a well-known Photoshop magazine felt very special to me because they were related to what I truly enjoyed shooting. Seeing it in print just made me want to work harder and even more at what I do.

Did you know from the start that fetish and alt were going to be your niche?

Since the time that I encountered fetish and alternative images, I was instantly drawn to the idea of shooting them and knew that I would venture into them as soon as I could. There’s something incredible about both genres that really makes me adore shooting them. I started modeling simple latex pieces like latex stockings or a latex skirt. Later, I progressed into full outfits. The further I went the more I adored what I was shooting. I certainly found my favorite niche as a model.

Your photo sets are highly expressive and colorfully crafted. How important is it for you to tell a story?

Thank you! I don’t concentrate on telling a story during my shoots per se. I just do what I want to do at a shoot without thinking too much about it. However, I try to convey certain emotions through images, which is telling the story, and I hope that they transfer to the viewer. I feel that it really gives my work an actual meaning rather than just being a pretty picture. Your question actually makes me think back to the time when I first saw a fetish image. To me, it was more than a beautiful photo. It told a story, which is what initially made me so, attracted to fetish shots.

Tell us where you draw your inspiration for the photo shoots you create.

I don’t go anywhere or look for anything in particular to draw inspiration for my shoots. Of course I run across images that I enjoy viewing and they become embedded into my mind, so naturally they would project themselves through my work in some way. Often, I just pick up wardrobe that I am attracted to for shooting and style those pieces into an outfit. I do my hair and makeup by coming up with an idea on the spot to match the styling and that’s about it. Sometimes I do plan my shoots ahead of time by using a combination of ideas that start to come together into a look. Even though I love looking at fetish images, I can draw inspiration from something as simple as a plant, object, or color.

What type of photographers are you open to working with and why?

A large variety. Every photographer I work with has something unique and significant about them, and that certain something is what makes me want to work with them.

You have your own blog www.themoshroom.com/blogspot.com that essentially acts as a journal both professionally and personally. How do you determine how intimate to become with your fans about personal information about your everyday life?

I believe it’s important to establish a boundary between the two, while at the same time, giving people a better perspective on you. Human interest can drive people to your work so giving them a little more information about yourself through a personal/professional blog can encourage that. I like to show things from my personal life that I think relate to my work in some way and also things that I think would interest those who follow me. This could be snapshots of some new wardrobe that I plan on shooting soon, a quick journal entry, or an image of something I find beautiful and interesting. Sometimes it can be random but I don’t stray too far into my personal life where it leaves the boundaries of modeling-related topics and my general interests.

Tell us about your member’s site www.themoshroom.com and what goodies a new member should expect to find.

My site contains thousands of high-quality images, videos, journal entries, chatroom and webcam, extras, and more. It’s basically my virtual playground where I create and experiment with shoots, and also where I interact with fans. The style of the content varies from fetish to glamour, and everything in between. I also post candids and tutorials that give you a closer look at my shoots and my life as a fetish/alt model. I’m working on more tutorials, videos, and a revamped site for this year.

Photo Credits: Steve Prue, RedRum, Venus Wept, Destroy Inc, Mickle Design Werks, sideshowsito, S.H. Photography, Michael Helms, Lithium Picnic, Robert Alvarado, Christine Kessler

Taste it:
themoshroom.com