A sexual fetish is a sexual fixation on or attraction to a specific inanimate object, or a particular part of a person's (usually a potential sexual partner's) body. More broadly, a fetish is a specific form of sexuality, or a specific sexual taste, which is perceived as being both intense and in-the-minority.

Some would limit the use of the term fetishism to cases in which a person cannot achieve sexual excitement, or perhaps cannot achieve sexual climax, except in connection with the fetish object. More recently, however, the term is often used for any strong sexual predilection. Fetishism can be an example of a paraphilia, which refers to sexual arousal in response to sexual objects or situations which may interfere with the capacity for reciprocal affectionate sexual activity. However, not all fetishes fit this model, nor are all paraphilias also fetishes. The use of the term fetish implies that the situation is "not in the norm." For example, most people are sexually attracted by the genitals of at least one sex, or the female breast, therefore this is generally not considered a fetish.

In the past there were several photographers who went from portrait and glamour to photographing erotic and nude, and ended in fetishes. Perhaps this is a common path to explore being a photographer, it is not needed for the photographer to have the fetish he or she photographs. However studying the works of some of these vintage photographers leads towards concluding some connected their personal fetishes with photographing. Like for instance Juan Crisostomo Mendez who photographed ladies in stockings and shoes, Charles Guyette is known for his ponyplay series, John Willie is known for photographing (and drawing) high heeled woman. Ostra Studio explored all kinds of fetishes, Yva Richard and his wife Nativa explored lingerie, shoes, boots and Nativa posed as Mistress as well as slavegirl.

There are some special pages dedicated to vintage fetish photography.View the gallery below, clicking will lead you to the connected post with multiple albums.