HISTORY

On April 26 and 27 2008, 50 models and 48 photographers of all experience levels and styles from as far as Florida and Texas convened upon our first photography event, then called the Detroit Erotic Arts Collaborative (DEAC), during the Exotica 3 Expo.  This event was primarily a Model Mayhem event, although also promoted on MySpace (remember that?).  The Saturday night shooting ended in a festive bang with the Erotic Masquerade Ball in City Club with various fire/burlesque/exotic stage performances and dancing until 5am.  Overall, the first of DEAC events was a success in both attendance and creativity.

On August 2 and 3 2008, DEAC followed the Exotica Expo to a new location in Pontiac for a limited version 1.5 at Clutch Cargo nightclub and the Museum of New Art. This new location brought with it new restrictions of no nudity near liquor and separated shooting venues, but 75 still attended to create art!

On February 7 and 8 2009, DEAC came back to Detroit and the Leland Hotel where we were free to pursue our passion for creating art without city limitations or restrictions.  With 117 in attendance, we joined up with the internationally acclaimed Dirty Show erotic art exhibition for a greater fit of shooting art during the day then attending the huge exhibition at night. We also added a new feature to the DEAC schedule…a variety of informative and educational workshops designed to cover a diversity of topics beneficial to our art.

From then on, we hosted DEAC events within a variety of venues, including a functioning machine shop, a closed strip bar, Tangent Gallery/Hasting Ballroom and the Russell Industrial Center.

           

In 2015, we rebranded ourselves into the Society of Models and Photographers (SMP) to welcome more diversity of photographic and modeling styles.