Ryan Stanford may not be a name that you may not immediately recognise in the context of gay porn, but you’ve probably seen Ryan’s work.

Based in LA, Ryan is a photographer and filmmaker – specialising in the men of gay porn. But it’s a career path that Ryan has discovered almost by accident.

I caught up with Ryan to hear his story.

A new creative outlet

“I was working in interior design in West Hollywood…” explains Ryan, when I ask how he discovered his passion for photography. “The firm that I was working for was taken over and became corporate overnight. It made me realise that I needed a new hobby. I started walking through the different neighbourhoods in Los Angeles – nobody walks in Los Angeles. I was focusing on architecture, taking photos on my phone and posting them to Insta.”

“The Instagram really took off, so I decided that I needed to learn how to take photos. It wasn’t even imposter syndrome, it was the reality – I had a successful photography blog on Insta and I had no idea about photography. I bought a real camera and began learning – I taught myself from the ground up. I am an autodidact.”

“I’d taken some headshots for a friend. He was doing a queer cabaret downtown. For one of his performances, the photographer that he normally booked couldn’t make it, so he asked if I could come to the show and take some photos. I said yes, but I had to learn how to do that – I’d really only ever taken photos of buildings, this was completely different. I was really nervous about it, but he liked the photos. That led me to start taking social media photos and head-shots of all the performers at the club – everyone and their dogs. In LA, dogs have head-shots.”

“I submitted some photos to Eroticco magazine. I was so elated when I got their email saying yes, they wanted to feature my work. That was a big step for me – it raised my profile. I started taking more pictures of naked boys. I also submitted to DNA and they published – as a non-photographer who had just sort of stumbled into this, that was huge validation. I’ve always been interested in art and visual imagery – photography was enabling me to explore a creative side of me that had previously been untapped. I was putting my heart and soul into this work.”

Learning on the job

“When Covid hit and everything shut down, I had nothing to do. Joel Someone came to stay with me for a bit and we decided to start an OnlyFans. He helped me to figure out how to film for porn. We started filming with guys in LA. People started asking me to film for them.”

“A porn production company asked me to create some work for them. Freelancing for them got me a GayVN nomination. I’ve earned it but I still pinch myself.”

“I like having my name on the content that we produce, but it sets a very high bar. It’s got to be good. I can see myself getting better and better, but there’s a lot of competition.”

“When I’m photographing guys, I draw on Playgirl and art historical references. In terms of film, I look more to European filmmakers that have more of an art-house approach to sex and nudity.”

“What’s been great has been finding a small group of guys that I consistently work with – this includes Eddie Burke, Brogan, Ian Holms, and Drew Valentino. I know how to shoot them – I know their angles, I know how they move, I can anticipate what they’re going to do. That reflects in the quality of the work that we create – because of the relationships that we’ve built. It’s definitely a collaboration. Working with big-name performers helps to ensure that your work is seen.”

“I love working with Ryan – he’s super-accommodating and easy to work with…” confirms Drew Valentino, when we ask for his perspective. “Our work always feels like a collaboration between artists, and I’m always extremely happy with the results.”

“Ryan is my go-to when I’m filming…” confirms Eddie Burke. “He’s got an eye for what makes great content. I never have to worry about the output when I work with him, I can just focus on what I’m doing and trust he’s capturing the best of it for the audience. He’s got great energy and ideas. We’ve learned how to work together and have a really good groove at this point.”

“The best thing about working with Ryan is the consistency in his professionalism…” says Ian Holms. “He’s always on time, and always shoots quality content and always gets me a solid edit of the shoot back way before I even need it. He’s easy and fun to work with which makes the often quite sensitive work we do a lot less challenging.”

A focus on quality

“I produce and edit my films as if the viewer is going to sit there and watch the entire thing – from the very beginning through until the end of the credits. Every detail matters to me – the transitions, the flow, the story. But nobody watches porn like that – they skip to the bit that they want to see.”

“I want people to appreciate the quality of what we’re producing – that they can see that I care about the content, that I’ve put work into it, that I’ve thought about it. I instinctively follow the action but there’s always an intention – there’s a purpose why I’ve gone with that angle or that shot.”

Plans for the future

“I’d like to get my photography featured in more magazines…” says Ryan, when I ask about his plans for the months ahead. “But publications don’t exist any more like they used to. I’d like to do some more fashion photography, and to incorporate fashion into erotic films.”

“In terms of films, I’d like to create work that is more ambitious and more artistic. Pedro Almodovar is my favourite filmmaker – the colour and pizazz and zest. His films have a lucious and sumptuous earthiness, he has a feel for concepts and character. But I’m also influenced by Madonna’s SEX book, Dieux du Stade, and my study of Art History – so I also want to push in those directions.”

“I have big plans – I’m just getting started.”

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Written by Gareth Johnson