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Erotica vs porn, what’s the difference?

Erotica vs porn, what’s the difference? Posted on May 26, 2017

erotic couplePerception of a sensuality and pornography always was subjective and full of stereotypes and prejudices. In the assumption, a porn – inevitably rough, low and tough image of sex, and the adjective “porno” carries negative only coloring. In turn, one considers a sensuality nonsense and platitude, and others – the only “decent” way to excite the imagination. Directors, psychologists, sex therapists and other experts explain, then the sensuality and a pornography why one phenomenon socially acceptable, then another and why semantic disputes sometimes – superfluous differ.

Tony Ward, a star of my movie “Hustler White”, told Rolling Stone once that a difference between a sensuality and a porn – in lighting, and I agree with him. There are many criteria by which people estimate frankness of material. Soft focus, diffused light, a stage setting, installation, the general attention to composition and the atmosphere can force the viewer to think of very frank video in the context of a sensuality, but not a porn.

In erotic videos actors are flattered on post-processing or directly during shooting, selecting the most favorable fore shortenings to hide rashes on skin, absurdity of some positions and physiological details. At the same time the difference between “art” and “sensuality” is often easily traced. The first can sometimes be unusually realistic to break illusion of “ideal” sex which is cultivated in the majority of modern porn movies. In a sensuality, the accent from penetration and an ejaculation is displaced on lovemaking.

Historically the dichotomy of a porn and a sensuality has class character. The porn – a show for masses, addresses straight a libido, and the sensuality created for people with thinner organization hides the sexual act. The porn often is considered rough and exploiter, and the sensuality draws attention with artistry and a veil of decency.

I always say that the main difference between “art”, or “sensuality”, and “porn” is only in how penetration is presented. “The highest class” considers the relaxed naked body as an esthetic object. The porn is observed more often in the closed situation, it has more personal character and often uses politically incorrect receptions which allow it to be much more cheerful, than a sensuality.

Here is opinions which I think is worth to read:


Difference between erotic and pornographic – in a context. The word “pornographic” is much more often used incorrectly, than “erotic”. At the same time both words are used to give an assessment to something.

The sensuality has more positive connotations: “erotic” often designates “positively sexual” the phenomenon: classical, socially accepted etc. Porn is used for the description of all “negatively sexual” outside, actually, only purpose of a porn (me the phrase always surprises “to watch a porn”: actually, nobody watches it – all masturbate under it).

But “sensuality” the word, too narrow on sense, for designation of really big area – that which the journalist of TechCrunch John Evans correctly identified as sexual content which is not a pornography (just in this field of Make Love Not Porn and works). In MLNP we try to grope new vocabulary for plausible sex so once we in an arrangement will have many other words to write, discuss and investigate this from all directions the underestimated subject.


The same difference, as between “promiscuity” and “norm”: we are inclined to call porn things which cause us discomfort, and erotic those that we are brought. The majority of rigid things really get to category of a porn, and soft and esthetic – a sensuality, but most often these characteristics are very subjective and speak more about the person who uses them, than about concrete video.


Before I began to create own porn, I worked with a new model. I heard a lot of nonsense in disputes on in what a difference between art and a porn, and it was important to me to find the answer that nobody could accuse me of a posing for a pornography. The American photographer George Pitts to whom I posed for the first and was a muse at first of the work, told me: “The pornography is a sensuality without empathy”. Approximately the same idea was introduced by employees of other studios in which I worked then. But then I came to work to a porn and saw that many actors and directors really worry about the fact that they make, and have own idea of in what way to excite the viewer.

As I understood, the choice of the suitable word is the choice of a class. What the “ordinary” person will count as the porn exciting, most likely, and that the sensuality with its wrapper of artistry brings the well-planned intellectual, most likely. And it is even simpler: if purpose of an artifact consists in just to excite the viewer, this porn.


The border between erotic and pornographic is formed by marketing and tendency to condemnation. I write erotic books – at least, so they are positioned in the market – but a mistake will not call them porn. Generally, if someone tries to sell the erotic works, pressing that they it is “better” than a pornography, I lose to them interest. To put it briefly, the sensuality is socially acceptable, a pornography – not up to the end.

Such situation quickly enough changes, and the pornography, especially a video format, becomes a subject of extensive discussion, mainly among the younger generation. But I think that accurately it is impossible to differentiate these two categories. Both, eventually, are created for excitement, but at everyone the methods. Both terms are subjective: the fact that it seems to one erotic for another looks fresh and unattractive. I think, people should look for what makes to them well (regardless of how it officially is called) instead of trying to discover useless distinctions in intangible things.


It is very subjective. For those who like a pornography these two terms are synonymous though “sensuality” covers some images out of a porn (for example, pictures with nude women). In the opinion of fans of a sensuality in a porn people between whom there are no relations only strike – as opposed to it in a sensuality there are love scenes of R-movies. Well, there are also still those who against broad representation of sex in media, and for them a sensuality questionable, and the porn is absolutely unacceptable.


Question what to consider erotic and that – porn, subjective, but I think everything begins with our neuro-associations with each word. When most of people thinks of a sensuality, there are images something sensual and in good sense of irritating. It is, as a rule, based on half-words and leaves a lot of space for the imagination looking, bringing to pleasure, desire and lust. “Pornography” is automatically perceived as the front image of sexuality. Many describe it less sensual and rougher, than a sensuality.

Interests me more where desires of the specific person in an interval between these two phenomena settle down. For some porn can look erotic, and others need sensual stimulation to relax and derive pleasure from sex. Anyway, I would like that my clients investigated themselves and the desires, the main thing in this case – pleasure.


Something that is regarded as poorly exciting in France or Italy, in the USA can become hardcore porn. And the American R-movie intended only for audience is more senior than 17 years, it can be a pornography – if it is watched by 11-year-old. Generally, these words carry social and cultural coloring which influences their perception.


The sensuality and pornography touch upon both a sex subject, but they strikingly differ. A sensuality – sensual, hinting and a little painful. The imagination should work to finish drawing a scene which is necessary to you. It is your work.

The pornography is lewd, dissolute and absolutely deprived of imagination. The most erogenous zone in all body – a brain, and imagination – the best tool to derive pleasure maximum. It is possible to call a sensuality a prelude, and the porn is an act in itself, a stake without hissing.