Top 10 Considerations for Successful Guerrilla Bondage

1. Risk

Identify your personal risk profle. How much risk are you willing to take in terms of physical safety and potential legal consequences? What is the reward for taking that risk? A good photograph may not be worth a trumped-up “inciting a riot” charge or a mass of splinters from that tree bark. A legendary photo? Priceless.

2. Attention

Avoid drawing attention to yourself and your situation. You may want to shoot photos without a flash or dress casually until the last minute. Unbundling rope, tying people, climbing ladders, using a bright flash, etc. all attract attention. Consider doing as much prep away from your target location as possible—you could even tie your TK in advance and hide it under clothing. Most important, both of you should move with confidence. (If you are carrying a load of bondage gear through a hotel lobby, for example, be discreet, know where you are going, and act like you are almost late and don’t have time for pleasantries.) More than likely, if you look and act like you are supposed to be there, you won’t get questioned. Wearing a black leather vest in the summer stands out. Looking at the front-desk staffer with an “Are you looking at me? Do you see what I’m doing?” face is a red flag.

3. Equipment

Lugging a tripod, lights, rigs, triggers, umbrellas, etc. along with rope even short distances can quickly become cumbersome. Be efficient but don’t forget necessities. Bottoms may also want to bring something they can cover themselves quickly and easily with, like a big jacket—and keep in mind that you may be colder after you come down than when you went up, especially if you’re shooting outdoors, so that big jacket or a blanket may come in handy for more than one reason.

4. Permission

Will you ask permission ahead of time or possibly have to beg forgiveness later? Public or semipublic bondage requires you to examine yourself. How will you feel if you expose a minor to rope bondage? A religious grandmother? What if someone wrecks their car while watching you? How do you feel about art vs. consent (exposing people to something they may consider indecent without their explicit consent)? What are your odds of being denied permission vs. your desire for the shot or the experience?

5. Behavior

Understand local, county, and state/province views on nudity, trespassing, permissible related behaviors, etc. Federal laws may indicate it’s OK to do something, but a city ordinance or municipal code may indicate otherwise. The phrase “art project” tends to diffuse a situation quickly, especially if you’re not naked or seminaked; however, security officers on private property will typically respond differently than law enforcement officers.

6. Communication

Verbal and nonverbal communication is key to any successful scene but is especially important when the setting is unfamiliar and the bondage may be "quick and dirty". Walking each other through what you will do beforehand, and communicating while it is happening and how you are feeling in a play-by-play kind of way, will help you both stay on the same page and know what to expect when adrenaline is pumping through you in the moment. And remember that you may have to climb to a location or otherwise exert yourself physically in addition to doing any tying or being in rope, so communicate whether that affects your stamina or strength.

7. Location

It’s a good idea to evaluate where you intend to tie beforehand. If you are suspending from something, what is it? How can you assess its structural integrity for suspension? It’s a good idea for bottoms to learn how to do this instead of just trusting the top—it’s your body on the line. For help on evaluating a hardpoint. You might also note traffic patterns at the site as well—maybe you’ll discover a regular

5 a.m. jogger or midnight patrol person, for example. Studying the site lowers the chance that you’ll get a surprise visitor during your tying time.

8 Motivation

Why do you want to do this? Is there a location you want to capture, or a bondage vision burning a hole in your brain? Is a site being demolished? Is it a new build? Do you just get a thrill from tying in a public or semipublic place? If you’re a bottom, are you doing it just because your

9. Capturing

Are you trying to get video footage or a photograph? Often the more spectacular the shot, the more difficult it can be to capture. Can you rig and then just whip out your smartphone to get the shot? Or do you need a fish-eye lens or someone on the rooftop of an adjacent building? Would a quadcopter or drone with a cam be the best way to capture what you want?

10. Engaging

What will you do if someone shows up to your scene? Are you prepared to deal with a nosy drunk? An angry landowner or upset security officer? A park ranger or sheriff? Can you diffuse the situation? Can you patiently outwait prying eyes? This is not the time to be defensive or argumentative, even if you’re 100 percent sure you’re not doing anything illegal.

I once had a rope hanging from a tree within reach, by the art building at Southern Methodist University, and a girl in a chest harness covered with a sweater standing next to me when approached by police. I just pulled out my camera and started shooting random stuff until he started asking questions.

At that point in a scenario like this, take more random shots. Some of the rope, some of the person who will be tied. None of the police officer. Just keep waiting. When they’re finally gone, you’ll have a small window in which to work. Diffuse the situation. Your patience may pay off. Get to work, get the shot, and go. We were walking to the car as the officer was returning.

Guerrilla bondage can be thrilling, can produce amazing photos, and can create incredibly memorable experiences. Doing your homework before you head out can make it more likely that you’ll remember it for all the right reasons.